Student governance

The Dickinsonian, still advocating a unified, all-College Senate,
writes an opinion in the November 30, 1934 issue.  The editor supports
the argument for a re-organized senate with documentation from the
minutes of Men’s Senate meetings; the responsibilities of the group and
the matters discussed and voted upon effected the women of Dickinson's student
body in addition to the men.  The author states, “there is no reason in
logic or justice why the situation of men voting on matters in which

Representatives from various groups on campus met on Thursday, May 15, at 7:30 in Old West to organize the all-College Senate. The President of Omicron Delta Kappa Whitfield J. Bell spoke at length, explaining the purpose and structure of the new Senate. Copies of the constitution were also distributed among those present and voting for the positions of chairman, secretary, faculty member and the committee on committees of the new Senate took place at the meeting.

On Monday March 29, 316 votes were cast by the student body in a response to Omicron Delta Kappa's plan for a reorganized student government association. In favor of the plan were 259 votes, while those opposed only numbered 51 people in the student body. The Dickinsonian reports that "the new plan will go into operation in May at the time of the expiration of the terms of the present senators" and would be able to operate "in full swing with the opening of school next fall."

The January 17, 1935 issue of the Dickinsonian reports that Omicron
Delta Kappa "national honorary society has drafted the general outlines
of the constitution of an all-College Student governing body." The
article reports that O.D.K.'s plan for the senate calls for a strong
central governing body which would weld the functions of all the
present student government activities into a unified control. The new
senate would be comprised of members of the current Men's and Women's
Senates, Interfraternity Council, the Pan-Hellenic Council, the

The Dickinsonian, "never a friendly critic" chastises the Student Senate for their inactivity and once again calls for a "senate with powers and constructive energy, a senate which both students and faculty will respect, a senate which will do more than spend most of its time discussing the Tribunal and all of its money buying keys." In hopes of finally enacting the proposal of an all-College Senate , these remarks from the Dickinsonian, students, and faculty continued to circulate around the college community.

The women of Dickinson's campus recognize the need for an all-College Senate, but also realize that there are "certain matters which affect only the women" of the campus.  Thus they propose that they maintain the seperate Men's and Women's Senates and "for the control of the other issues which affect the entire student body, an all-College Senate is both desirable and necessary."  The editor calls this third senate the "super-senate," and argues that it would not be an effective solution to the issues among the student governing organizations.  The caliber of membership would lower and acti

In a response to the editorial in the October 18th issue of the Dickinsonian, which advocated an all-College Senate, the Women's Senate writes and "gives their endorsement to this proposal." Similar to the editor's concerns, the Women's Senate argues that since the Men's Senate "legislates on subjects which are of importance to the entire student body" and membership to the Men's Senate is limited only to men, the practices of said Senate seem unfair because only three fourths of the student body are represented.

In an editorial in the October, 1934 Dickinsonian, the author reports that an old question of whether or not the Men's Senate should have power over the entire student body, has arisen once again. "Women, as well as men," argues the author, "contribute to the budget," as well as other aspects of college life, that often times, the Men's Senate are responsible for.

The Women's Group submitted a statement of purpose, criteria for memberships, rules, and list of officers to the Student Senate Committee in order to receive recognition as an official group on campus. Their purpose statement explained that they wanted to serve as a consciousness-raising group; to present films, speakers, and hold conferences that dealt with women in education or the Women's Movement; and to investigate potential discrimination at Dickinson. Any member of the Dickinson College Community could become a member, and the Women's Group would hold weekly meetings.

In 1956 a women's government organization was organized through the establishment of the President's Council. The council was established with the purpose of creating uniformity in rules for all of the dormitories and to act as a link between women students and the administration. According to the Microcosm, in its first year, the President's Council "made great progress in realizing its duties and responsibilities," which included meeting weekly with the Dean of Women.