OUR VIEW: It’s about time

We applaud the Executive Council of the Associated Students of Utah State University for finally taking the initiative to restructure. Often finding themselves to be less effective and efficient than desired, many councils in the past have known that something needs to be changed. But this year’s council has actually taken the time to do it. Conducting extensive research and scheduling extra early-morning meetings, the process hasn’t been exactly smooth, but worth it.

The new structure cuts the number of votes almost in half, while still making representation more proportional to groups on campus. While no system is perfect, the proposed new structure looks to run more smoothly and meet student needs faster. Offices with similar purposes have been combined, and the vote of a public relations representative was even removed in an effort to allow that member to do their job more effectively.

ASUSUEC should also be commended for looking ahead. The new structure was designed to easily allow both the graduate studies vice president and the service vice president to phase out into their own entities with minimal disruption. While the creation of a separate council for graduate students is still down the road, the foresight shown by this year’s council may be enough to calm current graduate student frustrations.

However, with the decrease in the number of votes on ASUSUEC, comes an increase in responsibility. Students planning to run for student office next year should be aware of the increased weight their vote carries. We encourage any student wishing to be elected to run for the right reasons – to be the best representative for their office possible. If elected to a position, whether service or athletics, the goal should have nothing to do with leadership experience or resumes, but to improve the education and experience of Utah State University students.