Student Government to Host Statewide Student Leadership Meeting with Legislators and Higher Education Leaders

Caldwell, N.J., March 28, 2014 – Student government leaders from independent colleges and universities in New Jersey will have the opportunity to learn from and network with state legislators and higher education leaders and discuss higher education issues at a conference on Friday April 4. “Meeting of the S.G. Voices” will be hosted by the Caldwell University Student Government Association and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey. It will be held on Caldwell University’s campus.

Issues discussed will include: college affordability and debt management, stimulating school spirit and campus involvement and student government leadership talent acquisition and retention.

“Our goal is to not only unite New Jersey’s independent college and university student governments with legislators, but to also create an annual event that will be held for many years where students leaders can collaborate with and learn from state leaders,” said David Reeth, a senior at Caldwell and the college’s Student Government Association president.

An executive coaching session will feature New Jersey legislators sharing their professional stories, offering students advice and discussing higher education issues.

Confirmed legislators include: Senator Richard J. Codey, Senator Steven V. Oroho, Senator Tom Kean, Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin, and Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Garlatti, chief of staff for NJ Secretary of Higher Education Rochelle Hendricks, and Gabrielle Charette, executive director of the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority will lead a session on trending topics for higher education.

There will be a professional development roundtable where Bob Polakowski, vice president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey, will speak on “Putting Government Back in Student Government”, Caldwell University business faculty Tom Keen, Ph.D. will speak on “Leadership Starts with You” and business faculty Virginia Rich, Ph.D. will present on “Creating Your Own SG (Student Government) Voice Legacy”.

The day begins at 10:20 a.m. with registration and will conclude at 2:40 p.m. It will be held in the Student Center and Newman Center on Caldwell’s campus at 120 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006.

For information contact David Reeth at dreeth@caldwell.edu.