Guest Column: Make your voice heard – A message from the USUSA Elections co-chairs

Since our committee began engaging with students at the end of last year, our message about student body elections has been short and simple: make your voice heard. As we officially begin the first week of the 2022 USUSA elections, we would like to reiterate this message once again as we mobilize USU students across the state and ask you to cast your vote. 

Throughout the USU system, USUSA officers play a vital role in shaping the student experience. In addition to planning our renowned events and preserving valued university traditions, student leaders work every day to listen to and advocate for students. From sitting on university committees to managing some of your student fees, these officers maintain important relationships with faculty, staff, administrators, policymakers, and other leaders to advance students’ interests. 

As such, these elections have a real impact, which is why USUSA elections are perhaps the most significant opportunity you have to directly make your voice heard as a student. To make the most of these elections, we encourage all students to learn about the candidates, attend debates and town halls, and — most importantly — vote. By simply going to elections.usu.edu and casting your online ballot each time the voting period is open, you are making a meaningful contribution to our school. 

It’s also important to note that the 2022 USUSA elections will mark a historic step for the USU community as we make several important steps toward the unification of our statewide student body. 

Thanks to their approval of the new USUSA constitution in October, we are thrilled to welcome the students of USU Eastern into our student association. For the first time in the university’s history, the more than 27,000 students at each of the 30 campuses and centers in the USU system will be united together under one organization. 

We will also elect a single student body presidency to represent the entire student body. While Logan, Eastern, and other statewide students previously elected separate student body presidents, we will now all elect the USUSA Executive Leadership Board to advocate for USU students across the state. These student leaders — including the USUSA president, executive vice president, and student advocate vice president — will be elected during the first week of elections from Feb. 14-18. 

This is the first year we will hold two weeks of elections. During this first week of elections, candidates and voters will engage with each other all around the state to elect officers who will lead our statewide student body. From Feb. 28 to Mar. 4, students will then turn their attention to electing officers to represent their individual campuses and colleges. By allowing students to elect these different officers separately, we hope that we will be able to focus on the important conversations for our university and its campuses and colleges during the relevant election weeks.  

While some of the changes might be confusing, we are working hard to provide voters with all the information they need to participate in these elections as informed and engaged community members. We encourage students to reach out to us at elections.ususa@usu.edu with any questions or concerns. As there are many “firsts” this election cycle, we welcome all feedback to help improve this important civic activity going forward. 

We are thrilled that these elections are finally here, and we can’t wait to see how you all decide to make your voices heard. For more information about the 2022 USUSA elections, visit elections.usu.edu. 

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Max Roberts is a senior at Utah State University from South Jordan, Utah. He is studying journalism/communication and political science with minors in anticipatory intelligence and marketing. Max currently serves as the public relations director and elections committee co-chair for USUSA. 

Alexis Needleman is a senior at Utah State University from Lehi, Utah, and is majoring in communication studies. Alexis currently serves as the student events vice president and elections committee co-chair for USUSA.