Spring Break
USGA hopes to spark interest
Josh Kurtz
Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: News
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Elections are over the horizon, and historically, the Undergraduate Student Government Association has always had trouble getting people to the polls.
The USGA is holding student elections from May 10 - May 17. USGA hopes to increase voter turnout to 2,000 students during this spring's elections.
Campaigning begins on May 3, and the USGA hopes to use mediums including posters and Facebook to help spread the word about elections. Students who vote at centralized polling places will be given t-shirts, explained Stephanie Sullivan, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering. Sullivan serves as the College of Engineering representative to the USGA. She is also the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and election chair.
Sullivan hopes that USGA's publicity techniques will "help get students involved and actually aware that elections are going on."
The USGA is incorporating online elections to make voting easier for students, explained Sullivan. While there will be centralized polling places set up, students will be able to vote from their computers.
Centralized polling places were utilized last year, with moderate success, explained Sullivan.
In the past, approximately 1,200 to 1,400 full-time undergraduates have voted in elections, said Sullivan. She hopes that USGA's awareness techniques will increase the voting totals to around 2,000 students. The University's City Campus contains approximately 10,600 full-time undergraduate students, according to the Office of Enrollment.
Many students are not well informed about the USGA. When asked about their thoughts on the USGA and elections, some students were unfamiliar with the organization, while others were unsure about the student government's responsibilities.
USGA wants to especially focus on younger students, said Sullivan. The organization believes that if people are familiarized with the student government early on during their time at the University, they will be more likely to be interested or involved as they continue their education.
The USGA is holding student elections from May 10 - May 17. USGA hopes to increase voter turnout to 2,000 students during this spring's elections.
Campaigning begins on May 3, and the USGA hopes to use mediums including posters and Facebook to help spread the word about elections. Students who vote at centralized polling places will be given t-shirts, explained Stephanie Sullivan, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering. Sullivan serves as the College of Engineering representative to the USGA. She is also the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and election chair.
Sullivan hopes that USGA's publicity techniques will "help get students involved and actually aware that elections are going on."
The USGA is incorporating online elections to make voting easier for students, explained Sullivan. While there will be centralized polling places set up, students will be able to vote from their computers.
Centralized polling places were utilized last year, with moderate success, explained Sullivan.
In the past, approximately 1,200 to 1,400 full-time undergraduates have voted in elections, said Sullivan. She hopes that USGA's awareness techniques will increase the voting totals to around 2,000 students. The University's City Campus contains approximately 10,600 full-time undergraduate students, according to the Office of Enrollment.
Many students are not well informed about the USGA. When asked about their thoughts on the USGA and elections, some students were unfamiliar with the organization, while others were unsure about the student government's responsibilities.
USGA wants to especially focus on younger students, said Sullivan. The organization believes that if people are familiarized with the student government early on during their time at the University, they will be more likely to be interested or involved as they continue their education.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Barry Fox
posted 4/30/07 @ 9:53 AM EST
Do on-line students get to vote in these elections? If so, where do we go to learn about the candidates, issues, and positions?
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