ASUSU uses summer to prepare
Members of the Associated Students of Utah State University Executive Council have used the summer months to prepare for the 2003-04 school year.
A time when most students were working on their tan lines or enjoying vacation found many council members attending leadership conferences and planning activities.
ASUSU President Duke Di Stefano said while there has been some time for fun, a lot of preparation has gone into the new school year.
“We obviously did our Fall Leadership workshop for our students and that went really well,” Di Stefano said. “This year we had two sessions, which is the first time we’ve ever done that.”
Di Stefano said about 180 students attended the leadership conference this year, some were freshmen opting not to attend the school’s Connections class held during the same time.
“We still had quite a few freshmen that came, and they were able to participate in a few of the Connections activities,” Di Stefano said. “I didn’t notice any impact as far as Connections goes, obviously the students missed out on what happened during Connections, but they gained a lot from Fall Leadership.”
Di Stefano said the other student body officers joined him in attending the Utah Leadership Academy, where they met with other student body representatives from around the state.
“We were able to network with them and see how things are done on other campuses and get some ideas to improve Utah State,” Di Stefano said.
There are improvements in the works, Di Stefano said, including new equipment to expand the Fieldhouse Fitness Center, plans for new student housing along 700 East where the old steam plant currently exists and possible expansion or renovation of the Taggart Student Center.
“Hopefully, we will be expanding/remodeling the student center to better accommodate all students and especially students that will be living on campus,” Di Stefano said.
Assistant Vice President for Student Life Gary Chambers will join student leaders to begin working on the TSC plans when school resumes, Di Stefano said.
Outside of leadership workshops and building expansion plans, ASUSU officers have been preparing activities like the Week of Welcome (WOW) for students.
ASUSU Activities Vice President Tara Bradshaw said she has been working since the day she was inaugurated to get prepared for everything.
“We started the basic brainstorming and just kind of planning out, where we saw things, where things would fit in activity-wise,” Bradshaw said.
She said that between making many phone calls, sending e-mail and meeting with people, she has helped organize a WOW that students will enjoy.
“It’s been hard to get response, but people have been really helpful and they’re easy to work with for the most part,” Bradshaw said. “It’s [WOW] an exciting thing and something to look forward to.”
Bradshaw said there are some exciting new additions to the WOW this year, including a “USU Welcomes You” activity on Monday at 4:30 p.m., where administrators will meet with students on the Quad and the addition of Love Sac as a sponsor for the Tuesday movie on the HPER Field.
Bradshaw said Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Research Joyce Kinkead approached ASUSU with the “USU Welcomes You” idea, and said it will be interesting to see how it goes Monday. She said the partnership with Love Sac will be nice for students as it will give students an opportunity to purchase a Love Sac beanbag for a discounted price and a chance to win one of the beanbags.
The alliance with Love Sac will also help pay some bills, Bradshaw said, with the company covering $800, half of the cost of the HPER movie.
Bradshaw said she thinks everything will go smoothly, and just hopes the weather will comply. She said in the event that there is inclement weather, activities will be moved inside the TSC.
Other ASUSU officers like Arts and Lectures Vice President Bethany Youngs have spent the summer preparing, but have been using the time to finalize schedules for the entire school year.
Youngs said the lineup and schedule for guest lecturers is pretty much finalized. The final schedule will be announced in two to three weeks.
“Our first lecture is on Sept. 10, and that’s a guy named Mike Domitrz,” Youngs said. “He is doing a lecture on dating and respect and communication. He addresses sexual assault.”
Youngs said the scheduling of Domitrz was made to coincide with the Red Zone, the time period when the most rapes occur on campuses nationwide.
Actress Anna Deavere Smith, female boxing trainer Jackie Kallen and former NASA surgeon Dr. James Logan are also scheduled to speak as part of the lecture series, Youngs said.
The ASUSU Executive Council will now begin the school year with its first council meeting, Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers on the third floor of the TSC. Students are welcome to attend all council meetings.
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