"Working at the USU helped my critical thinking skills, boosted my confidence, and helped me get to where I am today."
The governing board of the University Student Union includes 10 Student Representatives – the majority of the 16-member board. To prepare student representatives for the work of reviewing, evaluating and establishing policy for the nonprofit corporation, these representatives take part in a yearlong Leadership Development Program that includes workshops, a summer retreat and ongoing mentoring from committee executive secretaries and professional staff.
Anually, student leaders who serve as members of the USU Board of Directors and its committees are assessed mid-year as a gauge to determine whether the tools of collaborative decision making are retained from the summer training. The executive secretaries of the board committees (audit, diversity & inclusion, facilities, finance, personnel, retirement) work with student committee chairs and co-chairs to research, discuss and analyze matters to be advanced to the board of directors for approval. At each level, students proopose courses of action and seek input from constituents.
Training includes defining and practicing goal setting based on the S.M.A.R.T. goals principles. Student leaders are assessed about their knowledge of the concept while being mentored by board and committee executive secretaries to execute the practice at all levels of decision-making.
In June 2020, several supervisors attended SpeakOutNow.org's implicit bias workhop. Staff are strongly encouraged to share webinar resources with student directors and staff to raise the awareness throughout the organization when it comes to decision-making.
Coming Soon! The Valera NEST in 2025-26
To enhance a sense of belonging for all Matadors, the USU Board of Directors and its subcommittees have worked in concert with the students of CSUN to envision a combination of new construction and renovated facilities that are intended intended to be the new center of student life at CSUN. Years of data analysis, decision-making and problem solving have gone into the project, including a slight detour brought on by the pandemic. Yet, the work continues and showcases the USU at its best as a campus collaborator and is excited to announce the 2025-26 planned opening of The Valera NEST, which will address basic needs, promoting synergy, collaboration and partnership between various campus resources while normalizing the experience of students who seek supportive resources.