What is IUSA?

On a college campus packed with 36,000 students, hundreds of buildings and so many student policies that trying to learn just half of them would confuse a Wells scholar, knowing who is working in your interests is difficult. With the Indiana University Student Association (IUSA) election season in full swing, many students wonder why they should devote the time to choosing a ticket wisely, if at all.\nAs the IUSA election coordinator, Leah Silverthorn, a junior, knows that issues debated before the elections shape the student relationship with the university in the coming year. \n"It is important that students realize that everything the new IUSA administration does will affect them," she said. "Because we are spending students' money, it is vital to elect a ticket that will do something constructive."\nUnfortunately, many students are either unconcerned about the election result or do not know what purpose IUSA serves.\n"It's our job to tell the administration what students want," IUSA Vice President Judd Arnold said. "We make sure there is student input in every policy decision."\nActing as the voice of the student body, IUSA keeps a dialogue with campus administrators and local institutions, such as the Bloomington and IU Police Departments. According to Arnold, the student voice never goes unheard.\n"We don't make all the decisions, but we have a say in all of them," he said. "If we call up the administration or BPD and say, 'Hi, we represent the IU student body,'they're going to listen to what we have to say."\nIUSA also has a large budget, which is taken directly from student fees. With this money, their job is to oversee the existence of over 500 student groups on campus, ranging from government lobbying organizations to swing dancing clubs. Their other major job is to lobby the administration for changes on campus. Because every IU student pays dues to IUSA, every student is a member of the organization. IUSA initiatives are done explicitly for student benefit. \n"It's not high school student government," Crimson ticket candidate and IUSA Greek senator Alan Grant said. "We advocate for the student body and have the power to get things done."\nRecent IUSA campus initiatives include the free distribution of the "New York Times" and extending by two hours the closing time of the main library.\nIn its current form, IUSA was established over 50 years ago. Shortly after World War II, former IU President Herman B Wells tried to establish a student government, but the student reception was less than encouraging. Wells reasoned that the low student turnout was a result of the administration's encouragement of the organization. So after waiting several years, he came out against student government. As he expected, students began to demand that student government be re-established.\nEvery year, IUSA holds an executive debate to discuss platform issues. According to Silverthorn, the best way to decide what ticket best represents students is to attend this year's debate, Feb. 24 at 8:30 pm at the Whittenberg Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union.\n"We will be putting the candidates on the spot," she said. "You can read their websites all you want, but so much more comes out at the debate. You'll find out who is really serious about running student government."\nTo date, three tickets have officially applied for the IUSA election: Action, Crimson, and Unity. According to Silverthorn, more could be on the way.\nFor more information on IUSA, visit http://www.iub.edu/~iusa/.