Should Your SG Take This On? 15 Questions to Ask Before Making a Project or Program Your Top Priority Your Student Government obviously can't take on everything. So before making an issue, cause, or project your top priority, do some homework. Do students

1. How do you know students want your SG to work on this?

Why this matters: Your SG represents students. Before making something a major priority, find out whether this concern extends beyond the people already talking about it. Don't mistake a few loud voices for the whole student body.

3 points: We've collected direct input from a broad group of students through a survey, poll, focus group, conversations, petitions, meetings, or another documented method.

2 points: We've heard directly from a number of students, but haven't collected enough information to know how broadly the concern is shared.

1 point: A few students, SG members, or campus groups have raised the issue.

0 points: We're assuming students care about it, or we haven't asked them yet.

2. Have you talked directly with the students who would be most affected?
Why this matters: It's easy to talk about your students without talking to your students. The people most affected may see the problem, and the proposed solution, differently than your SG does.

3 points: We've deliberately talked with students who would be directly affected, including people with different perspectives on the issue.

2 points: We've talked with some affected students, but there are important groups or perspectives we still need to hear from.

1 point: Most of what we know comes from SG members, campus organizations, administrators, social media, or secondhand information.

0 points: We haven't identified or talked with the students who would actually be affected.

3. What student problem are you actually trying to solve?

Why this matters: Start with the problem, not the solution. If your SG can't explain what will actually improve for students, you're just not ready to decide what should be done about it.

3 points: We can clearly describe the student problem, who it affects, and what would be different for students if we succeed.

2 points: We understand the general problem but still need more information about its scope or impact.

1 point: We have a proposed solution or position, but haven't clearly defined the student problem behind it.

0 points: We can't clearly explain what problem this would solve for students.

4. Who actually has the authority to make the change you want?
Why this matters: A seat doesn't necessarily mean a vote, and being consulted
doesn't mean you make the decision. Before taking on an issue, know who can actually say yes.

3 points: Our SG has documented authority to make the decision.

2 points: Another person or body makes the final decision, but our SG has a formal role, such as a vote, recommendation, appointment, funding decision, or required consultation.

1 point: Another person or body has the authority. SG has no formal role, but we know who makes the decision.

0 points: Nobody knows who actually has the authority.

5. If someone else has the authority, what access does your SG have to the decision-makers?
Why this matters: Influence depends partly on access. Knowing who has the authority is the first step. Your SG also needs to get your proposal and student perspective in front of the people who can act.

3 points: SG makes the decision itself, or we have established, direct access to the people who do.

2 points: We know the decision-makers and have a realistic way to meet with them or present our proposal.

1 point: We know who the decision-makers are, but don't yet have a relationship or clear way to reach them.

0 points: We don't know who we need to approach or how we'd get our proposal in front of them.

6. What actual leverage or influence can your SG bring?

Why this matters: Wanting something isn't influence. Figure out what your SG brings to the table and what might actually persuade the people who have the authority to make the change.

3 points: We can identify specific sources of influence, such as documented student support, formal authority, a committee role, funding authority, established relationships, research, or a strong coalition.

2 points: We have one or two potential sources of influence, but need to strengthen them.

1 point: We're relying mainly on asking, emailing, posting, passing a resolution, or hoping decision-makers agree with us.

0 points: We haven't really considered what would give decision-makers a reason to act.

7. What exactly would count as success?
Why this matters: If you can't define success, you won't know if you've accomplished anything. A clear outcome/result makes it easier to explain the project, build support, and keep members focused.

3 points: We can describe a specific result and would be able to tell whether we achieved it.

2 points: We know the result we're seeking, but haven't decided exactly how we'll measure success.

1 point: We have a broad goal, such as “raise awareness,” “make change,” or “get the administration to listen.”

0 points: We haven't defined what a successful outcome would look like.

8. What makes you believe this effort has a realistic chance of succeeding?
Why this matters: You don't need a guaranteed win before taking something on. But there's a huge difference between “This will be difficult” and “We haven't figured out how this could actually happen.”

3 points: We've identified the decision-makers, understand what it will take to get approval or action, and have evidence that our proposal could receive serious consideration.

2 points: We know who must act and have started identifying what it will take, but important obstacles or unanswered questions remain.

1 point: We know what we'd like to happen, but haven't determined what would have to happen to get there.

0 points: We don't yet know who needs to act or what would be required for the proposal to succeed.

9. Have you researched what's already been tried?
Why this matters: Someone may have already tried what you're proposing. Find out what happened, what worked, what failed, and why. You may uncover a better approach or avoid repeating the same mistakes.

3 points: We've researched previous attempts on our campus and looked at how other institutions have handled this issue.

2 points: We've researched either our campus history or examples from other institutions, but not both.

1 point: We know a little about previous efforts, mostly from conversations or institutional memory.

0 points: We haven't tried to find out if this has been tried before.

10. Do you know what this project will require from your SG?
Why this matters: Projects consume way more than money: meeting time, officer attention, relationships, volunteer energy, and the time to work on something else. Know the cost before you commit.

3 points: We've estimated the people, officer time, money, research, meetings, communication, and other resources we'll need.

2 points: We know the major requirements but haven't worked through all of the details.

1 point: We know this will mean a lot of work, but haven't estimated how much.

0 points: We have no idea what this will require.

11. What happens if this project lasts longer than your current SG administration?

Why this matters: Your SG doesn't cease to exist at the next election. Long-term projects can be worth your time, but only if someone preserves all the research, relationships, decisions, and next steps your successors need to continue.

3 points: We expect to finish during our term, or we've established specific milestones, documentation, and a transition plan for the next SG administration.

2 points: The project may continue beyond our term, and we've identified what would need to be handed off.

1 point: The project will probably continue beyond our term, but we don't have a transition plan.

0 points: Who knows what will happen when we leave SG.

12. What will your SG have to give up to make this a top priority?
Why this matters: Your SG has limited time and people. Calling everything a priority means nothing is a priority. Before adding another major project, decide what you're willing not to do.

3 points: We've compared this with our other priorities and deliberately decided what will receive less time, money, or attention.

2 points: We've discussed our other priorities but haven't made all of the tradeoffs yet.

1 point: We already have several major projects underway and would be adding this to the list.

0 points: We don't really know what other work might suffer if we take this on.

13. Have you identified the people or groups you'll need on your side?

Why this matters: Your SG doesn't have to do everything by itself. The right allies can bring expertise, credibility, access, student support, and influence that your SG doesn't have on its own.

3 points: We've identified the key students, organizations, administrators, faculty, committees, or other stakeholders whose support could help, and we've begun building those relationships.

2 points: We know most of the people or groups whose support we'll need, but haven't approached all of them yet.

1 point: We have a few potential supporters, but haven't really identified who could help move the issue forward.

0 points: We're planning to pursue this primarily on our own.

14. Would your SG still pursue this if nobody outside campus ever heard about it?

Why this matters: Visibility isn't bad. Your SG should tell students what it's accomplishing. But publicity should follow meaningful work, not become the reason for doing the work.

3 points: Yes. We'd pursue it because of what it could accomplish for our students.

2 points: Yes, although visibility for SG or the institution is one of the benefits we've discussed.

1 point: Public attention, recognition, social media response, or showing that SG has taken a position is an important reason we're considering it.

0 points: Without the visibility, recognition, or opportunity to make a public statement, we'd probably choose something else.

15. Why does this deserve to be one of your SG's TOP THREE priorities right now?

Why this matters: Just because something is worthwhile doesn't make it your priority. Your SG probably will encounter dozens of good causes, problems, and projects. Leadership means deciding which few deserve your limited time and attention.

3 points: We've compared it with our other potential priorities and can explain why this issue belongs among the three most important things our SG should work on.

2 points: We believe it's important, but haven't formally compared it with our other major priorities.

1 point: It's one of many issues we'd like to work on, and we haven't decided where it ranks among them.

0 points: We haven't asked whether this is more important than the other things our SG could be doing.