IU Student Association gearing up to bring goals to reality

To serve as the student voice is what the IU Student Association is there for, said Peter SerVaas, IUSA president.

Elected in spring 2009, SerVaas, along with the other members of IUSA, has worked to achieve three things: meeting with the administration, re-working the IUSA organizational structure and relocating funds to its platform issues.

“When we made our goals, we really thought about what would benefit the students,” said Jack McCarthy, IUSA vice president.

Meeting with administrators

IUSA met with more than 30 administrators to discuss problems and concerns and how to help the students, said Elizabeth Billman, a co-director of public relations for IUSA.

IUSA had not made a point to meet with that many administrators before, SerVaas said.

“They not only met with top administrators, but met with people from every level in many different departments,” Billman said.

Working From Within

IUSA has appointed chiefs to oversee the different projects, McCarthy said. IUSA has a chief for each of five platforms, and everything is clearer about what people should be working on, McCarthy said.

In the past, IUSA’s departments only dealt with short-term problems or programs, SerVaas said. This year, he said, they have a task force whose job is to address each point of IUSA’s goals and platform.

“It’s amazing how much work everyone is getting done now,” Billman said. “Everyone has gotten their act together.”

Diverting Funds

When looking at the funds IUSA receives from the IUSA Congress, SerVaas said the group found it could cut 50 percent of those funds and put them toward furthering its platforms.

For example, Billman said, the group cut a secretary position.

“We can now use these expenses to jump-start our programs,” McCarthy said.
The majority of the funds will go to push IUSA’s current platform, “the five B’s”, he said.

SerVaas said the B’s are Books, Break, Basketball cams, Buses and Bikes.

The first point of the five B’s, McCarthy said, is trying to get cheaper textbooks. They have looked at a few different options, one of them being Web-based books.

The next thing SerVaas and other members of the executive branch want to achieve is some form of a fall break.

“We thought there needed to be an adjustment to the fall,” SerVaas said. “Whether it is making Thanksgiving break longer or having an actual fall break.”

McCarthy said a smaller point is trying to get a camera system in student workout facilities like the Student Recreational Sports Center, the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and their parking lots.

Students would be able to access the camera feeds and see if the SRSC and HPER are busy or not, said McCarthy.

Transportation issues on campus are another point IUSA is trying to focus on.

One of the ideas is having a GPS-style system on buses, McCarthy said. Students waiting at the bus stop would then be able to see how far away the bus is.

IUSA wants to start a “zip car” program, where students can rent cars for a few hours, McCarthy said.

The last point of the five B’s, McCarthy said, is putting in place a bike rental system. Students would be able to check out a bike at one spot on campus, ride the bike to another spot and check the bike back in at a new location, he said.