Undergraduate Student Government Downtown President Frank Smith III said the organization plans on helping students connect more with the downtown community this school year. Smith, a public service and public policy sophomore hopes to increase student participation in events like First Fridays around the Downtown area. (Photo by Hector Salas Almeida)ASU's four undergraduate student governments are working to better the student community with many programs and events this semester to better connect the ASU community.
A council of student government presidents will focus on the needs and desires of all students through a joint collaboration that will benefit the University as a whole, Tempe USG President Jordan Davis said.
A main goal of each USG this year is to ensure that all campuses have comparable resources. The presidents plan to add better facilities, including study space, to the Downtown campus. The West campus, which has many commuters, needs child care facilities, Davis said.
On the education front, USG is helping create a cheaper way for students to apply to graduate schools, he said.
"We want to get the school to pay the fees for students applying to graduate school," Davis said.
Academic advising is another major program USG is looking into this semester. A more interdisciplinary model is being examined to better the individual advising for students to help them prepare for their college careers, Davis said.
"Students shouldn't have to have five or six advisers throughout their time at ASU," Davis said. "We want to make it a more personal advising experience with all disciplines working together."
Tempe Tempe campus USG priorities for the semester include programs to promote safety and school pride.
USG is working to make the Walk-Only Zones more successful and better inform students of the procedures and areas of operation.
The student governments are also working on developing more places to park bicycles and skateboards and a new bike valet location. Bike registration is also a major priority, as bike thefts have already begun to rise on and around campus, Davis said.
Tempe USG was working to provide funds for organizations to increase school involvement through game day grants, Davis said.
"Game day grants, we hope, will increase spirit and pride on the Tempe campus," he said.
Organizations can request up to $300 for tailgating at football games to help more clubs and organizations get involved in the tailgating tradition, he said.
Other events and programs for USG Tempe include bringing high-quality speakers to campus, Davis said.
"We want to bring in people who have a story or message that is inspirational or educational," Davis said. "We have Bill Nye coming in November but haven't set up a specific day."
Polytechnic
Polytechnic campus individual goals for the semester include improving college relations, formulating a food advisory board and adding bike fix-it stations.
USG is promoting college relations across the different disciplines provided on campus, USG Polytechnic President Franz Ferguson said.
"We will be having monthly meetings with deans to work on providing more information for students and working more closely together," Ferguson said.
USGP also plans to create a food advisory board to improve the quality and variety of food served on campus.
"We want to provide better options with a wider variety for the students on campus," Ferguson said.
Bike safety is a key concern for the Polytechnic campus. Bike fix-it stations are being created to help students who have emergencies on the way to class and create safer situations for students, Ferguson said.
"The bike fix-it stations provide a safer situation for the students who may get a flat going to class or other problem that comes up, and this way they don't have to go to the co-op," Ferguson said.
West USG West President Howard Waldie IV has outlined plans for the semester that are part of a larger 20-year plan with the University and West campus specifically.
USGW is partnering with local officials and business owners on a program called "Town Down" that will build support for students.
USGW is also trying to raise the campus's retention rate, Waldie said.
"We're planning on bringing in alumni to help out and interact with students, and we are also conferring with faculty and staff," Waldie said.
Keeping the decisions and programs motives clear to students is important to Waldie and his staff, he said.
"Our main goal is transparency and advocacy with the student body as a whole," Waldie said. "We are at a different location, but we are part of the bigger and better ASU."
USG Downtown staff did not respond to multiple calls and emails for comments.
Reach the reporter at jshanco2@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @joey_hancock
