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Show WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 -- 1 1, 2oi3 DIXIESUNNEWS.COM T c st a m rr w P oven i y 1 k EMILY HAVENS ErmilyHavensDSN Dixie State Universitys student leaders aimed to get more students involved in politics through Political Involvement Week. Warren Anderson, vice president of academics and a senior accounting major from Santa Clara, said Political Involvement Weeks events are designed to inform students and let them know why politics are important. Follow the Dixie Sun Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox spoke at Dixie State University Thursday as part of Political Involvement Week, and the Gardner Student Centers living room filled quickly with patrons of all ages while Ajiderson intro duced Cox. Cox said the millennial generation is less likely to participate in the political arena than any other generation that has come before it. Millennials are more willing to volunteer their time for a News on Snapchat with the snapcode below or with the username: dixiesunnews. good cause, Cox said. Im fascinated with millennials because youre different, he said. You want to make the world a better place, but you dont think politics is the way to make the world a better place. Partisanship is a large reason why individuals shy away from politics, and part of the way that can be fixed is simply by getting involved, Cox said. This is where I desperately need your help, Cox said. Voting is the least you can do. In addition to Coxs speech, a free breakfast kicked off Political Involvement Week Nov. 2, students were invited to register to vote at a booth Nov. 3 and a political comedian visited campus Nov. 4. Anderson said he was pleased with turn out throughout the week. I hope theres more awareness and desire to stay involved and leam about the candidates and whats going on in the world, Anderson said. Nathan Hess, a freshman biology major from Taylorsville, said Political Involvement Week can help combat issues in todays political arena. Voting is down in the nation, and its important to spread more awareness, Hess said. People are upset with politicians who get voted into office, but theres only a small percent of people in America who vote. Utah is among the bottom 5 percent in the nation for voter turn out, and only 1 8 percent of registered voters in St. George voted in this years election, Cox said. According to The United States Elections Project, an study about voter turnout, Utah had the voter turnout in the nation in 2014. Although he wasnt expecting many students to show up to his speech, Cox said he was pleased with the amount of students who came. Cox said he oversees elections in the state, and works as a team with the on-goi- third-lowe- st ' V r i i Lt Gov Spencer Cox speaks in the Gardner Student Center Nov 5c how students can be more involved in politics Cox spoke during xie State University's Political Involvement Week, which also includf a political comedian and a voter registration event Di tl governor on issues like cation and healthcare. edu- People gravitate toward news and information that affirms their beliefs, Cox said. To become more and knowledgeable, he said individuals should seek out news sources that dont affirm their world views. I want you to imagine for just a second you might be wrong, he said. Dont ever well-round- ed i be so sure of yourself. Cox said young people a who are involved are key in improving the country F and state, and he encour- ages people to reach out to I their political leaders even I t through social media. You really can make a difference, and your voice I matters, he said. Political leaders in the state of Uti will listen to you if you reach out to them. 1 c 1 ROTC downsizing, hopes to keep presence on campus CANDY ROLAND EmilyHavensDSN E NEWS CONTENT: news broadcast online at View our weekly ) SouthernUtahLive.com DIXIE SUN NEWS Emily Havens, Editor-in-Chi- ef Spencer Ricks, News Editor Nick Anderson, Opinion Editor Karli Kuhn, Sports Editor Markee Heckenliable, Features Editor Jalen Jones, Photo Editor Ryan Huskins, Multimedia Editor Emily Fisher, Social Media Editor Jordan Eames, Copy Editor Dallin Spackman, Ad Manager f I Justin Badger Jacob Brown J C Collier Porter Larsen Breanna Opdahl Andrew Pinckney Candy Roland Ashley Thompson Alex Wheeler Rhiannon Bent, Adviser HOW TO REACH US Dixie State University Jennings Bldg 225 South 700 East St George, UT 84770 Phone (435)552-781- 8 Fax (435) 655-401- 9 dixiesundixie edu www dixiesunnews com Ads dixiesunadsdixie edu or (435) 41 The Dixie Sun News is distributed each Wednesday during Fail and Spring semesters as a publication of Dixie State University the communication ' department and Dixie State University Student Activities DSU administrators do not approve or censor content The student editorial staff alone determines its news coverage The unsigned editorial on the opinion page represents the position of Dixie Sun News as determined by its editorial board Otherwise the views and opinions expressed m Dixie Sun News arelhose of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dixie Sun News or any entity of the university As the Reserve Officers Training Course program at Dixie State University continues to downsize, hopes are high within the program to unman the program rather than shut it down completely, ROTC officials said. The ROTC program will either become an unmanned program or cease to exist at DSU by the end of spring ' 15-2- I" 0 to 1 upper-divisio- in 2017. An unmanned program would mean the ROTC program would continue to exist at DSU without military administration. If unmanned, the program would work with Southern Utah University to offer students at DSU military classes and training. Maj. Justin Smith, assistant professor of ROTC and military science at DSU, said it is unfortunate tuning now that the program is starting to become well established. Its terrible tuning, yet it is an understandable tiring the (Utah) National Guard has to do, Smith said. Smith said the reason DSU's ROTC has been downsizing is because the whole army is downsizing, which has historically happened after major conflicts. Smith said one reason the DSU program is being downsized is because it is the newest company in the Cougar Battalion, which includes Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University and SUU. But the program didnt part of the ROTC program t still strong, and several have had lower division class- men express their desire to contract to the ROTC. DSU's ROTC currently has nine contracted cadets, and Smith said he predicts freshmen and sophomores enroll in the courses in the spring. Although no further contracts are being offered, all military courses will be avail able next spring semester an nut n then only tary classes will be offered fall of 2016 and spring 2017 so contracted cadets can finish required coursework. Smith said he wants to keq military presence on campu and the opportunity of the ROTC program available to students. I cannot say enough for how DSU has supported ROTC as a program, Siffltl said. White said the ROTC program has helped cadets like himself grow and provided opportunity to give back to DSU. He said he hopes the program will still be availat to students. There is a lot of good p pie at Dixie, and the ROTC could definitely benefit fro the people here, White said Despite the changes the program is going through, cadets are still working hard in thefr course training and doing requirements they to remain part of the ROTC. Smith said. We are not taking our off the gas pedal at all because of what might said. ROTC students stand State University is program at DSU iiwinr nlll formation before beginning their morning exercises The ROTC program at Dixie being downsized, but members of the program are hoping to maintain an "unmanned" in really get the chance to build, he said. The program right now has great potential to be one of the best programs around, Smith said. Smith said the reason for this is because the numbers of cadets being commissioned has exceeded those of over the last couple disen-rolhne- nt of year s. Lt. Col. Chanda Mofu, professor of military science at BYU, said Smith and Sergeant Fust Class Jeremy Laters, assistant professor in the ROTC and military science, work with the ROTC program has been phenomenal in the last two years. The growth has been an amazing turn around for the program, Mofu said. tho Unfortunately, the Utah National Guard cannot man DSU after 2017, which is why it is looking to utilize SUU to continue with an unmanned affiliate, Smith said. The cadres at SUU reflect the same quality of those at DSU, and there is already support between the two programs, Mofu said. Smith said he knows the ROTC program at SUU will support tlie unmanned program. However, he administrators are still discussing a few concerns with ROTC officials about the transition, he said. Jyl Hall, public relations and publications coordinator, said DSU administration is sad to see the ROTC program go due to military funding. said-DS- U She said the administration supports the idea of continuing to provide military training to students through SUU, but no official decision has been made, she said. We are still figuring out all tlie details and logistics of this opportunity before we can make a decision, Hall said. Smith said ROTC officials are looking to provide transportation for the cadets to SUU to ease some administrators' concerns. The cadets have hoped for an unmanned program since they could see the writing on tlie wall, said Braden White, a junior general education major and a contracted cadet from St. George. Smith said the desire to be happe-Smit- |