Advocacy week aims to get students involved

IU Residence Halls Association is out to prove that college students can make a difference through Advocacy Week.

Monday kicked off the first Advocacy Week ’09, and RHA wants this to eventually become an IU tradition.

The purpose of the week is to call people to action in various forms, said junior Michael Coleman, vice president of internal affairs for RHA.

A variety of events are taking place throughout the week, ranging from a discussion of health care reform to events about issues in Africa.

Although the programs are different, there are five overarching values: advocacy, activism, philanthropy, volunteerism and citizenship, said sophomore Ben Boruff, director of philanthropy for RHA.

For all of the programs, students can take action one way or another, Coleman said.

Students have the opportunity to find something to be interested in and passionate about, Boruff said.

RHA wants students to become active citizens in the community by the end of
the week.

“To be an active citizen you have to, A.) be informed and B.) do something with that information,” Boruff said.

The week of events gives an opportunity for organizations to spread their message throughout campus and to get students involved. However, the main goal is for students to gain a better understanding of the world around them, Boruff said.

“There is a wealth of knowledge of the world at our fingertips,” Boruff said. “There is no excuse to not be informed about global issues.”