Student representation and participation in institutional decision-making: the perspective of AAU student representatives, Ethiopia

Abstract

This article explored the status of student representation and participation in institutional decision-making; specifically, it focused on the nature of student representation; the perspective of student representatives on their participation; any available support to student representatives, and prevailing challenges to student participation in decision-making. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews with two students' union executive committee members; and FGD with five college and department level student representatives as well as through relevant document reviews. By employing descriptive textual data analysis, four dominant themes emerged as findings of the study. These are: 1) supportive legal provision and participatory student election; 2) nominal participation, co-decision makers and information suppliers; 3) information gap and role confusion; and 4) mistrust and optimistic student union. Moreover, student participation involved different decision models (i.e. democratic political, democratic collegiate corporate and authoritarian-paternalistic) depending on the nature of the decision itself. Corporate level strategic and administrative decisions follow the democratic political decision model whereas decisions linked with student affairs and basic campus services take democratic collegiate model. On the other hand, students’ participation in academic related decisions were found to be characterized by authoritarian-paternalistic decision model. Despite some profound challenges, student representatives were found optimistic about the future. Nonetheless, further study is needed to identify the challenges, roles, and contributions of student participation especially in academic and strategic related institutional decisions.