Get to know the candidates: ACTIVITIES VP
TARA BRADSHAW
Tara Bradshaw is a finalist for ASUSU Activities vice president.
* Why should students care about ASUSU?
“The students should understand that the Executive Council has so much effect and impact on us as a whole,” Bradshaw said.
* What research have you done for your platform?
“I’ve made the networking connections that I need to; I know the people in the ASUSU department and will be able to go to them. I’ve talked to the proper people about how to go about doing certain things, including changes for the Howl,” she said.
* How do your platform and qualifications relate to the position you are running for?
“The idea is to build on the work that has already been done in the past. I’ve worked with four different Activities vice presidents and I would like to take the good of all those and put it into one to do my best job at this,” she said.
* What are some of the new activities that you’d like to bring in?
“One cool idea is the monthly student choice. I want people telling us what activities they want us to bring in. I want students involved by making their suggestions and even helping plan the activity. I want them to share the experience and see what goes into it, with us to provide the means. There are so many people out there that have great ideas,” she said.
* How do you plan to get more student suggestions and input on activities?
“A-station [ASUSU’s Web site] already has a link where you can make suggestions or complaints, but I want to put suggestion boxes on each floor of every building, or by the paper so they can just grab one and fill it out. I think it would be OK to do surveys as well. Word of mouth is huge, so I’ll talk to people and find out what they thought,” she said.
* What is an example of a twist you’ll put on an old activity?
“I want people to be surprised to see new things, instead of the same old things. I was in charge of the Howl last year and I think we did a good job of changing things around,” Bradshaw said.
–julia@cc.usu.edu
NICK ROBBINS
Nick Robbins is a finalist for Activities vice president.
* Why should students care about ASUSU?
“ASUSU is a liaison for students and the administration and is able to keep in touch with the students and keep communication open. Specifically for activities, it’s the students’ money. I am a student and can see the point of view of the students and what they want. I’ve also been involved with ASUSU and can see the standpoint of the university,” Robbins said.
* What research have you done for your platform?
“I want to bring in a big-name band. I would like to start on that first thing and get it going so we can have that here. I would like to increase student awareness of the activities,” he said.
* How do your platform and qualifications relate to the position you are running for?
“I come from an incredibly diverse family, and that helps me understand where people are coming from on all levels. It will help diversify the activities to cater to a wider student audience,” Robbins said.
* Past Activities vice presidents have tried and failed to bring a big-name band to USU. How will you be different?
“I am a really good people person, and hopefully in talking to the contacts, they’ll understand that I know what’s going on and that I care about them. I’ll also have some new contacts made through an internship with MTV, which might help me,” he said.
* What are some of the new advertising techniques you plan to implement?
“One technique is getting a link on A-station [ASUSU’s Web site] that is visible where students can make suggestions, give feedback and volunteer. I’d like to get a magnet made that advertises the big events and includes regularly scheduled programs. I’d like to maybe get some T-shirts that say ‘Ask me what’s going on tonight.’ I’ve talked to Facilities about putting up fliers in bathrooms. Aggie Television is an important and useful tool. If every hour on the hour these advertisements came up, students would know where and when to look,” Robbins said.
* What other activity ideas do you have?
Robbins said he’d like to add a mud Olympics, where the fire department fills a field with water and students participate in different mud activities. He wants to utilize USU student bands.
–julia@cc.usu.edu