ASUSU: Arts and Lectures
Ali Condie and Julie Dethrow were announced as the finalists for arts and lectures vice president Friday in the Sunburst Lounge.
Dethrow is a senior double-majoring in liberal arts and American studies with an emphasis in American folklore. She wants to decrease the number of lectures next year and increase the quality of the speakers, she said.
“Instead of spreading our budget across eight speakers, we could get six or four high-profile ones,” she said.
Condie is a junior majoring in marketing education. She said if elected she will work with professors to give extra credit to students who attend lectures.
“I want to work along with teachers and their curriculum to get extra credit for students attending lectures,” she said. “So when people come to lectures, there’s an incentive.”
The responsibilities of the arts and lectures vice president are to pick speakers, bands and others in the performing arts and arrange for their transportation, manage the budget and put on Poetry and a Beverage every month, Condie said.
Dethrow said she decided to run for office because she wants to get students more involved.
“I love this school and its programs, and I want more people to be able to attend them,” she said. “I want to be able to serve the students. There’s a lot to be done, and I think I’m the girl who can do it.”
One suggestion she has for getting students more involved is for the school to not hold classes during the noon to 1 p.m. hour when lectures are held, she said.
“I want to have no classes during the noon hour, like we did my first two years here,” she said. “That way students won’t have to miss class if they want to go to a lecture.”
Condie said one way she wants to increase student participation is with better advertising, especially for Poetry and a Beverage.
“Advertising was good last year, but you can always increase advertising,” she said. “I liked Poetry and a Beverage every month with a brochure. I want to get that out earlier, during WOW week, rather than two months into the year.”
Dethrow also said she wants better advertising for next year, noting that only one-third of students walk through the Taggart Student Center, so advertising should be spread across campus.
Condie said she wants to be arts and lectures vice president because she has experience and enjoys what the position is responsible for.
“I love what we do and being involved,” she said. “I’m on the [arts and lectures] committee right now. I enjoy working with bands, and I like music.”