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Why Do We Need
Student Executive Organization?
Dilemma
On one side, the Downtown Campus students lack an
effective device to communicate and represent the
Downtown Campus organizations and clubs in a unified
fashion. The symptoms of many issues among the
organizations and clubs were found similar. According to
Jason Altenbern, former Program Coordinator, "Organizations
at DePaul lack group dynamics and time management." He
also said that many organizations lack recruitment
strategies. Through our personal interviews with many
organization’s executives, SEO also found that some of
the other major issues among the organizations were:
- duplication efforts, causing delays and rework
- lack skills in collaboration and execution of goals and objectives
- weak leadership skills and strategic planning
- lack of connection between students and Downtown Campus
On the other side, when the Downtown Campus
Administrators undertake certain initiatives, and would
like to get feedback from the students, the
administrators do not have an adequate student vehicle to
tap into. Furthermore, there are gaps in knowledge about
the policies and producers between the administrators and
the students. Funmi Akinlawon, student leader involved in
many organizations at DePaul says, "Many students feel
they don't have adequate voice representation in the
governing process of the institution. We need a better way."
Solution
Student Executive Organization.
Through SEO, the student leaders representing
different Downtown Campus student organizations will gain
an understanding of how other leaders of different
organizations think, work, and interact. Also, the
student leaders can build a common language to discuss
their similarities and difference. This brings the whole
organization to a giant, positive step forward in working
together more effectively and productively.
The SEO leaders will identify what needs to change
at the Downtown Campus, learn how to make that change
occur, and then follow through in an effective manner. We
believe that effective solutions can be crafted from a
creative collaboration within organizations. The leaders
of SEO will be nurtured through a great source of
networking among peer leaders, prominent business leaders,
lectures, activities collaboratively coordinated by
DePaul University, business students, and businesses to
supplement the finest curriculum provided by the Downtown Campus.
Strategy
SEO’s approach to development is unique, as we provide
strategy that is used in a peer-to-peer method. The
participants (elected representatives form Downtown
student organizations) actually train each other by
consulting each other. By using the peer-to-peer
consulting method, the members of SEO will design and
implement major organizational changes and initiatives in
combination with applying fresh ideas and innovative
solutions customized around individual organizational
circumstances. Through collaborative efforts, SEO hopes
to introduce fresh opportunities to leverage core
competencies, or the need to reinvent the elected
representatives to ensure a sustainable future for their
representing organizations. SEO will strive to build a
network of partnerships and alliances within the
university service and academic departments, community,
other educational institutions, and businesses. Also,
with its extensive network, our members will gain unique
skills, experience and capabilities to bear on diverse
and challenging business needs which will place them at
the front line once they graduate DePaul. Through these
connections and partnerships, SEO will be able to
leverage "best in class" core competencies to our DePaul-Downtown
Campus organizations needs and position itself as a high
value pioneer of the imperative organization.
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