printStudent Life
Students actively participate in all aspects of the operation of the school through the student union, made up of representatives from each studio. Among the events organized by the student union are "Fridays at Five," a weekly barbecue open to the entire SCI-Arc community, and an annual Halloween party. Students have also been actively engaged in the SCI-Arc Gallery exhibitions. Students help with the graduation ceremony, and, with funds collected from students, can be involved in shaping and organizing the lecture series, a yearly publication class, student exhibitions, and student design competitions. The student union also purchases supplemental tools for departments such as the woodshop and the IT department.The SCI-Arc Student Union voices the concerns of students. In turn, these can inform academic policy and affect administrative issues. The student union holds meetings according to a regular and predetermined schedule, open to the whole school and dealing with issues ranging from specific student concerns to long-term planning issues. A student representative sits on the SCI-Arc Board of Directors for a two-year term—reporting directly to and from the student community—and on committees that advise the Academic Council such as the Curriculum Committee. Two student representatives sit on the Academic Council which meets monthly to advise the director on school policy matters. It provides the student body with a formal arena in which to voice their concerns to the director, faculty and staff, who can also provide feedback on any student-initiated policies.