Seeking Members for Student Advisory Council

CMU students on campus

The University Libraries Student Advisory Council is seeking new membership for the 2024-2025 academic year. All undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to apply.

Students who serve on the Libraries Student Advisory Council have the opportunity to gain a unique perspective on the operations of the Libraries, and obtain valuable expertise in student leadership, teamwork, and creativity. As the Libraries launches new AI tools and champions open science, builds new partnerships across campus, unveils exhibits exploring CMU history and rare treasures, and more, we need your input now more than ever.

Interested students should fill out this application form by Wednesday, September 18. Applicants will be notified directly about next steps.

Member Activities

This year’s Student Advisory Council will focus on the importance of preserving your own CMU history by collecting key materials from student organizations across campus. Join Community Collections Processing Archivist Crystal Johnson to learn about how the University Archives uses primary sources to safeguard knowledge of the past, tell stories from university history, and advance research. Members will become trained Archives Ambassadors equipped to identify key stories from our diverse community here in Pittsburgh, and will then work with archivists to build relationships with and collect valuable materials from the variety of organizations they’re a part of on campus.

At the end of the semester, the Student Advisory Council will host a Libraries event open to the entire campus community to showcase the stories they’ve collected from their organizations. Members will design a display celebrating the past and present of student life at CMU, market the event to their peers, and attend alongside archivists to talk about the archival process and the importance of including these activities in the legacy of the university.

Students will also have the opportunity to promote a channel of communication between the Libraries and student body on campus by providing input and feedback on Libraries services, collections, spaces, and events.

2024-2025 Council Dates

  • Tuesday, September 24
  • Tuesday, October 22
  • Tuesday, November 19
  • Tuesday, December 10
  • Tuesday, January 21
  • Tuesday, February 18
  • Tuesday, March 18
  • Tuesday, April 8

All meetings will be held from 5–6 p.m. in Hunt Library.

General Requirements

  • An anticipated time commitment of 4-6 hours (including council meeting attendance) each semester. Membership is for one academic year.
  • In-person attendance for all general council meetings is required. Please let the Libraries coordinators know as soon as possible if you will need to miss a meeting so that alternate arrangements can be made.
  • Assistance planning and executing a Student Advisory Council event at the end of the spring semester, the week of April 21. All council members are expected to attend the event in order to contribute to its success!