IUSA meets with statehouse officials

Hoping to increase its knowledge of the legislative process and strengthen its two statewide initiatives, members of the IU Student Association recently paid a visit to IU’s Office of Government Relations in Indianapolis.

The office, which sits just a block away from the Indiana Statehouse, monitors state and federal activity and is on the lookout for developments that could potentially affect any of IU’s campuses. It acts as a liaison for IU and the legislative and executive branches of the Indiana government, according to its website.

IUSA attended an informational seminar at the office on Nov. 4 and also received a tour of the statehouse. While there, IUSA members shared their plans for achieving statewide legislation.

The current Big Six administration campaigned on both a medical amnesty and tax-free textbook platform — both state level initiatives.

To accomplish these initiatives, IUSA, along with a coalition of Indiana schools’ student governments, is in the process of lobbying to state representatives and senators, trying to secure support of the two initiatives, said Kevin Courtney, IUSA vice president of administration.

“While we’re all somewhat politically inclined, they gave us some nice insight in the inner workings of the statehouse,” Courtney said. “That was a major benefit for us. This office hadn’t heard much of our plans yet, so it was a nice plan to brief them on what we’d like to see in the next couple months.”

The office also affirmed its role as a resource during the process, Courtney said.

“They said they had a lot of interest in connecting us with specific individuals who are either big economic players, or who have a lot of clout with proposals like the Hoosier P.A.C.T. proposal like we have on campus,” he said.

Between now and early January, IUSA and the coalition of other student governments plan to secure authors from Indiana’s legislative branch, ensuring there is student input and desires in the document. After that point, the fate of any possible legislation would be left to statehouse debate.

— Matthew Glowicki