UNIFY for IUSA is focusing on recruiting student leaders and spreading its message.
UNIFY for IUSA president Andrew Ireland said the organization plans to address weaknesses and build strengths of its current administration.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a real disconnect these past few years between administrations and the student body,” he said. “Instead of serving students, growing engagement and focusing on the issues that matter, oftentimes leaders have chosen other priorities to the detriment of ?everyone.”
Ireland said UNIFY for IUSA also plans to strengthen its work with mental health services and Culture of Care.
“Our mission is to foster community, empower students and serve as a watchdog,” he said. “This campaign and aspiring ?administration is laser-focused on the issues that matter to students throughout our community.”
Ireland said that UNIFY for IUSA will fight to reduce tuition costs, increase education opportunity, enhance student safety and enrich IUSA.
To reduce tuition costs and increase education opportunity, Ireland said UNIFY for IUSA will push for the implementation of a tuition freeze, the use of open textbooks and the end of tuition costs associated with internship verification.
To enhance student safety, Ireland said they will fight for the return of the SafeRide program, an increase in walkway lighting and expansion of bystander intervention training.
And to enrich IUSA, Ireland said UNIFY for IUSA will push for publishing a weekly newsletter, releasing monthly webisodes and holding a state of the university address with the IUSA president.
“We’re a group of student leaders with big ideas and a belief in serving our fellow students,” he said.
“If you love the community you’re in and you’d like to make it a greater place to live and learn, we ask that you stand with us in revving up IUSA.”
Samantha Strong, UNIFY for IUSA co-chief of staff, said UNIFY for IUSA seeks students that see controlling their education as not only a right but also a privilege.
“By joining our team, students have the opportunity to rev up IUSA and create an active, transparent and integrated student government,” she said.
Students can expect a detailed policy platform and an itemized budget proposal for the 2015-2016 administration later this month.
“We’ll be working hard throughout these coming months speaking before student organizations, recruiting, doing outreach and honing our policy platform to meet the needs of students across our campus,” he said. “We’re looking forward to what the future holds.”
Strong said that whether UNIFY for IUSA wins or loses, the team wants to bring important conversations to the table and student voices to the forefront.
“IUSA has a great capacity for good,” Ireland said. “With its large pool of funding opportunities, long history of community building initiatives and ability to bring together our campus’ best and brightest, it can be a catalyst for a great deal of positive change at IU.”
