Movement for IUSA launches 2012 campaign, announces candidacies

IU Student Association ticket Movement for IUSA marked the beginning of its campaign Wednesday.

Although there is currently no stated opposition, Movement for IUSA recruited campaign help after an overview of its ticket before a group of about 60 students in the Indiana Memorial Union Walnut Room.

Elections will begin at 10 a.m. April 3 and conclude at 10 p.m. April 4. Students can vote online and at various polling locations across campus.

The Candidates
Kyle Straub is the current IUSA treasurer and is running for the position of student body president for the 2012-13 academic year.
 
Junior Patrick Courtney serves as the current IUSA administration’s deputy chief of staff and is running for vice president of the administration. He is also involved with IU Dance Marathon and plays for the IU men’s club soccer team.

Junior Stephanie Kohls is the current vice president for congress and is seeking re-election for the upcoming academic year.

“There’s a lot of things we can improve on, so I’m excited to take on that challenge again,” she said.

Kohls is also the president-elect of College Mentors for Kids.

Sophomore Casey Baker is running for treasurer with the Movement for IUSA ticket. Although she has no prior experience with IUSA, she serves as the vice president of finance at her sorority.

Junior Augustin Ruta is running for chief of staff. This past year, he served as the IUSA chief of internal affairs and works with Kelley Student Government.

The Initiatives

“Movement for IUSA” outlined four main initiatives it will focus on during its campaign.

Campus-Wide Safe Ride Program
The proposed Safe Ride program would offer students transportation from late-night, potentially dangerous situations. Candidates acknowledged the current IU safety escort system but said it closes relatively early on the weekends and does not pick students up from all locations.

Movement for IUSA proposed a program to run all hours of the night, bringing students from on or off-campus to their homes. It said it has already decided to contract this program through a cab company.

Hoosier Info Kiosks
The current IUSA administration implemented digital signage in the Herman B Wells Library to display campus news, the weather and other information. Movement for IUSA proposed a series of these digital signs to be posted around campus.

A response to the 2007 shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the digital signs posted across campus could, in the event of an emergency, notify students quickly.

Rec Sports E-Reserve System
Movement for IUSA proposed an online sign-up system in which students can reserve treadmills and elliptical machines at the University’s recreational centers.

Light Up IU
The candidates hope to employ the help of VAT Energies, a company that designs sustainable lighting systems for large institutions, to better light the campus at night. The solar- and wind-powered lights would be placed around campus and tailored to fit the aesthetic of the University’s surroundings.