Since spring break is now in the rear-view mirror, it is undeniable that the semester is drawing to a close. Many of you are no doubt looking forward to next year and thinking of how you can get involved in College Park. As of now, the city and the Student Government Association are looking for next year’s city council student liaison.

This position is appointed by a committee that includes the mayor, two city council members, the SGA president and the SGA speaker of the legislature. The student liaison serves a valuable function on the council. As the single student representative of the university, he or she serves as a vital voice to the council. And while the representative may not be able to vote on agenda items, the ability to speak has a definite impact on city business. I have had the privilege of serving as this year’s student liaison and the experience has been more than worth the effort.

The student liaison serves as an executive cabinet member of the SGA and as a member of the Governmental Affairs Committee. In addition to their duties on the SGA, the student liaison gets the opportunity to attend all city meetings and is given the same speaking privileges as council members. They are responsible for strongly advocating for the views of students, as well as keeping students conscious of all that is going on in the city.

As this role involves communication on many levels, it is imperative that applicants be confident speaking publicly. Most importantly, the student liaison must be forward-looking, with a vision of the potential of the city. For these goals to be accomplished, the applicant must be willing to work collaboratively with both city officials and student leaders.

It is no secret that students and permanent residents often clash on many issues important to the function of our city, but the student liaison has the unique ability to serve as a bridge between the two groups in order to reach decisions in the best interest of all those in College Park.

If you are interested in applying to serve as next year’s city council student liaison, please e-mail me at SGAcityliaison@umd.edu for the application. All applications are due in by 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 16. Feel free to e-mail with any questions about the position – I look forward to receiving many great applications.

Dan Hartinger is the SGA city council student liaison. He can be reached at seb87@umd.edu.