ASUSU VIEW: ASUSU elections a chance to take charge of the school
As president of the student body, it has been an honor to serve beside a number of students this year who are dedicated to representing and serving this campus. Countless hours have been spent in promoting academic causes, working to raise money for scholarships, lobbying for cheaper textbooks as well as capital support and need based financial aid, raising money for charity, serving the community, promoting school pride and inclusiveness, planning and providing activities for the students as well as honoring the tradition and culture of Utah State.
Unfortunately, many of our students believe that ASUSU is made up by those students who work out of the ASUSU offices on the third floor of the TSC, and who got there by campaigning or applying for office. This is not correct. To quote Article I of the ASUSU Constitution that governs student life on campus, “All students registered at the University, graduate and undergraduate, are members of the ASUSU and shall be granted all rights and privileges as established by this Constitution.”
Every student at Utah State is a part of ASUSU. In other words, ASUSU is the abbreviation for the official name of our student body – the Associated Students of Utah State University. My hope is that more of the student body realizes this, and therefore takes ownership of ASUSU and what happens on our campus. This is because, whether students take interest in ASUSU or not, the fact remains that ASUSU and the decisions its officers make affect every student registered USU. In the course of our career here at USU, our student government will allocate and determine how our money is spent, in addition to determining how student fees are allocated as well as being a mouthpiece between students and administration. This is why, as students and members of ASUSU, we all need to take an interest in what is going on in our campus community. Even more importantly, we must work at developing an awareness, concern and ownership of what happens on campus as an incubator for developing such civic awareness for when we are graduates working in our respective fields to better the world. As Plato said, “The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled be evil men.” As it has otherwise been phrased, “Just because you don’t take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.”
This next week campus elections will be taking place. I encourage all of you, as members of ASUSU, to take ownership of this campus. If you are not running for office, let your voice be heard in voting for who you think will best represent the interests of the students.
Being your president this year has been a wonderful opportunity, but not always an easy task. As it has been said, this office has required a level head, a caring heart, blood-shot eyes, patient ears, a stiff backbone, humble knees and genuine smiles. In my remaining months as president, I hope to be able to render my greatest service to the campus given that my remaining months will have more experience in office to draw upon. In the meantime, may those students planning to run for office in this next upcoming election know now that the offices they seek belong to the students, and may you all, as the Associated Students of Utah State University, vote and let your voice be heard.
Peter A. McChesney
ASUSU President