IUSA: breaking down your student government

What is IUSA?

IU Student Association is your student government. According to the organization’s 2002 constitution, “The Indiana University Student Association will work to protect student rights, enrich student life and improve Indiana
University.”

IUSA consists of three branches.
 
The legislative branch consists of a 62 seat congress of students representing academic and residential areas.

The judicial branch consists of eleven justices, appointed by the president and approved by congress.

The executive branch is comprised of four positions: president, vice president for administration, vice president for congress
and treasurer.

The IUSA office is located in the Indiana Memorial Union student activities tower, room 387.

Elections take place in March. Executives and congressional representatives run as part of a ticket, similar to a political party, on a platform of issues.

Current executives were members of iUnity.

Their platform consisted of plans to implement a GPS bus-tracking system, bring a bike rental program to campus, lobby for a fall break, put into place the Green Initiative Fund and increase pedestrian safety.

All of these initiatives have seen progress but remain in the works, except for the bus-tracking  system which has already seen success in the implementation of the DoubleMap Bus Tracker.

Who’s Who in IUSA?

President: Senior Michael Coleman

Coleman is a previous Residence Halls Association vice president of internal affairs and member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Coleman is chief executive officer of IUSA and represents the student body to
outside groups.

He has the power to reach binding agreements with other organizations, provided the
agreement is approved by a two-thirds vote from Congress.
 
Vice President for Administration: Senior Peter SerVaas

SerVaas is a student in the Kelley Scholars Program and has been involved in the Investment Banking Workshop. He is a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.

SerVaas was IUSA president of the Btown administration during the 2009-2010 term.
SerVaas’s duties as vice president include assisting the president and coordinating administrative activities within the executive branch.

Vice President for Congress: Senior Jen Peterson

Peterson is also a student in the Kelley School of Business and a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.

She previously served as a representative in the IUSA congress. Peterson’s duties include running congressional meetings and casting the deciding vote during a tie. She
also delivers congressional decisions to the president.

Treasurer: Junior Sierra Hsieh

Also a student in the Kelley School of Business, Hsieh was previously involved in IUSA as a freshman consul and director of textbook policy for the Btown administration.

Hsieh’s duties as treasurer include keeping accounts up to date, paying bills incurred by IUSA and managing revenue.