Is this worthy enough to update my schools on...

[makeshift123]

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or do I just say screw it?

I was recently nominated by the biology faculty and then confirmed by the biology student body to be the (only) student representative of the committee in charge of hiring a new department head. What this involves is sitting in on the committee meetings, hearing the candidates' views and goals, meeting with the dean on the college on my views, interviewing the candidate (i find this part to be a little weird since I'll most likely be interviewing a professor I have now or someone who i've had before. awkward), and stuff like that. The student representative has as much say as the other committee members and the vote is the same.

either way, I'm gonna join the committee b/c it seems like a cool experience and i think i'll gain a lot of insight into the department and how this stuff works, and i'm just honored/humbled that i got the majority of the faculty's nomination and my fellow biology majors confirmed the appointment too. Do you think this is something I should update schools on with or is it just a petty addition in the scheme of things?

 

[robrobbberts]

That sounds pretty significant to me. I would definitely update on it. It can only help you.

 

[makeshift123]

Quick Edit: The committee meets from December all the way till March, so it's not like a one-time thing. And, I've been complete at most of my schools that i haven't heard anything from either way since about early August.

 

[BlueElmo]

Go ahead and update it. It will only help you, IMO.

 

[makeshift123]

so you guys dont think the adcom will think that im just trying to come up with anything and everything to get an acceptance post-interview or an interview?

 

[JJMrK]

Go ahead and update it. It will only help you, IMO.

...unless the schools you are updating specifically request that you not send extra stuff. Just double check that before you send anything.

 

[BlueElmo]

...unless the schools you are updating specifically request that you not send extra stuff. Just double check that before you send anything.

Good point. But I would guess they would then just toss whatever you send them.

 

[fMRI]

I don't think this is significant enough to sway a decision your way. It is *not* your academic achievement, more that they trust you'll turn up for the meetings. After all, it just says something about the other students in your department, not that much about you.

And, honestly, your "say" doesn't count that much when it comes to appointing a department chair. It's all about research funding, publications, direction of research, and people skills. Your opinion, to be honest, is just your opinion; you're in there as an accessory, not as "decision maker".

Enjoy learning about the process of academic politics, but everybody who has been on these committees won't be impressed. 😴 Sorry to say.

 

[makeshift123]

I don't think this is significant enough to sway a decision your way. It is *not* your academic achievement, more that they trust you'll turn up for the meetings. After all, it just says something about the other students in your department, not that much about you.

And, honestly, your "say" doesn't count that much when it comes to appointing a department chair. It's all about research funding, publications, direction of research, and people skills. Your opinion, to be honest, is just your opinion; you're in there as an accessory, not as "decision maker".

Enjoy learning about the process of academic politics, but everybody who has been on these committees won't be impressed. 😴 Sorry to say.

i'll havta disagree on that part, at least for my school/department. the faculty elects a new head every 3 years. when the current head's term is up, any faculty that deems themselves apt for the position "signs up" then thats when the committee hears all the candidates' speeches and conducts the interviews and whatnot.

I realize that as a student, your say is obviously not as much, but i just thought this experience would show the adcoms that i'm a social person? that i'm well-liked by my fellow students? that i'm not just the person in the back of the room that scores 95s on all the exams but no one knows who they are? that i'm trusted by my faculty as a responsible, critically apt student? I don't know... i guess i took this too heavily, i was just excited that out of 100+ majors, they chose me.

 

[fMRI]

i'll havta disagree on that part, at least for my school/department. the faculty elects a new head every 3 years. when the current head's term is up, any faculty that deems themselves apt for the position "signs up" then thats when the committee hears all the candidates' speeches and conducts the interviews and whatnot.

I realize that as a student, your say is obviously not as much, but i just thought this experience would show the adcoms that i'm a social person? that i'm well-liked by my fellow students? that i'm not just the person in the back of the room that scores 95s on all the exams but no one knows who they are? that i'm trusted by my faculty as a responsible, critically apt student? I don't know... i guess i took this too heavily, i was just excited that out of 100+ majors, they chose me.

Sorry to be a downer, but if it is just an internal job search, that is even less prestigious. If external people come in, if it were a "big name hire", this could be fun (say you'd end up walking them around on campus between interviews and presentation, and thus "represent" the students majoring in this field), but if it is just about appointing people already at your school, that's just 😴. As I said, enjoy it for the administrative experience. But I seriously doubt that this is a "really cool" thing the adcoms would be impressed by.

If you have concerns that the admissions folks worry about you not being a "social person", I don't think this would sway it your way. If you'd been on this committee earlier, your LOR writers could have mentioned it, saying they know you from class, research job in lab, as well as appointment committee. But you saying "I'm on a committee" isn't much news. If you have something else to update them about, you could mention it, but I wouldn't kick up a fuss just with this.

Think about it positively, if they ask you at interview about the things you are involved in right now, you always got something up your sleeve. (Final point: you are just *starting*, haven't actually done anything yet... It is like saying "I am going to volunteer..." which isn't worth much either.)
😀

 

[J ROD]

I would not for that....

 

[dingyibvs]

Yes, update your schools on that, it can't hurt. It doesn't matter how "prestigious" it is, it's something positive, and you can always make it sound more important than it is.