Visual Arts Students Association (VASA)

Updates on the Fall 2020 Semester

News and information about SVA’s plans for online instruction, and more.

VASA members sit next to each other on a couch.

Get Involved

Student Government, Clubs, Events and More

The Visual Arts Student Association (VASA) represents the interests and needs of students at SVA. They support student clubs and student senators, as well as a variety of activities designed to help students interact and meet their peers. VASA officers and staff organize events such as the annual Halloween Party, the Holiday Bazaar craft fair and programs for Finals Week to re-energize students and promote wellness. Special events are also planned for Seniors during Senior Week. Check flyers around campus for details on events or email vasa@sva.edu.

Listed below are the elected members of VASA for the 2019–2020 academic year:

President: Bryce Berg
Vice President: Matthew Montez
Treasurer: Neil Madlener
Student Senate Chair: Lauraine Laino

VASA Leadership

The VASA leadership team is comprised of four executive officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer and Student Senate Chair. All four positions are elected as a team by the student body and serve one term. A full term is considered July to May of the academic year following the election period. Daily supervision of VASA is provided by the Manager and Coordinator of Student Engagement and Leadership.

Officer Responsibilities

General
Act as a liaison for students, faculty and administration regarding student concerns
Lead at least one program or initiative per semester
Conduct outreach via online platforms and physical presence on campus to promote student involvement
Collaborate with fellow officers, VASA staff and advisors on programs and initiatives
Coordinate distribution of event posters and other publicity to SVA community
Supervise and support day-to-day operations of the VASA staff and office space
Coordinate and participate in Orientation events in collaboration with Student Affairs staff
Maintain careful expense records
Answer and/or direct all correspondence to appropriate parties
Hold regular individual meetings with advisor (weekly or as needed)
Hold weekly officer team meetings
Participate as a team in monthly meetings with the President of the College
Participate in SVA Open House events and Accepted Students Day
Act as an advocate for student leaders on campus, including participating in nominations for the Student Leadership Reception awards in Fall and Spring
Spend 15–20 hours/week fulfilling responsibilities in the office and managing programs
President
Lead efforts to recruit, hire, train and manage VASA office staff, including building a schedule of office hours
Work closely with VASA Office Manager to assign and distribute staff tasks
Meet with members of VASA office staff individually on a regular basis
Serve as chief liaison to the SVA student body and address student concerns
Plan and oversee all VASA office staff meetings/gatherings
Ensure the creation and sharing of agendas for student government related meetings including staff and student leaders
Create and send agendas for monthly meetings with the President of the College
Collaborate with the SVA administration by discussing student concerns
Oversee the VASA brand (e.g. online, correspondence, merchandise, etc.)
Represent the VASA team by completing office hours with Student Engagement and Leadership during the Summer term prior to VASA training (15 hours/week, start date estimated the Monday after Commencement)
Vice President
Lead in the organization and execution of all major VASA events, including VASA Halloween Party and large program initiative in the Spring
Collaborate with VASA Treasurer on budget for major events
Create and manage the execution of marketing timelines for all VASA programs and initiatives
Maintain program planning materials and documents for events
Follow up with VASA contacts and assist in the organization of office staff meetings/gatherings
Oversee and organize community service outreach programs and initiatives, including collaborating with Student Affairs Student Assistant (SASA) in the Spring
Fulfill all responsibilities in the absence of the President
Treasurer
Calculate and manage the VASA annual budget
Recruit student interest in club involvement including semesterly outreach for club registration
Serve as primary liaison to all VASA student clubs
Plan and execute Club Fair and club training early in the Fall and Spring semesters
Participate in club advising meetings each semester with Coordinator of Student Engagement and Leadership
Manage and disburse VASA club budgets and hold clubs accountable for their spending throughout the year
Collaborate with Coordinator of Student Engagement and Leadership on all club processes
Host end-of-semester club meetings in December and April/May
Student Senate Chair
Oversee Student Senator program, including managing and documenting programming requirements for individual senators
Oversee recruitment, selection, training and management of Student Senators
Respond to senators’ concerns and assist with resolution
Maintain notes regarding Student Senator program plans; share with advisors
Oversee and collaborate on Student Survey
Liaise with academic department personnel when appropriate

Joes @ Moe’s: The Visual Arts Student Association (VASA)

In this episode, BFA Design graduate Zipeng Zhu sits down with the 2017-2018 Visual Arts Student Association (VASA) to discuss giving voice to the student populace, event planning, their boss Halloween party and having an impact at SVA.

Visual Arts Student Association (VASA)

340 East 24th Street, 1st floor
New York, NY 10010

Tel: 212.592.2130

Email: vasa@sva.edu

Exterior of the 24th Street Residence at night.