Delegation Leader
Packet
National Student Congress
2015
Las Vegas, Nevada August 5-10, 2015
Welcome! We are excited that you are interested in attending the 68th Annual National Student Congress! In this packet you will find information on how to prepare a delegation (or yourself) to attend Congress. There is especially great information in here if you are going to be the delegation leader. If you have any questions please reach out to us at Mayra Guizar at 202-640-6575 or .
Delegation Leader
What does it mean to be a delegation leader?
The delegation leader coordinates logistics and recruitment. They are responsible for recruiting a delegation that represents the student body and meets the USSA diversity guidelines. They also must register each delegation member, make housing reservations, and make travel arrangements. The delegation leader is also the USSA point of contact person before and during Congress.
Before the Conference
The delegation leader needs to recruit and register the delegation. They must also make lodging reservations, arrange transportation and if needed, purchase parking permits. The delegation leader should hold a meeting with the delegation to discuss the purpose, agenda, and logistics of the National Student Congress. The delegation leaders should also explain the structure and mission of USSA.
During the Conference
Delegations should meet daily in order to decide who is attending which workshops, discuss Board of Director elections, and debrief their experiences of each day and to discuss any questions or concerns. The delegation leader should work to support everyone so that they enjoy the conference and get the most out of it.
After the Conference
Delegation leaders should schedule a meeting to debrief the conference. They should also make sure to update the student government and student organizations about the outcomes of the National Student Congress, including leadership elections and campaigns.
What is the National Student Congress?
What is Congress?
The National Student Congress is the annual membership conference held by the United States Student Association (USSA). It is one of the two opportunities a year that the entire membership is brought together to determine and implement USSA’s agenda for the upcoming year. We hold Congress to make organizational decisions: what campaigns to run, constitutional amendments, and most importantly electing leadership. Because we are student-run and student-funded, our members determine the issues we prioritize in our Action Agenda campaigns, the types of strategies and tactics we use, as well as elect our National Officers and the Board of Directors.
USSA has a long and proud history of utilizing an inclusive and democratic process and this year is the 68th anniversary of setting the student agenda. During the week, each participant will become a part of the formation of USSA’s goals for the year and the goals that we, as students, want to accomplish.
Delegation Meeting
This is the first in person opportunity for Congress participants to ask questions of staff and experienced Board members. Students go over the processes and procedures of Congress to gain a better understanding of the conference details and how USSA functions as a membership-driven organization.
Regional Meetings
Conference delegates will divide into regional meetings to get to know other students from their region and conduct regional business. Each region will elect representatives to the Congress committees, elect a Chair that will represent the region on the Board of Directors and make its organizing plan for the year.
Each region is led by a Regional Chair who sits on the Board of Directors. Elections for incoming chairs will be held during your regional meeting at Congress. Remember that regional meetings are open only to participants from the states that the regions represent.
Caucuses and Affiliates
Identity-based caucuses and affiliates are part of USSA’s structure. Affiliates and caucuses ensure that every constituency within USSA has institutionalized leadership and participation in making decisions. Each caucus and affiliate will elect a Chair that will represent the caucus/affiliate on the Board of Directors and make its organizing plan for the year.
Each caucus and affiliate is also led by a Chair who sits on the Board of Directors. Elections for incoming chairs will be held during the meeting at Congress. Remember that caucus and affiliate meetings are open only to participants who self-identify with that group. You must attend the first meeting in order to vote at the second.
Workshops
A mixture of skill-based and issue-based workshops provide conference participants with new information and tools to use on your campuses. The issue-based workshops are intended to allow participants and presenters to educate each other about the problems that currently affect students and offer solutions that make concrete improvements in the campus community. The skills-based workshops are designed to teach useful organizing skills, such as coalition building and media organizing. Regions, Affiliates or Caucus endorsements of Action Agendas and Administrative resolution do not require signature support only individual submissions.
Congress Committees
There are three committees that are responsible for running Congress and to which your region will elect one representative for each: Congress Steering Committee (CSC), Administrative Plenary Committee (APC) and the Issues Plenary Committee (IPC). It is crucial that you attend the first regional meeting to participate in the election process and to learn of any agenda changes or important announcements.
The Administrative Plenary Committee (APC) is responsible for reviewing and presenting amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. APC is also responsible for reviewing and presenting Administrative Resolutions as well as organizing and clarifying proposals to be considered at the Administrative Plenary.
The Issues Plenary Committee (IPC) is responsible for reviewing submissions for Action Agenda Items and presenting items that meet all criteria at the Issues Plenary.
The Congress Steering Committee (CSC) is responsible for overseeing all elections and procedures of Congress. The results of all elections, including Affiliate and Regional Chairs and Vice-Chairs, must be reported to the Congress Steering Committee Chair immediately following the close of the voting period. CSC will facilitate elections upon request by a caucus, affiliate, or region if requested by someone from any of those groups. Members of CSC are not eligible to run for President or Vice President. During Congress, CSC makes sure that provisions in the Bylaws, Constitution, and Congress are followed and respected. Individual submissions of Action Agendas and Administrative Resolutions require signatures of support. Regions, Affiliates, and Caucus sponsorships of Action Agenda and Administrative Resolution do not require signatures support.
Plenary
The plenaries are meetings of the entire membership to decide important issues for the organization. USSA holds two plenaries:
1) The Administrative Plenary is convened to amend USSA’s Constitution and Bylaws and to provide administrative direction to the organization, its elected officers, and staff. Proposals for the following items are heard during the Administrative Plenary:
• Administrative Resolutions direct the Board of Directors, with the assistance of National Officers and/or staff to carry out certain tasks, projects and other administrative functions.
• Constitution and Bylaws Amendments change the Constitution or Bylaws by adding, deleting, or rewording specific sections of these governing documents.
2) The Issues Plenary is convened to amend USSA’s stance on issues and decide the priorities for grassroots legislative campaigns throughout the following year. Proposals for the following are heard during the Issues Plenary:
● Action Agenda Items designate the priority issues that will be USSA’s
● Grassroots legislative campaigns for the following year.
Officers and Board of Directors Elections
Throughout the week, you will meet candidates for the position of USSA President and Vice President, as well as candidates for each of the Board of Directors seats representing the various caucus, affiliates, and regions. The only positions voted on in a general election of the entire membership are the President and Vice President. All candidates for these positions will address the body at Congress. The regional, caucus, and affiliate Board elections will be conducted in their second meeting. In order to participate in the elections, you must be a credentialed voting delegate from a member school and have attended the first meeting. Officers for the Board of Directors are elected at the first Board of Directors meeting at the end of the National Student Congress.
Delegation Recruitment
Why does USSA have diversity guidelines?
USSA is committed to expanding access to education for all people. We recognize that some-one's class, ability, nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status and other identities affect their experience with, barriers to, and opportunities for higher education. USSA recognizes that, intentionally or unintentionally, many institutional factors discriminate against people based on their identity. This discrimination is directly related to the under-representation of some
Communities on our college campuses. If we are to fulfill our goals as an organization, we must have perspectives from a broad range of students in our organization and at the forefront of the national student movement. Additionally, recruiting a diverse delegation sends a powerful message to our elected officials that we represent a number of different communities on our campuses and in turn strengthens our lobbying power.
In addition to recruiting a diverse delegation you should also recruit a combination of student organization leaders and students that are being developed as leaders.
Diversity Guidelines
USSA has Diversity Guidelines, which ensure that USSA is inclusive of all communities on campus. The guidelines help encourage student governments to fully incorporate and represent the entire student body on their campus and within USSA. Member schools are required to follow the Diversity Guidelines.
The definitions of each acronym are as follow: W=woman; WOC=women of color; POC=Person of Color; Q=Queer; QOC=Queer of Color; NT=Non-Traditional; SD=Student with Disabilities; V=Veteran; G/P=Graduate or Professional; INT = International Student and WC = Working Class.
Enrollment / Suggested Delegates / Suggested Delegation Diversity0-3,500 / 5 / 1 W, 1 WOC, 1 POC, 1 Q/NT/SD/V/INT/WC
3,501-5,500 / 6 / 1 W, 1 WOC, 1 POC, 1 Q/NT/SD/V/INT/WC
5,501-8,500 / 7 / 1 W, 1 WOC, 1 POC, 1 WC, 1 Q/NT/SD/V/INT
8,501-13,500 / 8 / 1 W, 1 WOC, 1 POC, 1 Q, 1 WC, 1 NT/SD/V/INT
13,501-20,500 / 9 / *2 W, 1 WOC, 2 POC, 1 Q, 1 WC, 1 NT/SD/V/INT
20,501-30,500 / 10 / *3 W, 1 WOC, 2 POC, 1 QOC, I WC, 1 NT/SD/V/INT
30,501 + / 11 / *4 W, 1 WOC, 2 POC, 1 QOC, 1 WC, 1 NT/SD/V/INT
*1 of which is a woman of color
Any school that counts G/P students as part of enrollment for determining delegation size should include a G/P student in their delegation. All delegations of 3 or more should have at least 1 W and 1 POC that cannot be the same person. Delegates may fulfill multiple roles, except the delegate fulfilling the WOC guideline may not also fulfill the POC or the W guideline.
How to recruit a diverse delegation
Before the conference, contact student organizations including women; students of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, or Transgender students; veterans; students with disabilities; and nontraditional students. Let them know about USSA, our conferences and campaigns, and encourage their participation. This is a great opportunity to strengthen relationships with these campus organizations. The best approach a student association can take to recruit diverse conference participants is to work on issues that affect a broad range of students. Having a diverse group of students setting the student government agenda and working together with student organizations makes diversity a full-time commitment and strengthens any student government association. If you need help with recruitment please call the USSA office at (202) 640-6570.
Individual Delegate Registration Forms
Delegation leaders are responsible for filling out an individual registration form which can be found on our website. Delegation leaders must collect all relevant information for their delegates and submit the individual registration form by 5:00 p.m. EST on July 10th to . The e-mail should be titled Individual Registration Form: (Delegation Name [your campus, statewide, or org]).
Individual registration forms provide information needed to accommodate for special needs, dietary restrictions, and make personalized name tags. Registration forms also provide information about individual delegate’s attendance for Congress regions, affiliates and caucuses.
Registration Deadlines
Registration Dates / Member / Standard / SSA MemberMay 27th – June 10th / Early Registration / $265 / $315 / $290
June 11th – July 1st / Regular Registration / $290 / $340 / $315
July 1st– July 10th
May 27th – July 10th / Late Registration
MSI/CC / $315
$240 / $365
$265 / $340
Housing
The above prices do not include housing accommodations. USSA has secured a discounted rate of $59.00 on week nights and $140 on weekends per room. The rooms are doubles at the Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89169. To reserve rooms at our discounted rates please e-mail . for the Code. You must secure your lodging with Hard Rock Hotel by July 10th, 2015.
Housing options Across from University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Hotel / Address / Phone / Price/Room / OptionsHard Rock Hotel* / Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89169 / (702) 693-5000 / $59 on week days $140 on weekends / Double Bed rooms
Embassy Suits Las Vegas / Address: 4315 Swenson St, Las Vegas, NV 89119 / (702) 795-2800 / Call for rates / Kings
There are many other options on the Las Vegas Strip--the above hotels are across from UNLV.
Transportation
Nearest Airport
Airport McCarran International Airport, 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89119
TRAVEL to UNLV From McCarran Airport:
Take the Swenson Street exit towards Trapicana Avenue ● Go EAST (right) on Tropicana Avenue ● To get to the Tropicana Parking Garage (#13 on the campus map), turn NORTH (left) onto campus at Wilber Street ● To get to Parking Lot D, continue on Tropicana to Maryland Parkway. Turn NORTH (left) onto Maryland Parkway
Transit Links: Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTCSNV) o http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/ • Las Vegas Monorail o http://www.lvmonorail.com •
Getting Around the City- Las Vegas 4 Newbies o http://www.lasvegas4newbies.com/chap4-1.html • McCarran International Airport- Public Bus Transportation o https://www.mccarran.com/Go/PublicBus.aspx • Shuttle Service Between Hotels o http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com/free-shuttle.php