All part of everyday, even mundane, opportunities available for a college student at UM, but issues that are near and dear to Dustin Leftridge, president of the Associated Students of the University of Montana.
Leftridge, along with ASUM vice president Tara Ness, laid the groundwork last fall for the progress they hope will come in the next few months.
Recently, ASUM has created its own Web site so students can have easier access to its agencies, Ness said. A calendar of events has also been added, and a student involvement guide for out-of-class activities will be released in another two weeks.
“ASUM provides opportunities to be politically and actively involved,” Leftridge said. “To be involved is an amazing thing and a fundamental part of the collegiate experience.”
ASUM, which comprises more than 100 student groups, is also holding forums for the various groups to get together and brainstorm ideas and solutions.
“It's like a sounding board for everyone,” Ness said. “There are so many people working together, and everyone's ideas manifest into even more ideas.”
Sustainability has been a primary focus for ASUM.
“There is a passion for environmentalism in our generation,” Leftridge said. “So we requested more student involvement; we wanted the students to lead the charge.”
Students now make up half of a new campus sustainability committee.
But Leftridge and Ness, who ran for office on the platforms of increased student involvement and improving the environment, say they have accomplished so much toward each goal that they're looking for new projects this semester.
“The other day I was joking with Tara,” Leftridge said. “I told her we had fulfilled all of our campaign promises last semester. Now what?”
The pair realized how little students know about their rights, so they decided to change that. After working with resident aides, campus police and a half-dozen lawyers, a series of cards detailing the rights of students were printed and handed out Tuesday.
The cards focus on potential situations involving landlords, police officers and resident aides.
So far, the cards have been a success, Leftridge and Ness said.
“We put some of the cards out on a table last year as a trial,” Ness said. “We had over 100 cards to begin with, and by the end of the day, there were none left.”
ASUM will also take on the issue of transportation, parking and congestion, which Leftridge said is the most common complaint among students.
“Hundreds of people are affected by ASUM every day,” Leftridge said. “Whether they're riding buses to school because they don't have cars, or using our child care services so they can get to class, or getting tickets for Elton John, we are part of that.”
Carly Flandro is an intern at the Missoulian and a journalism student at the University of Montana. She can be reached at carly.flandro@umontana.edu.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)