The Missouri Students Association is trying to pass legislation to raise the minimum GPA requirement of several MSA leadership positions from a cumulative 2.2 to 2.5.
Senate Bill 54-15, an act to increase the GPA requirement, will go through its first readings at full senate Nov. 19.
The act will increase the GPA requirements of the president, vice president, chief of staff, secretary of auxiliaries, department directors, senate speaker, senate committee chairs, senate clerk and the chief justice of MSA, and the chair and vice chairs of the Board of Elections Commissioners.
MSA Operations Committee chairman Nick Schwartz, who authored the bill, has advocated the change for the past three weeks in Operations Committee meetings.
He was unavailable for further comment.
Senate Speaker Ben Bolin, who signed the bill, said a 2.2 GPA is very low for someone who is in a leadership position.
“I think (raising the GPA) comes from a good place,” Bolin said. “If someone is below a 2.2, it’s hard to lead by example is our thought.”
Senate Bill 54-15 outlines how Executive Cabinet verbally committed to having a GPA of 2.5 or higher, but the bill will put it in writing.
Current MSA Vice President Matt McKeown said this is something he and MSA President Kelsey Haberberger considered since it holds MSA leadership to a higher standard.
“We want to make sure we have leaders who are balanced both in academics and MSA leadership,” McKeown said. “We are students first, so we still want to encourage that students are continuing their academics and holding themselves to a higher standard.”
Bolin said he thinks academics should come first and said the Greek Life population is a good example of prioritizing.
“I think it’s really cool that fraternities and sororities have a GPA requirement that’s 2.7 or above … because they are putting academics first,” Bolin said. “You’re a student first, and (MSA) needs to make sure (it is) keeping that as (its) first priority.
While several Greek chapters have GPA requirements above 2.7, the Residence Halls Association, the second-largest student government on campus, only requires a 2.2 as well.
“I think a 2.5 GPA is a good, solid ground to start with, and we can go up from there,” McKeown said. “It raises the current standard a little bit, but not too high.”
McKeown also said his experience in MSA has helped him to improve academically.
“Something I have found is that being involved has helped me hold a stricter standard from academics as well as knowing I have this much time to do MSA things,” McKeown said. “I have to find the appropriate time to make sure my grades are staying high as well as keeping that steady leadership and involvement.”
Bolin said he doesn’t necessarily think better grades make somebody a better leader, but a GPA change to the MSA Bylaws would help members be better students and leaders.
“When we’re in these (leadership) positions, we push our academics to the side to make meetings, send emails and just get things done,” Bolin said. “But we’re all paying a tuition to be here, and most of us aren’t being paid here. Making sure you’re meeting those requirements is good, and raising (the GPA) bar up should be good for all of us.”
