COLUMN: It’s finally time to ‘Be Herd’

As a student, you are a member of the Associated Students of Utah State University and have a voice through the 20-member executive council. Since 1969, this 20-member voting body has been created to be your liaison between the administration and state government.

If you don’t vote, who will?

Currently, there are 59 primaries candidates vying for your vote – the largest candidate pool since 1979. These men and women are interested in making your lives at Utah State more student-friendly and academically sound. Unlike other universities around the nation, Utah State is unique in that executive council members each sit on at least two (if not eight) universitywide committees. The members – and your soon-to-be 2004-2005 council – work closely with faculty and administration to address your concerns and issues.

I challenge each of you to take an active role in talking with the candidates, looking at their bios and discovering who will be the most effective in office. Each of their bios can be accessed from the A-Station (a-station.usu.edu), the ASUSU Web site.

Just a reminder, elections are only one week this year with primaries ending today at noon and finals going from Thursday at 7 a.m. to Friday at 5 p.m. We hope this will relieve the stress on candidates as well as the student body.

Don’t forget the last primary reception is today from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the TSC international Lounge. You have the opportunity to speak directly with the candidates and find out who they are, what they stand for and what they plan to do in office.

Thursday is a Finals Forum with each of the final candidates answering questions and addressing specific issues. It will be located in the TSC Sunburst Lounge from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The polls then close on Friday at 5 p.m., with the winners announced at 5:30 p.m. in the TSC Sunburst Lounge.

Ashley Stolworthy is the ASUSU public relations vice president. Comments can be sent to asusupr@cc.usu.edu.