The 2024-25 Student Government executive board, along with the Speaker of the Assembly, met in Washington, D.C., on March 24 – 25 to meet federal government officials and advocate for higher education policies with other Southeastern Conference student government delegates.
Texas A&M organized the annual SEC in D.C. conference. This is the first year UT has attended the annual SEC student government conference since the University previously attended the Big 12 Conference. President Grace Kelly said the SEC in D.C. conference focused on three main policy issues — housing tax credit, open educational resources and posthumous degrees for students.
Kelly said the housing tax credit policy includes addressing gaps in federal programs to ensure low-income students have access to stable housing, and the open-access educational resources policy aims to lower textbook costs. She said the posthumous degrees policy would give an honorary degree to students who have passed away and earned their credits to graduate.
Kelly said the SEC student governments met each morning before gathering with state congressional offices in the afternoon, with the meetings scheduled by each student government’s respective university. She said UT SG met U.S. Representatives Chip Roy and Greg Casar, along with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, to learn more about their experience as politicians.
“I’m hoping that (the representatives we met) are able to reflect on what we talked about and also think of how we flew from Texas to meet with them,” said Kelly, a Plan II and human development and family science senior. “I hope that they’re able to think of that as showing proof that we’re really passionate about these issues.”
Elle Grinnell, the UT SG vice president, said she enjoyed speaking with representatives from different political parties. She said it was interesting to see both sides of the Capitol and their varied answers to student questions.
“It really helps for (representatives) to hear (concerns) firsthand, and be like, ‘Oh, okay, these kids are in college and these things are still important to them,’” journalism senior Grinnell said. “Then either when bills come up surrounding them, or when topics come up in conversation, they can vouch for (the concerns) and be like, ‘Oh, these students came and talked to me about this.’”
Jonathan Wilson, the UT SG advocacy director, said he enjoyed collaborating with the other SEC schools and learning about their different legislative priorities.
Wilson, Kelly and Grinnell all said their favorite part of the trip was bonding with their executive board before their term ends.
“Student government is a hard job, but being able to work with people who are so passionate about what they do, and work in so many different ways, is a privilege that I will not forget, and that has probably changed me forever, and it’s honestly the best part of being in Student Government,” international business junior Wilson said.
