Kirkwood ticket joins two other campaigns for IUSA elections

As IU Student Association elections approach, students are gearing up for the campaigning season.\nRunning mates junior Joe Weis and sophomore Robert Bercovitz lead the Kirkwood ticket, which will compete with the Big Red and INdiana tickets in the upcoming March 25 and 26 IUSA elections. Their main goals include uniting, strengthening and adapting students’ experiences at IU.\n“Our platform is based on interacting with students,” Weis said. “We plan on taking on many issues and concerns at IU.”\nThe Kirkwood ticket also intends to make it easier to know what is going on at the University. While talking to students around campus, Bercovitz said they found that many students are not clear on what IUSA is or does.\n“We want to find out what students want,” he said. “We want the average IU student to know how to play a role in the University. We also want to make it easy for students to say what they want and know the process of how to do so.” \nIn creating his ticket, presidential hopeful Weis said he looked for people he thought would help promote different ideas.\n“(This past year), I have seen some things I liked and things I have wanted to improve,” Weis said. “I looked for people that I knew were involved and people with good commitment.”\nWith so many students on campus, one of the Kirkwood ticket’s main concerns is that students will get lost in the crowd. Bercovitz said those on the Kirkwood ticket want to make sure each student and organization has its own voice.\n“We have really taken an interest in groups that are not directly involved with IUSA,” he said. “We want to give a voice to people that haven’t had a voice in the past.” \nWhile student apathy has loomed over elections past, the executive members on the Kirkwood ticket plan to get current and future students involved with the election process, Bercovitz said. He said regardless of who wins the election, he thinks the more tickets that run, the more publicity IUSA will get.\n“We want to re-establish that IUSA is the strongest student organization,” Weis said. “We want to know that it has been well-publicized and promoted to show that it does exist and that it is here to help all students and benefit them.” \nThe Kirkwood ticket has ideas for IUSA to get future students involved as well.\n“Our goal is to have students coming into IU knowing what IUSA is,” Weis said. “Options include creating an interactive Web site for students to get a jump start and get involved in prominent groups around campus.”