Overview: The Committee Chair position is essential for the success of CS40. The Chairs play a key role in the success of CS40’s leadership on campus as well as in the quality of programming that is produced. It is required that Committee Chairs return to campus on Friday, August 16th by 3 PM in the afternoon. This training period is crucial to our success as a team and the success of our programs for the rest of the year. Committee Chairs will also assist with First Year Orientation events and are expected to available during this time.
Expectations: Committee Chairs must…
– Attend biweekly Assembly and Board meetings.
– Plan at least one or two programs per semester and assist with other CS40 events.
– Meet regularly with their committee (time and frequency varies by position)
– Attend CS40 Training and Orientation events from August 16th through the start of classes.
– Be available for additional training throughout the academic year.
As a committee chair, you must be available and willing to be returning on time and participating actively in both training and spring planning are mandatory functions of your office. Moreover, Committee Chairs cannot hold other positions that would conflict with this process. Please reach out to the advisor to discuss if a position would conflict.
SEARs Board (led by Allison Tan, Director of SEARs)
Social Committee Chair: Every year, the Congress of the South 40 hosts a widely attended formal dance for the residents of the South 40. The Social Committee is responsible for planning every aspect of the event, including location, music, food, theme, ticket sales and promotion.
Competitions Committee Chair: Outdoor competitions make up the bulk of this committee’s programming. Their largest event is the Residential College Olympics, a tournament where residents compete for their Residential College in everything from Scrabble to Basketball. Each Residential College is responsible for sending at least 2 co-captains to weekly meetings with the coordinator to plan for the Olympics.
Swamp Committee Chair: This committee focuses on large events utilizing the Swamp, such as movies or tournaments. The committee will work with College Councils and other campus organizations on cosponsorship. At the legendary WUStock, a major event during Spring South 40 Week, the committee brings a high profile band to perform on the Swamp. Student band performances, food, and activities accompany the event.
Development Board (led by Leo Huang, Director of Development)
Scholastic Committee Chair: The Scholastic Chair works closely with Faculty Fellows and Faculty Associates on the Forty. Events may include the showing of a documentary or a speaker on a current event, with an informal discussion to follow. Traditional programs from this committee include the January Reading Program in the Fall and Last Lecture (a lecture given by a WashU professor as if it were his or her last) in the Spring.
Community Service Committee Chair: Community Service serves as a resource to South 40 residents with an interest in volunteerism and works to incorporate community service components into CS40 events. The chair is responsible for helping individual residential colleges perform community service. The chair may also work collaboratively with other Washington University service organizations. Safe Trick or Treat is one of many programs traditionally overseen by the Community Service Chair.
Culture Committee Chair: The purpose of the committee is to provide our students with opportunities to explore the city and experience St. Louis culture. Transportation will be provided and tickets to such events as the Symphony, Fox Theater, COCA, City Museum, and the St Louis Art Museum will be available subsidized through CS40. This is a great opportunity for RA’s to collaborate with their College Council to provide a meaningful programming experience. Please contact the culture chair (cs40culture@wustl.edu) for more information.
Sustainability Committee Chair: This committee plans environmentally oriented programs and initiatives on the South 40 and works to make all CS40 events sustainable. It also collaborates closely with the Washington University Sustainability Office and the Student Green Council. Events planned by Sustainability include Green Cup, a competition between Residential Colleges to use the least amount of energy during the month of February. The committee also advises other groups on how to make their events more sustainable.
Operations Board (led by Arnav Mohindra, Speaker of CS40)
Internal Operations Committee (IOC) Chair: This small committee, headed by the Internal Operations Chair and comprised of the College Council Vice Presidents, works in conjunction with the Speaker to review and enforce the Constitution of the Congress of the South 40. The committee also oversees all CS40 elections and election petitions. They are responsible for reviewing the CS40 Constitution and proposing amendments to the Constitution as necessary. The IOC may make recommendations for constitutional amendments. This committee is elected at the beginning of the year at Assembly. IOC will meet TBA.
MACURH Chair: The MACURH Chair serves as WashU’s National Communications Coordinator (NCC) for the Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (MACURH). They manage CS40’s membership in MACURH and attend three annual conferences along with the Speaker on behalf of CS40. The MACURH chair also manages logistics and transportation to and from MACURH conferences and serves as the point of contact for MACURH matters.
Advocacy Chair: The Advocacy Chair spearheads CS40’s advocacy efforts, including assisting with Residential Student Advisory Board meetings, managing resident feedback forms, and facilitating resident Town Halls.
Diversity and Inclusion Chair: The Diversity and Inclusion (D and I) Committee Chair works with the D and I Representatives of each College Council to host programs that are inclusive towards all WashU residents. They may also contribute to advocacy efforts related to D and I and serve as the liaison to other students organizations relating to D and I.
Promotions Board (led by Trisha Gannu, Director PR)
Design Chair: The Design Chair assists the Director of PR in managing marketing efforts such as apparel requests and underpass painting for large-scale CS40 events and works with PR representatives to amplify publicity for upcoming CS40 events and activities.