IUSA determined to get students politically involved

The Indiana University Student Association convened Thursday to discuss new and pending concerns affecting the student government and the many students it represents. \nCongressional matters addressed included going over the annual budget, voting on resolutions and most importantly, hearing the various directors talk to congress on their initiatives for the upcoming year.\nIUSA vice president, senior Scott Norman, felt Thursday's meeting started the new year on the right foot.\n"We are going to make sure students get what they voted for in the spring," Norman said. "We are starting to get the wheels turning."\nOne of the resolutions discussed and passed by congress was funding for a new student organization, YOUTHSTART America, whose mission is to get young people involved in the political world.\nSenior Stephanie Heger, co-director of legislative relations for IUSA, said any type of organization that educates young voters is essential to the political process.\n"I think any type of organization, especially college student generated groups, definitely helps speed up the voter registration process," Heger said. "Many students have recently become voter age and aren't aware of the rules to register."\nDuring the week of Sept. 20, student groups will be hosting 'Blitz Week,' consisting of voter registration tables to get students registered for the upcoming election. \n"We are getting a lot of help, especially from the administration, to get students to register," she said.\n'Rock the Vote,' a nationwide initiative to get students to the polls, will be coming to Indianapolis Sept. 14 and will be held at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis' library lawn. Any student who attends the event will have the opportunity to register to vote. \nAccording to a statement released by IUPUI, there will be free parking at the event, a possible surprise by either presidential candidate and many musical artists, including Ben Jelen and Dan Dyer. \nHeger said a lot of young people's issues are being ignored by politicians because of a lack of voice, which can be attributed to low voter registration and turnout.\n"We need young people to vote to make our issues important to politicians," she said.\nChristopher J. Borkowski, IUPUI student body president, said he encourages IUB students to come to Indianapolis for the event.\n"It is by far a privilege to have the right to vote, people die in other countries to have this right," he said. "It only makes sense to educate for this initiative. Only through collaborations and partnerships can this be successful. It will definitely be a fun time. It's completely non-partisan, and there are a lot of educational aspects."\n-- Contact staff writer Eric Tash at etash@indiana.edu.