Rhodes Student Government (RSG) represents the interests of students to the rest of the campus—faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, and friends of the college. In addition to the RSG officers and Student Senate members, which are elected by a student body-wide vote, there are four governmental bodies: the Allocations and Student Organizations Commission, Community Standards Council, Honor Council, and Rhodes Activities Board.
They are the “branches” of a system that supports everything from how we build community to how we navigate conflict to how we celebrate the traditions that make Rhodes, Rhodes. The leaders of these branches are elected from within the organizations, and this year’s officers talked to us about their responsibility to represent not only organizations, but also the values that define our campus culture.
Upholding A Promise: Honor Council President Laurel Phillips ’26
Rhodes’ Honor System has been in place for more than a century. Each fall, first-year students participate in the Honor Code ceremony, where each signs a pledge to not lie, cheat, or steal and commit to creating a community where respect and compassion for others are valued and embraced.
For Phillips, who is an English and philosophy double major from Atlanta, GA, the work begins with a promise. She often describes the Honor Code not as a rulebook, but as a shared commitment to the liberal arts education that students come to Rhodes to pursue. “It represents the value of an education we see as inherently meaningful . . . one that teaches us to think differently,” she explains.
Phillips’ understanding of the Honor Code grew out of her own first-year experience, sitting in a sea of unfamiliar faces, listening to upper-class students speak about a tradition she hadn’t yet experienced. Now, three years later, she helps steward one of the few student-run honor systems in the nation.
The work is personal. For Phillips, the code is held up not by “scary, ominous people in robes,” but by students who are elected by their classmates to handle cases that require honesty, fairness, and empathy. To her, violations are not moments of punishment but moments of learning. “What the Honor Code means is that you do not have to do all this alone,” she says. “You have about 1,800 peers, in addition to mentors, teachers, and friends, who have also made this commitment with you.”
Promoting Accountability: Community Standards President Drew Murphy ’26
While the Honor Council oversees the hearing process for concerns related to the Honor Code, the Community Standards Council investigates social infractions, oversees the hearing process for concerns related to conduct, and promotes integrity and accountability. Students may be sanctioned for conduct that constitutes a hazard to the health, safety, or well-being of members of the college community.Murphy, a neuroscience major with minors in chemistry and religious studies from Wintergarden, FL, brings a distinctly human-centered approach to the work.
His role includes organizing and coordinating all Community Standards cases, training new members, and collaborating with offices across campus. What he values most is the opportunity to look at situations holistically: considering not just what happened, but why. Murphy, who is also a St. Jude Summer Plus Fellow and Health Professions Advisor and plans to attend medical school, says these skills are essential to a career in healthcare.
“Serving on the council isn’t just about determining fair and immediate sanctions,” he explains. “It’s about creating a safer and more supportive Rhodes community for the future.”
Managing from Behind the Scenes: Allocations & Student Organization Commission (ASOC); Caden Foy ’26, Commissioner
ASOC, led by economics and business major Foy, is the organizational engine that keeps more than 100 student organizations funded, functioning, and accountable.
The Arlington, TN, native describes her role as both administrative and facilitative: managing email communications, overseeing Presence (Rhodes’ online Student Organization portal), and serving as a parliamentarian at meetings. But what she loves most is the visibility into how student life actually operates. “I’m a very organized person,” she laughs. “I love numbers. ASOC lets me see the budgets and the things happening behind the scenes.”
She didn’t initially imagine herself in a leadership role, but the position has taught her how to delegate, collaborate, and listen. “The best part is the people,” she adds. “I love my board. The trust people place in me—coming with questions, wanting their events to happen—it’s exceptional.”
Keeping Campus Fun: Rhodes Activity Board (RAB) President Muna Ogwo ’27
While ASOC keeps student organizations running, the Rhodes Activity Board, led by Muna Ogwo, keeps the campus lively. A biochemistry & molecular biology and health equity double major from Collierville, TN, Ogwo balances research, pre-med coursework, and multiple leadership roles—but RAB remains closest to her heart. RAB consists of five committees: Creativity, Community, Conversations, Concerts, and Content. Each committee is responsible for a different aspect of campus life, from crafting nights to Homecoming to Rites of Spring. As president, Ogwo oversees coordinators, supports event planning, and builds a team that can carry traditions forward. What keeps her in RAB, year after year, is simple: community. “Everyone wants community,” she says. “So, what can we do to foster it? How do we bring people together in ways that feel meaningful?”
Her favorite part of the job? “Honestly, when people come up to me and ask about RAB events,” she says with a smile. “I love that. I love being someone people trust with that.”
Together, these organizations touch on all aspects of student life, from student governance to entertainment to campus culture and values. In their leadership roles, Phillips, Murphy, Foy, and Ogwo are doing the work that makes Rhodes A Place Like No Other.
By Jeb Mathis '27