COLUMN: Don’t waste chance to get involved
During my travels on campus I often think about the purpose of the college student. I think about students I have met throughout my time here at Utah State and conversations we have had. Many students are here at Utah State for different reasons.
There are as many different reasons to be at Utah State as there are Aggie ice cream flavors. Some of our classmates came because of many of our exemplary academic programs. Some are here because they heard rumors about the amazing student life and atmosphere on campus. Some came because they are following in the Aggie tradition of their parents or grandparents.
There may be many reasons why each of us chose this school, but one common reason is that we have all come to enhance our level and depth of knowledge. We are here to learn and expand our ideas, minds and thoughts. We are here to work and to challenge ourselves internally and fill ourselves with knowledge that might one day turn into wisdom.
Over the past three years I have had the wonderful opportunity of not only expanding my knowledge scholastically, but I have learned first hand about many different systems in which our education is administered to students on this campus and throughout the state. I have observed the Utah system of higher education. With knowledge of the system I have gained over the last few years, I have realized there are two important things all students can do to better their situation and that of future students.
The first thing we can do is to educate ourselves about what is happening in our world and about the proper channels through which we can give input.
The next most important thing is to be involved in the process of decision-making. I know each of us cannot be in every meeting with the faculty, staff members or administrators here on this campus, or in city council, county council, state Board of Regents, or State Legislature meetings. For that very reason we elect representatives on each of those levels.
At Utah State University, we elect 13 student body officers and eight college senators. These Associated Students of Utah State University (ASUSU) officers represent students to faculty and staff, department heads, deans and administrators on various committees that meet throughout the year.
To have direct involvement in the process on campus, all students need to do is become educated about happenings in the university and then talk with these elected officials. This also helps the officials to better understand the students they serve.
This involvement process goes even further. Each year there is an important election in November. Each year the candidates running for election rotate. Some years the candidates run for city council, county council, the Legislature and other state positions, Congress, and the presidency of the United States. Once elected, these officials have jurisdiction over many policies citizens live by. If there is an issue students feel strongly about, the easiest way to make that known is by interacting with the candidates and then of course voting to make their voice heard.
Here at USU there are about 15,000 students on the Logan Campus and about 6,000 students throughout the state. If only half the USU students were registered to vote and only half actually voted that would still be around 5,000 votes. What a difference those votes could make. Voting and being involved in campaigns is the one sure way candidates hear citizen concerns. If candidates saw that more than 5,000 students from USU voted each year, they would realize they would need to tailor their platforms to student concerns.
This year’s election comprises candidates from the county council, legislators, congressional districts, and there are a few initiatives that will be voted on. People may register by mail until Oct. 16 and by taking their form in person to the County Clerk in Logan until Oct. 28. Through the ASUSU Executive Vice President’s Office there will be registration forms on campus throughout the month. Voter pamphlets with information about the candidates and initiatives are being proposed. There will be maps placed in the Taggart Student Center with locations of polling places. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Voting will start at 7 a.m. and polls will closed at 8 p.m. Take this opportunity as a chance to be involved in the process and “Have it your way.”
-Celestial Bybee is the ASUSU president. Comments can be sent to her at celestial@cc.usu.edu