If you are anything like I was, student government probably didn’t mean too much in high school. It’s not too cliche to say that the more popular student would usually take the presidency and student council members were only obliged to plan dances and (sometimes) pep assemblies.
This is just not the case with student government at the University. From your free Lane Transit District bus pass with your student ID to more than 100 different student clubs, more than $12 million in student fee money is used by student senators each year “to provide for the social, cultural, educational and physical development of its members,” all University students.
Enough with the incidental fee for now. The Emerald is dedicated to weekly ASUO coverage again this year, because student senators spend a whole bunch of money, but also because its reach actually does affect life at the University.
A few examples:
– Two years ago, a few students who were close to the ASUO formed the Climate Justice League, which has since brought several resolutions before the student Senate encouraging a ban on water bottle sales on campus. At the end of last year, they were a couple steps away from that goal being fulfilled, meaning campus vendors would not be able to sell water bottles.
– Student Senates have also used resolutions for years to oppose the University expanding construction on the Willamette River. Last year, an infusion of money from the Over-realized Fund went to mounting a legal front against the University’s construction without following the stipulations of the original agreement. For the most part, that was a success, as the University’s riverfront construction started to look at other plots of land.
– Last year, when the state government was looking through proposals to fix the ailing public higher education system, students in Oregon — including University students — roundly condemned University President Richard Lariviere’s plan, which wanted to use a mix of public and private funds to start an endowment. Students went to several public comment sessions of the legislature to air grievances and Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber decided to postpone the proposal until this upcoming legislative session.
There’s a good chance you probably won’t directly be involved in the student government system. There aren’t really that many Senate seats or presidential advisor spots compared with the total number of students. Beyond that, it’s definitely an acquired taste: A unique combination of accounting, rhetoric and social skills are necessary to be involved in any part of it.
But you can still influence your student government without a position. Here’s how:
– Student Senate meetings this fall will be allowing a public comment session at a certain number of meetings each month. According to the minutes of the most recent Senate meeting, the details of this public comment still need to be fleshed out. However, the discussions have indicated that as long as students are there at the start of the meeting (when the session is being held) and have something to say about a campus issue, they will be allowed time in front of all the senators.
– All of the senators and president’s staff members are required in the ASUO constitution to hold office hours, which are times dedicated for non-ASUO students to have time with their representatives.
I spent all last year covering the deeper stories in the ASUO, so I know firsthand the kind of stress that goes into putting together a budget with student dollars. Others in the newsroom know firsthand how much I like talking about that budget and have found creative ways of letting me know how little they care about it.
So, I know that many of you reading this probably don’t care as much about these intricacies as I do. But just know that these student leaders do more than talk about your fees — they really do have an impact on how the University operates.
And if you care at all about student tickets for home football games, your on-campus clubs or having the ability to ride the bus for free, it literally pays off to pay attention to student government.