1511's leadership structure and process is documented here:
http://penfieldrobotics.com/team/Leadership.php
Specific Details on Student Leadership Team Roles are here:
http://penfieldrobotics.com/forum/in...p?topic=2759.0
Most decisions are made between the students and mentors. There are some things like finance that have final approval through the mentors, but for the most part the students and mentors work together to come up with ideas, solutions, structures, plans, etc.
We feel that student leadership is as if not more important to grow than engineering prowess. We try to encourage every student to lead an event, fundraiser, subteam, activity or step up as a student leader. By the time they graduate 1511, nearly every student has lead something.
Best story is that I had one of our graduates tell me he had his first real job interview (for an internship) yesterday, and he was so relieved that he had gone through our leadership application process because he felt completely prepared!