By: David Marvin, Bicentennial Intern, Class of 2019, History and Economic Consulting/Public Policy Analysis
The history of student self-government at Indiana University is circuitous, complex, and confusing. Before the 1944 ratification of the first official student government constitution, many attempts to establish a student government fell short.
Despite faculty, administrative, and student support the initiative was repeatedly pushed back or outright rejected. From 1912 to 1944 a combination of student apathy, competing student organizations with similar agendas and two world wars prevented the development of student self-government at Indiana University.
The first mention of a student council, the precursor to formalized student government, came on December 5, 1912 in the Indiana Student.[1] The Student Affairs Committee voted to establish a student council, composed solely of students, to work with the Student Affairs Committee on all issues having to do with student welfare. The unnamed author of the article supported the movement and assumed all those involved would agree.
Additionally, the author assumed that the council would lay the foundation for a system of complete student self-government. As we will see, the author was rather optimistic in their outlook. The author also emphasized the need for the council to be representative of the entire student body and for council members to be chosen for their individual merit, not just for their membership in any campus organization.[2]
Professor Louis S. Davis presented the plan for a student council at the December 5, 1912 Indiana Memorial Union meeting.[3] The idea arose from a faculty resolution and the initial purpose of the council was to reconcile the professor and students’ viewpoints. While the structure of the council was still unclear, Davis was excited about the prospect of hearing a student opinion because “during my 24 years as a student and instructor I have never seen the student body as a unit.”[4]
Davis proposed that 47 members compose the council, representing both organized and unorganized students with one representative per 22 students. Calvin Macintosh, Lewis Wilkie and Paul Carlisle, undergraduate students attending the Indiana Union meeting, all supported the movement in hopes that the council would serve to unite the faculty and students.[5]
On December 7, 1912 the list of unorganized candidates appeared in the Indiana Student.[6] The candidates were chosen by the unorganized members of the Indiana Union Board of Directors. In this case, unorganized students were students not in fraternities, sororities or social clubs.
Unorganized students were instructed to vote for 14 of the 25 listed candidates.[7] The candidates were selected from the Indiana Union Board, the Constabulary, the Women’s League, and other organizations at the Student Affair Committee’s discretion. Aside from unorganized students, each fraternity or social organization was to have one representative in the council. This measure was taken to ensure representation for the entire student body. Women were advised to form their portion of the student council similarly to the men but little more is mentioned regarding this separation.[8]
On December 11, 1912 the results of the unorganized election were published in the Indiana Student.[9] Fourteen men were selected to serve on the council. Praising the results of the election Dr. Myers, professor of anatomy, stated, “I am glad to see the unorganized men get together in this way. It is a mighty fine thing to see the men doing this for the University and themselves.”[10]
The December 12, 1912 edition of the Indiana Student commended the faculty and unorganized men for responding to the school wide push for student government. Because the unorganized men already chose their representatives, the author argued that the organized men should follow suit before the end of the term, “Otherwise, other things, incidental to the vacation and the beginning of the coming term, will crowd out the consideration of the election of the representatives, and the men will not be ready to respond when called upon to send their representative.”[11]
In the December 13, 1912 edition of the Indiana Student a call to action regarding the student council was published. The author asserts that “the energies of the student body of Indiana University will function more efficiently because every interest of the University will be represented and will be directed toward the maintenance of an ‘Indiana’ standard.”[12] They go on to explain that everyone’s interests will be directed towards the common good and intimacy between students and faculty will be developed. The author concludes their sincere push for the formalization of the council by explaining the benefits to professors and students alike, even after they have graduated from Indiana University.[13]
While the organized men did eventually submit selections for their council representatives, the organization crumbled in 1912 due to overlapping jurisdiction with another student organization—the student marshals. This organization was formed after a suggestion during a booster club meeting in the fall of 1912. Dr. Hutchins, the athletic director, proposed a student entity that would serve to control athletic events and regulate minor student discipline issues. IU president William Lowe Bryan approved the idea and the selection process began. This organization became known as the student marshals.[14]
A few months later, in the winter of 1912, the student council was organized and the student body elected their representatives. The organization, however, was overshadowed by the already established student marshals who controlled many of the areas in which the student council attempted to exercise control. Sensing their lack of influence, the student council voluntarily dissolved and merged with the student marshals in the fall of 1913. In the spring of 1914 a new student council plan was proposed with more clearly defined roles, responsibilities and jurisdiction.[15]
The May 1914 proposed constitution lay the groundwork for the first official Indiana University student council. The constitution stated that the purpose of the body was “to develop among the students a sense of individual responsibility; to furnish a means for securing the maximum of self-government; to serve as an organized medium of communication between the student-body and the faculty; to investigate student conduct or practices detrimental to the University or the student-body; and to report its findings to the President of the University, with recommendations.”[16]
The council would recommend legislative action by a two thirds majority in an attempt to solve problems “relating to the interest, welfare and government of the student body.” The 28 representatives of the council would be selected by the student body and composed of one representative from each of the nine fraternities and five social organizations, with the rest selected from unorganized men.
To qualify, each of the members must exhibit “first class scholarship and exemplary character.” Even after election and successful completion of the qualification requirements, prospective members had to show that they had the required time to perform their duties. With the student council constitution finished and ready for the next steps, a convocation was scheduled for May 12th, 1914.[17]
On May 13, 1914 the Indiana Student reported a disappointing story for the proponents of student self-government, with the title “Few Listen to Council Plans.” The sub-headlines read “Seeming Lack of Interest Asserts Itself by Small Number at Convocation,” “No Vote Taken Yesterday,” and “Action to Be Brought up at a Later Date.”
The Indiana Student reported that the student body was largely apathetic towards self-government, as only a small crowd attended the convocation to discuss the idea. IU president Bryan summarized the issue by saying “I believe in the movement very heartily. There is no use in having such a system, however, unless a large body of the students really want it themselves.”[18] Not even the emphatic backing of the university president was enough to rouse interest amongst undergraduates.
William T. Gruber, who was part of the committee that drafted the constitution, explained the constitution and elaborated on the proposed powers of the organization to those who attended the convocation. Some students, however, voiced their concerns with the constitution. Simon Twining declared that he “was not for the system as outlined in the constitution” but is “in favor of student self-government.” Further, he argued that “the council should be composed of a number of faculty men.” Sherman Minton remarked that “the strongest argument that could be presented against self-government was the size of the crowd in the gymnasium.”
He said that “the student body does not seem ready to take up the proposition yet and that while students are passive and uninterested it will be hard to make a success of the system.” Other students noted that at the present time students were content with shifting responsibility to others instead of taking it upon themselves. Ultimately, the vote was postponed to a later date.[19]
After this fateful meeting the initiative lost momentum and little progress was made in the following years. In March of 1917 some students attended conferences discussing the success of student councils at other universities and interest was renewed.
Eventually, on May 24 1919, a new constitution was proposed for a vote the following Monday. This constitution was similar to the 1914 version but laid out more strict qualifications for council members and clearly defined the roles of individuals and the body as a whole. This organization would be called the student Self-Government Association of Indiana University.
The purpose was “the regulation of all affairs pertaining to the student life of its members, which do not fall under the direct control of the faculty; to further the spirit of cooperation and democracy and to be a medium through which the highest social and scholastic standards for the University may be created and maintained.”[20]
All Indiana University students were automatically voting members of the organization, as long as they had enrolled before March 1. The 28 members of the Council would include four executives: a president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary. The president and vice-president were required to be seniors matriculated at Indiana University for at least two consecutive years, amongst other qualifications.
The treasurer and secretary were to be juniors enrolled at Indiana University for at least one and a half successive years. The remaining council members would include eight seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, and four freshmen. The eight seniors would contain two organized men, two organized women, two unorganized men, and two unorganized women. The seniors and juniors each had one vote per representative, while the sophomores had half a vote each and the freshmen had no vote.
Finally, four non-voting faculty members would round out the council. Amongst them, the Dean of Women, Dean of Men, and two other faculty members nominated and elected by the student council. The student council was composed of an executive, judicial, and legislative body and served as an intermediary body between faculty and students. The council had the authority to supervise class elections and hold meetings to discuss policy. The president was tasked with leading all meetings and discussions, appointing committee members, and any other duties reasonably pertaining to their office.
The vice-president would assume the President’s duties in their absence and assist in any way possible. The secretary would keep the meeting notes and handle correspondences while the treasurer would manage the finances. Council members and executives would serve one full year after their election.[21] The 1919 constitution differed in a few ways from the earlier 1914 version.
The 1919 constitution was much more specific with regard to the duties and responsibilities of both the Council as a whole and the officials. Furthermore, the 1919 constitution placed much greater emphasis on gender and organizational diversity. This version of student government, however, did not fare any better than its predecessor.
On May 27, 1919 the optimistic hopes for student self-government came to a screeching halt, as the initiative was defeated. As reported by the Indiana Daily Student, the student government referendum was decided by just 29 votes, with 457 for and 486 against. About three men voted for every two women, for a grand total of 943 student voters. Despite the 450 abstainers, this was the largest voter turnout in school history up to this point.[22] The article concludes with little commentary about voters’ reasoning or future steps for the initiative.
After this vote there is little discussion of student self-government for years to come. Aside from a 1922 blurb calling for student government in the IDS the issue is largely pushed to the periphery of student affairs. Eventually, IU president Herman B Wells made it his mission to establish a healthy student self-government system at Indiana University. At the September 15, 1940 meeting of the board of trustees Wells presented his goals for the upcoming school year. Last on his list was the proposal for a student-run governing organization.[23] Although he made this initiative a priority for the 1940 school year, Wells would have to wait a few years to see it come to fruition.
On January 28, 1944 the proposed constitution for student self-government was approved by the students 831 to 65. The constitution was also approved by the faculty after clauses were amended to “better express the wishes of the students.”[24] Following this faculty and student approval the constitution was passed on for review by the president and board of trustees. During the April 1, 1944 trustee board meeting of the Board of Trustees the final form of the constitution was approved, holding that “all actions of the Student Council must be approved by the President of the University before they become effective.”[25]
This monumental victory for student interests at Indiana University ended after 30 years of repeated attempts to establish a student self-government and ushered in nearly 75 years of continued student self-government. While the establishment of the student council was an important step for the university, its delay begs the question: why did it take so long?
The Arbutus yearbooks from the time period offer up a few potential solutions to our question. In the 1912-1924 Arbutus the student council is hardly mentioned. The student council appears in the senior members’ list of activities but is given no dedicated page. In the 1914 Arbutus the council is mentioned, but only that it merged with the Student Marshals the prior year.[26]
The lack of representation within the Arbutus reflects the Student Council’s relative lack of power on campus. Clubs ranging from the Shortridge Club, exclusive to those students who attended Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, to the history club were afforded two page sections while the student council was nowhere to be found.
A number of organizations that are featured prominently in the Arbutus year after year help to explain the student council’s absence and lack of importance on campus. The Indiana Union, Women’s League, Girls Student Council, Board of Aeons, and student marshals were all involved in campus politics at the time and wielded more influence than the student council. The Indiana Union was established in 1909 and granted automatic membership to all men on campus. Its purpose was to promote democracy, good fellowship, and the production of entertainment.[27]
The Women’s League was established in 1896 and offered active membership to any women students at the university. When it began there were barely one hundred women enrolled at the university but nearly all joined and became active members. At the time only three sororities existed so it became the main unifying body for women on campus. The executive board was made up of one woman from each of the five sororities, one woman from each of the three female social clubs and ten unorganized women. The organization oversaw all general activities for women and strove to unite women and improve conditions for every woman on campus.[28] The girl’s student council arose when the idea of a student council was first proposed. Unlike its male counterpart, the girl’s student council was successfully established. Initially the council had no executive authority and simply aimed to inspire reform and progress. In the years following its creation, however, the council adopted more aggressive tactics and was able to enact an honor system for exams.[29]
The Board of Aeons, although established on March 29, 1921, also complicated the establishment of student self-government. The board was composed of junior and senior men, aiming to bring about greater cooperation between students and faculty. They hoped to further the best interests of Indiana University by representing the students in faculty deliberations. The members were chosen directly by IU president Bryan from a pool of internal nominations.
The Board of Aeons garnered a mysterious reputation in their early days, as their activities were shrouded in secrecy. This reputation was further compounded when they adopted the slogan “no publicity.” Despite these widespread murmurings about their true purpose, the Board of Aeons served solely to “represent to President Bryan and the other powers that be the sentiment and current crazes of the student body.”[30]
The student marshals were also a formidable force on campus, even leading to the collapse of the first iteration of student council due to overlapping jurisdiction. The student marshals were organized in the fall of 1912 and acted as somewhat of a student police force. The organization’s purpose was to develop a sense of individual responsibility among students, serve as a medium between faculty and students, to investigate student conduct, and to report to the President with recommendations.[31] These clubs all contributed to Student Council’s inability to get off the ground.
The final factor contributing to student council’s inability to formalize was the advent of World War I. When the United States entered the war in 1917 the campus was unable to focus on anything else. There was little interest in student government in subsequent years, as news from the Great War consumed the campus. When matters of life and death were at the forefront of campus discussion, little thought was given to student self-government.
After its slow start, student self-government at Indiana University eventually gained support on campus and evolved in to the system we have now. After the student council constitution was officially ratified in 1944, a name change occurred in 1948 and the council became known as the student senate. The senate underwent another name change in 1967, switching to student government. The Student Government reached its current name, the Indiana University Student Association in 1975.
Since its creation, student government at Indiana University has transformed from a minor body governing student conduct to a massive organization filled with individuals working tirelessly to improve conditions for all students.
Author’s note: In the fall of 2018, the IU Student Association changed its name to the IU Student Government.
Notes
[1] Student Council. (1912, December 5). The Indiana Student, p. 2.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Three Big Features Animate Last Night’s Union Meeting. (1912, December 6). The Indiana Student, pp. 1-4.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Three Big Features Animate Last Night’s Union Meeting. (1912, December 6). The Indiana Student, pp. 1-4.
[6] Candidates for Student Council. (1912, December 7). The Indiana Student. pp. 1-4.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Unorganized Men Make Selections. (1912, December 11). The Indiana Student. pp. 1-4.
[10] Ibid
[11] Student Council Representatives. (1912, December 12). The Indiana Student. pp. 2.
[12] The Council. (1912, December 13). The Indiana Student. p. 2.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Convocation for Self-Government. (1914, May 9). The Indiana Student. p. 1.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Student Council / Student Marshals, 1913-1914, Box 258, Indiana University President’s Office correspondence, Collection C286, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
[17] Ibid.
[18] Few Listen to Council Plans. (1914, May 13). The Indiana Student. pp. 1-4.
[19] Few Listen to Council Plans. (1914, May 13). The Indiana Student. pp. 1-4.
[20] Constitution Which Will Be Accepted or Rejected at Election, Monday. (1919, May 24). The Indiana Daily Student. pp. 4-5.
[21] Constitution Which Will Be Accepted or Rejected at Election, Monday. (1919, May 24). The Indiana Daily Student. pp. 4-5.
[22] Student Government Lost, By 29 Votes. (1919, May 27). The Indiana Daily Student. p. 1.
[23] September 15th, 1940, President Wells’ Report, Indiana University Board of Trustees minutes, Collection C218, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
[24] April 1st, 1944, Student Self-Government Approved, Indiana University Board of Trustees minutes, Collection C218, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
[25] Ibid.
[26] Indiana University. The Arbutus, 1914. Graduating Class of 1914. Print. Archives, Indiana University Library.
[27] Indiana University. The Arbutus, 1916. Graduating Class of 1916. Print. Archives, Indiana University Library.
[28] Indiana University. The Arbutus, 1915. Graduating Class of 1915. Print. Archives, Indiana University Library.
[29] Indiana University. The Arbutus, 1914. Graduating Class of 1914. Print. Archives, Indiana University Library.
[30] Indiana University. The Arbutus, 1923. Graduating Class of 1923. Print. Archives, Indiana University Library.
[31] Indiana University. The Arbutus, 1914. Graduating Class of 1914. Print. Archives, Indiana University Library.