Executive Staff & Chairs of Committees / Boards Contact Info
Here you will find a list of the members of the executive staff, as well as the chair persons of the various committees and boards of Student Senate. Alongside each name you will find a brief job description, a biographical sketch, office hours where applicable and contact information. Student Senate is a very broad organization that deals with many different people and issues. If you have a specific question or issue you can look at the job descriptions of each person in order to find the person whose role will best suit your needs.
Student Senate Executive Staff
President: Mason Heilman
Contact Info: mennis@ku.edu / 785-550-0362
Job Description: The Student Body President at the University of Kansas plays many roles throughout his or her term which can be distilled down into three main levels Student Senate, University Community and External. Within Student Senate, the Student Body President has a limited but important role. Largely, the President’s formal power within the Senate is that of the veto. At the University level, the Student Body President is responsible for communicating with various administrators and representatives within University Governance to voice student concerns on various issues. Additionally, the Student Body President, along with the Student Legislative Awareness Board, represents students to the Board of Regents, the Lawrence City Commission, the Kansas Legislature and other pertinent elected boards and officials.
Biography: Mason is a Senior majoring in Political Science, Secondary Education, and History. He is a Lawrence native ("townie" as May Davis would describe him), graduating from Free State High School in 2006. Within his first few weeks at KU he was elected to be a Freshman Senator and has been involved in Student Senate (and, coincidentally, Marching Band) ever since. Student Senate has become one of his passions at KU, as it is the mouthpiece of students and has the tremendous potential to effect positive change at the University.
Mason currently resides in Stephenson Scholarship hall with 48 other Lyleman and can be found cleaning the kitchen and singing loudly every Thursday night around 11.
Vice President: May Davis
Contact Info: mayday1@ku.edu / 785-447-0436
Job Description: As the presiding officer of the Student Senate, the Student Body Vice President is charged with overseeing the daily operations of the entire Student Senate and ensuring that it operates smoothly. This includes overseeing and working closely with the different members of the executive staff, chairing meetings of full Senate, orienting new senators, and acting as the bodies parliamentarian. In general, if you have an issue that you would like to see Senate address, a question about parliamentary procedure or the functions of Student Senate, or have something that you would like to have placed on the agenda, the Student Body Vice President is the person to contact.
Biography: May Davis is a senior majoring in Journalism. She entered Senate her freshman year, and has served on the executive staff as Transportation Coordinator for KU on Wheels and SafeRide/SafeBus. In addition, May has represented students on several Senate committees including the University Senate Executive Committee, Academic Policies & Procedures (vice-chair), the Student Housing Advisory Board and the Memorial Corporation Board. She joined Student Senate to help make the KU experience as unique and rewarding for others as she has enjoyed herself.
Studex Chair: Alex Earles
Contact Info: alex2007@ku.edu / 785-819-4924
Job Description:Alex Earles is a junior majoring in Political Science and Communication Studies. He became a Student Senator his freshmen year as the Student Rights Committee Associate Senator then as a Freshmen/Sophomore CLAS Senator his second year. He has represented students on several University Boards, including the Student Housing Advisory Board, the Recreation Advisory Board, Campus Fee Review and the Student Legislative Awareness Board. Alex enjoys being an active and involved student at KU and has an enthusiastic approach to making a difference.
Communications Director: Matthew Shaw
Contact Info: mattshaw@ku.edu / 913-687-5866
Job Description: As Communications Director I have three roles: make sure that there is effective communication between the various bodies within Student Senate, take information about what happens within Senate and communicate that to the groups that it affects outside of Senate, and direct the outreach policy for this year. If you have questions about what is going on in Student Senate, or any senator that has questions about the outreach policy, please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Biography: Matthew Shaw is a senior majoring in German and Economics. He got involved with Student Senate by running for freshman elections and becoming the associate senator for the University Affairs committee in the fall of 2006. He was involved in student politics in his high school, and has greatly enjoyed the past three years of pursuing his interest in politics and governance here at KU.
Treasurer: Mitch Knopp
Contact Info: mitchk@ku.edu
Job Description: The Treasurer oversees all funding procedures for student groups, new and old, and collaborates mainly with the Finance Committee during this process. The Treasurer also manages and oversees student fees. Finally, the Treasurer sits on nine boards of Student Senate. These Boards range from the Transit Commission to the Student Health Advisory Board. Most meet about once a month, and have both faculty and student members. I bring this information back to the Senate to better inform the Senators as to what is going on in the university administration.
Biography: Mitch Knopp is a senior in Accounting at KU. He got involved with senate by joining the University Affairs committee as a freshmen. He wanted to get involved to change things that annoyed and frustrated him at KU.
Assitant Treasurer:Erin Pishny
Contact Info: epishny@ku.edu
Job Description: According to Student Senate Rules and Regulations the job of the Assistant Treasurer is to “manage the various accounts of Student Senate”. This means that the Assistant Treasurer is responsible for aiding the Treasurer in paying bills, processing purchase orders, negotiating contracts with many organizations that Student Senate does business with.
Biography: Erin Pishny is a Junior in Accounting and Finance. She became involved in Student Senate through Finance Committee and has enjoyed seeing how the work of Student Senate has a direct, meaningful impact on students of the University of Kansas and the surrounding community.
Executive Secretary:Devon Cantwell
Contact Info: lawcantwell@gmail.com / 785-817-0524
Job Description: The Executive Secretary’s role has four main parts: taking the minutes, preparing legislation, overseeing office organization, and keeping attendance. In general, the Executive Secretary is also a keeper of records. If members of Student Senate have any questions about past years’ legislation, records, minutes, or issues, the Executive Secretary is the person to contact!
Biography: Devon Cantwell is a Sophomore in Political Science/Neurobiology/International Studies at KU. She got involved in the Multicultural Affairs Committee in Fall 2008 then later gained a Freshman/Sophomore CLAS seat. This year she holds the position of Executive Secretary,Vice-Chair of the Multicultural Affairs Committee, and Chair of the Multicultural Education Fund
Community Affairs Director: Elise Higgins
Contact Info: ehiggins@ku.edu / 785-249-5862
Job Description: Elise attends policy-making functions and meetings of the Lawrence City Commission as well as community & campus activist groups, and engages students in local governance. She serves as the campus political education liaison to the Student Body President, Student Executive Committee, and Student Senate. Elise also acts as Vice Chair of the Student Legislative Awareness Board and works with SLAB Coordinators to formulate position statements on issues affecting KU students. Finally, Elise directs & organizes the nonpartisan political education of KU students, student voter registration, get-out-the-vote drives, voter guides.
Biography: Elise Higgins is a Senior in Women's Studies and Political Science at KU. She became involved with Senate her Freshman year by running with the Delta Force coalition and has represented the Hispanic American Leadership Organization as well as Juniors and Seniors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Student Senate and University Senate. Elise believes in the transformative power of civic engagement, and wants the powerful voices of KU students to be heard by all levels of government.
Please speak to Elise with any concerns regarding city government. She can be reached by telephone at 785-864-3710 or ehiggins@ku.edu. Her office hours for Fall 2009 are:
Monday-9am-12:50pm
Tuesday-2pm-5pm
Wednesday-9am-12:50pm, 2pm-5pm
Thursday-2pm-5pm
Friday-By appointment only
*Students are welcome to join Elise at City Commission meetings every Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. in the City Commission Meeting Room, First Floor, City Hall, 6 East 6th Street. She is also available for consultation with student organizations*
SLAB Co-ordinator:
Contact Info:
Job Description:
Biography:
Technology & Advertising Director: Andy Haverkamp
Contact Info: handy@ku.edu / 785-580-5082 / Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9am to 1pm.
Job Description: Working closely with the Communications Director, the T&A Director aids Senate outreach to the student body and strives to improve the visibility and impact of Senate on campus through successful ad utilization and website accessibility. He is the primary contact for the Student Senate website, listserv, KU on Wheels and Kansan advertising.
Biography: Andy is a Junior in Chemical & Petroleum Engineering and Business. He was elected a Freshman Senator his first year, and served as an Engineering Senator his second year. He has been a member of Student Rights committee for the duration of his involvement with Senate.
If your question or issue does not seem to apply to any one person, or you are still unsure whom to contact regarding your issue, please contac the Student Senate administrative secretary, Diana Rhodes. (drhodes@ku.edu, 785-864-3710)