ASUSU: Who cares?
Students at Utah State University are represented by elected members of the Associated Students of USU Executive Council.
Last month, every student had the opportunity to vote for next year’s newly elected council members. Only about 3,000 students voted. So the question still remains: Why should students care about ASUSU?
ASUSU is composed of Executive Council members and their committees. The council members vote, pass legislation and look to their committees for assistance in carrying out other roles of their offices.
This year the council has accomplished various goals that have affected the students for better or worse. They include:
* Completing the new Fitness Center
* Proposing reading days before finals week or enforcing dead week
* Suggesting 100-percent recycled paper in the computer labs
* Redesigning the ASUSU Web site into the A-station
* Restructuring the Online Book Exchange
* Establishing scholarships for students involved with ASUSU leadership roles
* Rallying at the Utah Capitol for the support of higher education
* Adding more student representation to the University Student Fee Board
* Revising the ASUSU constitution and general laws
* Writing the Tier II Tuition resolution and proposal
Ericka Ensign, ASUSU Academic vice president, found that the Executive Council has been passing legislation since the 1960s.
Aside from voting and working with the administration, the council also governs student fees including the building, Statesman, computer and library fees.
ASUSU received $780,000 from the $24.75 each student paid in activities fees each semester this year. That money is given back to the students in many different forms such as budgets for each of the officers, registered clubs and organizations, academic programs, various student councils, staff support, ASUSU attorneys and Spirit Squad scholarships.
The rest of the activity fee that is not allocated in this budget is put into a fund called Capital and Support and can be used for other programs supported by the council, Celestial Bybee, ASUSU president said.
Essentially, the council represents the student voice to the administration and provides activities and cultural opportunities. However, the extent of the work done by the council goes deeper than that.
Bybee said Activities, Organizations and Traditions, and Arts and Lectures are the main branches that students think of with respect to ASUSU.
“That’s only three positions on ASUSU out of 21,” she said.
Like many students on campus, Heidi Mortensen, a junior majoring in horticulture, does not understand the role the organization plays at the university.
“Honestly, I don’t know anything [about ASUSU],” she said.
Jay Brock, a sophomore majoring in anthropology, said he understands that its members represent the students but does not know about the details of its constitution or general laws.
“What they’re supposed to do is represent the students’ voice to the administration of the campus,” he said. “I wish the students on campus, myself included, would become better informed about what they are.”
The role of the council is to enhance the quality of student life through academics, activities, student concerns, public relations, service, athletics, clubs, organizations, cultural events, colleges, Extension, graduate studies, and student representation, according to the A-station Web site.
The council is separated into three bodies – legislators, senators and programmers. Legislators work directly with the administrators on campus. Senators represent their respective colleges. Programmers host the visual programs and events on campus.
Julie Dethrow, ASUSU Arts and Lectures vice president, said, “I think most of the involved students understand what’s going on on the third floor of the [Taggart Student Center], but there are many students who don’t, but that is our job to advertise better what is going on with ASUSU.”
Without the council, the administration would not have the man power to get things done. Even with funding, students would still need their student leaders’ support to get things done, Bybee said.
Many members of the council feel students should take the initiative to learn more about the council but many students feel members of the council should get to know the students more.
“Students should care about ASUSU because students are ASUSU,” said Kristen Taylor, ASUSU Business senator. “Contrary to popular belief, ASUSU truly does everything with the students of Utah State University in mind.”
Brian Gardner, a junior majoring in aviation, said the council should give the students more opportunities to meet its members and ask them questions.
“They need to get more involved with the students so they know who to go to. There’s not much interaction with the students,” he said.
Justin Haskell, ASUSU Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences senator, said he realizes that many students focus most of their time on their education.
“Students should take the initiative to read and learn everything ASUSU does for them. However, I know students are so busy with everything else, they don’t have time to deal with things they don’t care too much about,” he said.
Bybee is a member of the Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees. Both of those organizations make decisions that directly affect the students, such as tuition increases, employment and physical changes on campus. Bybee is there to tell the administration what the students do and do not want.
In order to understand what the students want, Bybee said, she tries to interact with as many students as she can every day. However, she said she feels that the council, herself included, can do a better job.
“As far as I’m concerned, that’s what I’ve worried about all year,” she said.
Students can begin by voicing their concerns to the student advocate, Matt Ekins. If students want something changed, a council member can sponsor a piece of legislation in their behalf.
Tiffany Evans, director of student activities and leadership development, said, “The constituency needs to take an active role. The students do have representation and a way to funnel their creative ideas and concerns.”
The senators are available to help students with issues specific to certain areas of the university.
Haskell said his position is important because he lobbies for the needs of HASS and its students.
“I’m in direct communication with the students and the dean of the college. The dean listens to what I tell him and does his best to help the students however he can,” he said.
Richie Vester, a junior majoring in computer engineering, realizes that ASUSU represents each college and tries to get the students’ opinions.
“I think they do all right, but there is room for improvement,” he said.
The newly elected council members have already begun their training for next year. Each year, the council focuses on how to connect better with the students, Evans said.
Duke Di Stefano, ASUSU president-elect, said he hopes to increase student awareness about ASUSU and the decisions its Executive Council makes.
The council meets every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Senate Chambers on the third level of the TSC. Students are invited to attend.
-mmackay@cc.usu.edu