AS hopes to increase student participation
By Matthew Meyerhofer
To increase participation and interest in campus community groups, the student government is reaching out to students with new ideas and programs.
"This year we're really focusing on being a beneficial liaison â€" not just so students can get to know students better â€" but so the students can get to know the administration better," said Nathan Iglesias, the vice president of Associated Students (AS).
AS President Taylor McClure's campaign last year focused on keeping students informed with regards to what is going on with AS, and he insists this issue is still a major focus for the year.
The mobile AS desk, an informational desk planned to move to various locations on campus and be staffed by an AS officer, is one project McClure and Iglesias hope will help bring students closer to AS.
"It will have a rotational schedule around campus in strategic locations so that we're not fixed in one spot and only reaching one group of students," Iglesias said. "We will be able to reach all sorts of different students, not just freshmen and sophomores who go to Benson."
Iglesias said the table will act a venue for students to voice frustrations or praise, as well as ask questions about the university.
McClure said he is also trying to improve relations between AS and administrators.
"We're trying to build a relationship with them because some bridges have been burned in the past," McClure said. "Instead of questioning us every single time, it would be nice to have them behind us."
To do this, McClure and Iglesias are trying to implement a program in which members of AS will have informal meetings with university officials to gain a greater knowledge of what is going on at the administrative level of the university.
"We're only in office for a year, and if someone doesn't like us they can just ignore us for a year," Iglesias said. "That's why we're pushing as hard as we can to build really healthy relationships, and lasting relationships â€" things that will last from year to year."
Iglesias said increasing levels of communication with administrators will make doing business a more stable process.
"The more that we understand each other, the more efficiently we can reach our goal," said Iglesias.
AS is also developing a listing of nearby available temporary jobs where students can earn a little extra cash.
"We've spoken with different neighborhood groups and they were extremely interested and thought it would help build positive relations with residents around campus," Iglesias said.
The connection students have to their Residential Learning Comunities (RLCs) is another issue Iglesias wants addressed.
"We feel that the students would be much more open to the RLCs if they had some ownership of it and if they had a voice. It's going to affect their lives a lot so they should have some say in what goes on," Iglesias said. "I've talked to a couple of the resident directors, and they are very open to the idea and very excited about it."
Last spring 60 students applied for 16 appointed positions with AS, and enthusiasm continued into this fall, Iglesias said. AS has already formed a committee after several freshmen said they wanted more done to promote school spirit.
However, long-lasting programs are difficult to build because those in student government come and go so quickly, he said.
"Since you have people cycling through school so often, old mistakes keep getting repeated over and over again. That was one of the biggest things I wanted to stop this year," McClure said.
Despite their efforts, not all students on campus have been affected by the new programs.
"I don't know anything about AS," said freshman Jeff Young, "I don't know what any of their projects are or who is even on AS."
Some students are, however, aware of what AS is up to.
"I appreciate all the time and work they volunteer to do. They do a lot for the student body," said Sophomore Erin Schoenfelder.
Contact Matthew Meyerhofer at (408) 554-4546 or at mmeyerhofer@scu.edu