Correction: In an earlier version of this blog it was mentioned that there was a $4 student fee increase on the ballot. This referendum was failed by Student Government.
Prepare yourselves. The time is here. Student. Government. Elections.
Probably the most hectic time of the year for those running. With campaigning throughout the month of February and elections in March, it pretty much consumes the lives of those currently in Stugov and those who are running.
This blog isn’t about that though. As much as I’d love to talk about the internal side of elections, what’s more important is getting the student body involved by listening to campaigns and voting!
First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Ian Steenhoek. I’m a junior studying journalism & mass communications with a double minor in performing arts and German. I am also the Campustown Senator and Public Relations Chair for Stugov, as well as the president of the United Residents of Off-Campus.
What is Student Government though?
Your Student Government is there to serve you. There are three branches, which include the Legislative Branch, Judicial Branch and Executive Branch. Each branch has different responsibilities. The Legislative Branch is made up of senators from each college and each resident constituency (such as campus apartments, residence halls or off-campus.) The Judicial Branch consists of the student supreme court. These students are appointed by current members and their terms do not expire. The Executive Branch consists of the president, vice president and their cabinet. These people are the ones who “steer the ship” so to speak. They take on projects and goals and work closely with administration to actually get stuff done.
Why should you vote though? What does Student Government do?
In short, we represent you to administration, local government and state government. If you want something changed on campus, talking to your student senator is a great start. From there, they can take the issue to Student Government as a whole to work on, or the issue can be taken directly to administration either through that senator or a cabinet member who has a close working relationship with administrators.
It all begins with picking the right senators and the right president/VP though. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Take a trip to an IRHA, LAS Council or Senate meeting to find out who’s running and what they stand for. You can truly enhance your adventure here at Iowa State if you choose hardworking and passionate people for the job. If you’re interested in running, it’s a little too late to attend the mandatory info sessions. You can still meet with Election Commissioner Jacob Zirkelbach 1 on 1 to get the necessary info though!
Voting is incredibly easy. On March 6 and 7 you can head over to www.vote.iastate.edu and vote online! It takes less than five minutes.
While you’re thinking about elections, stop by a Stugov meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Campanile Room. You can also visit us in the West Student Office Space and talk to a variety of people at almost any hour of the day. (No joke, out of the 24 hours in a day, the office is only empty for maybe like eight of them. I’ve gone in at 3 a.m. to find design or engineering senators working on homework.) You can also head over to www.stugov.iastate.edu for a bunch more information, including a directory of all current Stugov members!
