The Department sponsors a wide variety of student associations and activities. The local chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, recruits students and hosts an annual dinner for its members. The Government Department's newsletter, The Red Tape, keeps majors and other students informed about student and faculty activities.
Each year the Department sends students to two Model UN conferences. In recent years students have traveled simulations sponsored by Penn, Harvard, and McGill. Students play an active role in selecting the best conference sites, study, and preparation.
The Government Department at Hamilton is a charter member of the New York State Consortium of European Union Simulations (NYSCEUS), a group of 15 New York State colleges and universities which meets annually to simulate the workings of the European Union. Every other year the simulation takes place in Europe. In 1998 students traveled to Leuven, Belgium. In January, 2000 the simulation will be in Budapest, Hungary.