Student Union

About Student Union

Student Union (SU) is Washington University's undergraduate student government. SU has two primary functions:

1. allocating the Student Activity Fee, equal to one-percent (1%) of each undergraduate student’s tuition, to engaging activities, programs, and initiatives,
2. and representing the student body in the administration's decision-making process, ensuring that students have a voice in the academic and social decisions which directly affect them.

SU is divided into three branches: the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Over 200 student groups on campus are registered SU groups, utilizing a large portion of the overall $2+ million budget. SU provides a number of resources to students and student groups on campus. Find out more »

History

Student Union was created in 1967-1968 when students were actively protesting the Vietnam War. The governing body, originally called the Student Assembly, allocated money to student groups through the Office of Student Activities. Students were unhappy with the restrictions on their funds and with the limited power they had to allocate money for activities. In the spring of 1968, Kevin Funabashi, an undergraduate student, proposed a new form of government that would utilize a student activity fee to fund student groups. Kevin was elected later that spring to the new governing body, Student Union.

With an original student activity fee of $25, Student Union began to allocate funds to student groups. In 1969, a new Constitution was ratified that covered pertinent topics of the day, such as setting up a bail fund for students who were jailed for protesting against the war. Concert performances by the Grateful Dead and Marvin Gaye helped to raise these funds.

During the 1970s, Student Union was a middle ground for coalitions and political parties on campus. Student Union committees were formed to tackle issues such as tuition increases. In 1979, Student Union established office space in the garden level of the Women’s Building, where it resided until 2008 when it moved to the Danforth University Center.

Student Union has grown and changed greatly since the organization was conceived, but it’s purpose remains the same: to be an advocate for students on issues that affect them and to allocate funding to student groups for programming that enriches campus life.

Mission

The mission of Student Union is to create a vibrant campus community by:

• advocating for the needs and interests of undergraduate students,
• developing and implementing both innovative and traditional programs,
• and allocating the student activity fee to unique and engaging activities, programs, and initiatives.

Vision

It is the vision of Student Union to responsibly serve and empower every undergraduate student to be a force for change and improvement while fostering and preserving tradition at Washington University in St. Louis.