One day last June, Greg Jones, Eastern Michigan University’s new student body president, made a pilgrimage to Lansing along with about 20 other university student government leaders from across the state. They were lobbying lawmakers to spare higher education. Several young leaders spoke, but the Associated Press story that went statewide quoted only one person: Jones.

“It’s a drain on the educational experience,” Jones said that day. “Students have to work more and more. They have less time to study because of the time spent having to make money.”

The selection of Jones’ quote may have been random. But it symbolized his solid arrival in the realm of Student Government. By the time he traveled to Lansing that day, Jones had two solid years of experience doing what Student Government leaders do: campaign, win, lobby, direct, negotiate, serve on or chair committees, talk to all kinds of people, get ignored by all kinds of people and initiate all kinds of new programs, ideas, Web sites, you name it.

And here’s the kicker: He likes it. All of it.

“I think you have to. It’s a lot of work,” said Jones, 21, whose term runs from March 2007, when he was elected, to April 2008. But, he added, “It’s pretty rewarding. You get things done. You make a lot of friends. And you learn a lot. I think I’ve learned more in Student Government than I have in any of my classes.”

Jones, a political science major, took office during a time of challenge for EMU. Dealing with the fallout from the murder of student Laura Dickinson, an investigation by the federal Department of Education and the removal of a president, has consumed time and resources. One of his biggest challenges will be trying to serve as the eyes and ears of students as EMU moves forward with its 16-point campus safety and security plan. One way to ensure achieving the plan’s goals is to improve communication among departments, he said.
“I think a lot of different groups call for heads to roll because it’s very easy to do,” Jones said. But firing people “doesn’t solve the problem. There’s evidence there are people who did things wrong and those people need to be held accountable. But there are people who are trying to move forward. We need to embrace that.”

His penchant for pro-action and a deepening grasp of higher education funding issues such as the state’s capital-outlay funding process illustrate Jones’ detail-oriented approach to leadership. It also reflects his deep involvement in student affairs the past two years. In that time, Jones, who grew up in Taylor and plans to attend law school after graduating in April, has served in the Student Senate and as executive director of Student Government. In those capacities, he showed considerable leadership as well.

When he ran for president, for example, he and his supporters dedicated 12 hours a day to talking with students about issues and the importance of voting. That investment – and work by an election commission – made a difference. Only about 1,550 students voted last March, but the number was more than triple the 2006 election. “I’d like to see it a lot higher,” said Jones, who is planning newsletters, surveys and a grass-roots group to encourage more student involvement.
In 2006, when a commission charged with writing a new Student Government constitution bogged down in bickering, Jones, then in the senate, along with now Student Government Vice President Josh Lyon, helped spark new action by composing sample drafts of constitutions. A new constitution was adopted and is working well, Jones said. In the new unicameral system, 25 student senators plus the president and vice president are elected; all electing voting is now done online. There are an additional five senate seats held by representatives elected by their own constituencies, such as graduate students, commuters and international students – an attempt to reach groups that Student Government struggles to reach and serve, Jones said.

When a potential smoking ban ballot initiative passed during the same March election, complaints about the ballot language surfaced. Jones talked to University administrators about setting up a committee on tobacco use policy. “A lot of people seemed to think a ban was unnecessary. We need to find a way to make it so people won’t have to walk through smoke,” said Jones, a non-smoker. “But if people want to smoke, they’re adults. It’s their decision.”

Jones also has initiated those trips to Lansing, where students lobbied for Pray-Harrold capital improvement funding and lower tuition – two key goals for Jones this year. He takes on these challenges with a student fee-generated budget of about $200,000.

So far, Jones is proud of his contributions. As a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, EMU’s most prestigious, full-ride scholarship, he feels an obligation to return the investment. “I’ve gotten a lot from Eastern. It’s given me a great education and all these great opportunities. Student Government seemed a good opportunity to give back to the University.”

 

?Greg Jones (right) meets with Jessica Richardson, a junior from Saline and director of services and events for Student Government.