United States Student Association

The United States Student Association (USSA), founded in 1947, bills itself as the oldest and largest student association in the United States. It has a historical and current commitment to diversity and breaking the barriers to educational access imposed by inequality and discrimination. It strives to build a movement that is representative of the diversity lacking in political institutions, and organize to alter the relations of power.

USSA was formed by a merger of the National Student Association (NSA) and the National Student Lobby (NSL); and it later absorbed the National Student Educational Fund (NSEF).

Its political activism was cited in a 1995 lawsuit concerning the University of Wisconsin's mandatory student fee. In University of Wisconsin v. Southworth 529 U.S. 217 (1999). In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the university's right to subsidize political speech with student fees.

Vision

The student members of the United States Student Association work together with a vision for a just society in which generations of representative leaders understand their power and engage and empower diverse communities to create social change.

Mission

The United States Student Association, the country's oldest and largest national student-led organization, develops current and future leaders and amplifies the student voice at the local, state, and national levels by mobilizing grassroots power to win concrete victories on student issues.

The United States Student Association Foundation ensures the pipeline of effective student leadership by facilitating education, training and other development opportunities at national, state, and local levels in advocating for issues that affect students.

Core Beliefs

USSA believes that education is a right and should be accessible for any student regardless of their socio-economic background and identity. We believe people who are affected directly by issues of access to higher education should be the ones identifying the solutions that make education accessible to them. Therefore, USSA is dedicated to training, organizing, and developing a base of student leaders who are utilizing those skills to engage in expanding access to higher education and advancing the broader movement for social justice.

Coalitions

• National People of Color Student Coalition
• National Women's Student Coalition
• National Queer Student Coalition
• State and System Student Association Coalition

Staff

USSA hires four full-time Association staff members and seven full-time Foundation staff members:

• President (elected by general membership)
• Vice-President (elected by general membership)
• Organizing Director
• Legislative Director
• Trainings Director
• Student of Color Campus Diversity Project Director
• State Student Association Project Director
• Electoral Project Director
• Communications & Technology Coordinator
• Alumni & Development Director
• Student Labor Action Project Coordinator

See also

• Oregon Student Association
• University of California Students Association
• Minnesota State College Student Association
• Jobs with Justice

External links

• USSA