The Sociology SEPC represents the majors by serving in a variety of ways: we meet with the faculty, organize study breaks and other social events, evaluate faculty during reviews, help select faculty candidates, propose curriculum changes, create department t-shirts, write newsletters, and acts as a liaison between students and faculty/staff.

Initially, SEPC members establish a weekly meeting time to remain active and to avoid conflicts in communication. Ordinarily, there are four to six majors who serve on the SEPC. This number has varied depending on the number of majors in the department and the workload per academic year. These students are elected by their peers each spring for the following year through an election run by participating SEPC members. We try to include younger members of the department so that there is some continuity from year to year.

One member of the SEPC is elected as chair in the fall of the academic year by SEPC members. The chair serves as a representative to the Student Council on Curriculum (SCC). He or she brings the concerns of the department to the other members of the academic community and also reports developments to the department. It is also the responsibility of the chair to organize SEPC meetings, as well as to communicate actively with the head of the sociology department.

The Sociology SEPC provides many activities and services. For instance, the SEPC hosts study breaks each semester for the majors and faculty to socialize in a relaxed and informal setting. Also, these breaks are great times for the majors to discuss any concerns that might have arisen during the semester, or concerns for life after Grinnell as a sociology major. The SEPC also takes an active role in the evaluation of professors for tenure and promotion, as well as evaluation of prospective faculty on behalf of the sociology majors.

The SEPC is a busy and active component of the Sociology department. For students, the SEPC is the most vocal and direct link that majors have to the faculty and department. The SEPC is how our opinions are shared and our concerns are raised with the help of active majors.