The Honors Student Advisory Committee (HSAC) is the voice and student government of the Honors College student body. The purpose of this organization is to help connect students with faculty and influence positive changes associated with Honors academic and social opportunities.
ABOUT:
Each week, HSAC meets on Mondays from 6:30 PM-7:30 PM, where members discuss upcoming activities and present proposals, ‘resolutions,’ about how to improve the future of the Honors College. These resolutions are then voted on by the HSAC student body, where members discuss, advocate, and debate the positive and negative impacts. Once a resolution is passed, it is sent to the administration and faculty of the Honors College to review and implement.
A few of the most successful resolutions passed over the years include Mission Period and Feed U, which, over time, became their own organizations funded by the university.
Additionally, to continue advocating for students, HSAC hosts events that both promote a sense of community and space where students are able to provide feedback on their experience in the Honors College.
“HSAC runs tabling events designed to elicit feedback from the Honors College student body. We hope that by tabling, we can engage with students on their way to and from Honors classes. We also work to engage students through other Honors College communication channels,” said Ethan Hepworth, Director of Administration of HSAC.
This year, HSAC has prioritized hosting events that create a space where all honors students feel valued and connected to their peers outside of the classroom. The most notable events held this year include Falling for Totes, Ice Skating at the Gallivan Center, and Manifest & Mingle.
Dayanara Ruiz, the HSAC Events Chair, is the heart behind the HSAC events. She said, “I am the most proud of [Spooktacular event] because it was the first event we had this school year, and we had more students come than we anticipated.”
RECENT RESOLUTIONS & ACTIVITIES:
The HSAC team has been working on various improvements throughout the Honors College to enhance the student experience. A few recent updates include:
Honors College Graduation Medallion: For the last two years, HSAC has been working with the administration to create a piece of recognition for students who have graduated with Honors from the University of Utah. In Fall of 2024, the design, created by HSAC member Aspen Delis, was approved and is projected to be released and implemented in the Spring of 2025.
ASUU & HSAC Joint Bill: With the hopes of expanding the Honors College outreach, there will be a new joint bill posed to the student body that outlines an additional representative, an HSAC Representative, to the ASUU board.
President-Elect Elections: Each year, the Vice President of HSAC, President-Elect, is elected into office, which guarantees them the Presidential position in the following academic year. The purpose of this position is to continue the integrity of HSAC and allow new students to learn the fundamental aspects of the presidential position from the previous president. Elections will take place this year in March, and all honors students are encouraged to vote!
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT:
All honors students are able to apply to join the Honors Student Advisory Committee. Applications open at the beginning of each academic semester (Fall & Spring).
In the words of HSAC President Diya Rao, “I started HSAC during the spring of my freshman year. I found myself increasingly loving the Honors College every day because of the tight-knit community it created. HSAC was the perfect way for me to be able to further immerse myself in the Honors College and make a sustainable difference with Honors College administrators being very receptive to our feedback.”
If you are interested in joining, contact HSAC President Diya Rao (u1596317@utah.edu) or HSAC President-Elect Anika Rao (u1347066@utah.edu)!
Aspen Delis | Journalism Intern, University of Utah Honors College