410 Forum — News
Not The Typical Student
By Meagan Birely
Room Columbine B in the University Center was packed with students and buzzing with anticipation. Names were being read one right after the other, but the one Charles Miles was waiting for was held for last.
“And the new Student Representative Council president is….Charles Miles.”
A sharp yes and a definitive fist pump came from the back row as Miles shot straight out of his seat in excitement.
“I had no idea I was going to win,” Miles said. “Both candidates busted ourselves, and there was a huge voter turnout. My face went numb and I couldn’t believe it.”
This is how Miles still remembers that April 17, 2008, and this was the moment that changed the days to come for him.
Student Representative Council President Charles Miles has many responsibilities that make his day anything but typical for a senior in college.
It’s 8 a.m. on a Wednesday morning and it’s quiet. The only thing that breaks the steady stream of Miles clicking the keys on the keyboard is the ringing of the phone.
“Hello, this is Charles speaking, how can I help you?” Miles says into the phone.
There will be two solid hours before any of the other officers file into the office to begin their work for the day.
“It really hit me what I was the first day I came into the office,” Miles said. “You don’t really know what you are doing until that first day, and that’s when it hits you what you are.”
Miles’ office is an organized mess. Sticky note reminders of endless meetings and flyers for different events cover his work space. He has a calendar that shows the rest of his semester planned out for him already. Each day is marked with one event or another.
“Meetings pop up by surprise, things that I have to work on come out of nowhere,” Miles said. “I never know where my day is going to take me. The little things add up to a big day.”
Wrapping up conformation e-mails for various events, Miles gathers his books and backpack full of papers and homework and heads to class. His office hours for the morning are over.
“Class, study and work: that’s all I do,” Miles said. “I am always busy and always on the go.”
After a day of classes Miles heads back to the office to join the other officers, who are now busily working at their desks too.
“I like to eat my lunch in here and do homework in the office so that I am always around if someone needs me,” Miles said.
All of the officers are required to have at least 10 office hours a week.
“Most officers find that 10 hours is just not enough,” said the student activities director and SRC adviser Evan Welch. “The officers, and especially the president, need to put in as many hours as they can because there is a lot going on all the time.”
At 2 p.m. Miles has had a full six-hour day and in some ways it is just beginning.
The vice president of academic affairs, Jordan Lamb, walks into Miles’ office to confirm details for the weekly meeting. They have a brief discussion, and then it is back to work. The vice president of diverse relations, Kim Ford, treks to discuss a new resolution that she and Miles are working on together. The discussion last for almost half an hour before they both return to working at their desks.
After another couple of hours of office work, it is time for the weekly SRC meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the council room of the UC.
At 5:30 p.m. sharp Miles strikes the gavel three times and calls the meeting to order.
Miles runs the meeting, calling agenda items to attention and calling on people to speak. Nine council members, six faculty members, five college representatives, an assistant and a facilitator make up the council that Miles oversees.
The council does not always see eye-to-eye, but as a neutral chair Miles must remain unbiased to issues raised.
“Charles is passionate and sometimes I can see it is hard for him to stay out of it,” said affirmative action and equal opportunity facilitator Chris Hansen.
The meeting comes to a close at 7:40 p.m., and Miles heads back to his office to wrap up any last minute things he can get done. An e-mail, a phone call or paper work he has to finish.
It is 9 p.m. Miles heads home to study and gets ready to start another hectic day as SRC president.
“This has been the best experience,” Miles said. “I wouldn’t trade any of it.”
Student Representative Council President Charles Miles
• Year: Senior.
• Major: Economics.
• Plans after graduation: To attend graduate school somewhere in Colorado.
• Most rewarding aspect of being president: “Being able to share in others successes as well as my own. Having people help me accomplish things and seeing people on a regular basis that I would otherwise not get to know.”
