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Show TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2000 UNIVERSITY JOURNAL CAMPUS NEWS !PAGE 4 Wasden gears up for the year BY KIRSTEN TATE SENIOR STAFF WRITER As the school year begins and students get into the flow of new classes, SUUSA officials are already well into their plans and duties. SUUSA President Mike Wasden said he and the other members of the executive council have been working all summer to get things rolling for the new year. "We've got tons going on and it is so fun," he said. · Wasden said his job is more mental planning and goal setting, rather than hands-on. "I represent the students. SUUSA isn't student government, it's everyone on campus who pays fees. We in student ~oveR"lment are officials who worK for the students to coordinate, plan and make sure it all runs smoothly," he said. Wasden is the only student who sits on the Board of Trustees, the governing board for the institution. VVhen issues come up that affect students, he will voice his opinion and they listen, he said. He also works with other student body presidents throughout the state to figure out ways to help students. This year's plans include tuition and diversity at state schools. They are also working on an on-line advising site that can help students know what classes will transfer to which schools. Voter awareness and Mike Wasden community service are also areas the presidents are trying to emphasize. This year student government is working to fulfill goals in four areas. First is recruiting and retention, second is spirit, third is communication and accessibility and fourth is continuing to build close relationships with the community. "Sara [England, SUUSA activities vice president], Steve [Nelson, SUUSA academic vice president] and I came up with it together at our retreat and are excited about it," he said. During his campaign Wasden had three principal points in his platform. The first was to increase the representation of minority and non-traditional students in the student government. Before. minority students would fill out an application and student government officials woulp pick who they wanted. This year the Multicultural Club staff chose the representative according to what they needed. For non-traditional students this year instead of a couple being the representatives, it is two non-traditional female students who are working together with different ideas and common goals, Wasden said. His second point was to increase the num~r of recruiters and to have more diversity among the job choices. This summer he went to Las Vegas to an international conference with businesses from all over the country. He took SUU information and targeted businesses in Las Vegas and Utah. The Career Center has a list of the job opportunities available, and he said he expects that many more opportunities will be available .., throughout the year. • ~ His third point was to have more ~ community involvement. He said the ~ students and community need to ;l communicate more. i5 Some changes have been made ~ over the summer. There is a new ~ web site that will be updated often and will allow students to log on and see what's going on at the school. The address is www.suu.edu/SUUSA. Wasden is majoring in public relations and interpersonal communication. He enjoys learning and being involved with activities. He likes to spend his time with family and friends. Wasden said he came to SUU because he wanted to major in communication and wanted to go to a smaller school like Ricks College, where he previously attended. He said he talked to his professors at Ricks and they said SUU had the best communication program in the state. Yesterday, orientation for transfer students took place in the Sharwan Sm;th Center, accompanied by the Student Job Expo (above) in the Starlight Room. 'Welcome Week' for SUU students has commenced in hopes of motivating students, both returning and new, for the upcoming year. · SUUSA has designed the events of the week to help 'Freshmen feel involved, introduce and expose them to all that1he campus has to offer, as well as welcoming back previous students with a bang,' said Director of Student Activities Mindy Benson. She also said Welcome Week is, 'Huge; it is always overwhelming, and just seems to be the place to be.' See pages 42 and 44 for complete listings of Welcome Week activities. SUUSA paints a picture of the new s~hool year BY KEVIN M. HARING OF THE JOURNAL STAFF As a new semester starts, so beglns the work of the newly elected and appointed students of the SUUSA, the student body government organization. "Everyone is a part of SUUSA, not just the officers. We are a voice for the students and every voice counts. Our offices are for the students, not just for us," said Sara England, a senior communication major from Layton, Utah, who also serves as the activities vice president. "Anyone who pays tuition and student fees is a part of SU.USA," said Academic Vice President Steven Nelson, a junior secondary education major from Cedar City. "SU USA is the largest group that everyone can be a part of,· said student body president Michael Wasden, a senior communication major from Boise, Idaho. The students of SUUSA are committed to keeping the best interest of the . student in mind, especially in working to solve their problems or concerns. In order to accomplish this, SUUSA is divided into three separate branches: executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is made up of the executive council , elected directly by the students, and the student activities board, appointed by the council. The members of the student activities board (also known as STAB), presided over by England, try to provide quality activities such as welcome week, that many students want to be a part of. Also, the Cabinet, presided over by Wasden, works with the executive council and represents several smaller -.. organizations and committees of SUUSA 1 such as service, elections, multi-cultural students, non-traditional (married or Josie Beth Baxter, a sophomore theatre arts major from Tremonton, Utah, prepares • the campus for Welcome Week by painting windows to welcome students. older) students, and public relations. The legislative branch is represented by the senate of SU USA. The senate is presided over by Nelson and is made up of elected students who represent each of the five colleges at SUU. The purpose of the senate is to represent the academic concerns of students to the administration, and determine how student fees will be spent. The judicial branch is made up of the Judicial Council, presided over by Chief Justice Matt Cannon, a senior English and political science major from Salt Lake City. The responsibility of the judicial council is to ensure that all activities of SUUSA conform to the school constitution, and a1e a ·general appeals committee for parking tickets, a grievance board for elections and a resource for any other situation that students need .to discuss. One of the many things that SU USA is trying to continue is called the United ;J. Council. The idea is to provide greater 2 unify with the different student Qorganizations on campus including the ~ fraternities and sororities, the LOS ~ Institute, the presidential ambassadors ~ and the non-traditional students. ~ "SUUSA is realy easy to get involved :ii in. You don't have to be invited, just get involved. It's education you can't get in the classroom,· said Wasden . 1---~-----------. ----·-----~--------__._______________. . ._.________·----·~--- --··· -·------' |