As election fever spreads like wildfire all over the country, the Polytechnic campus is no exception.
Elections for offices of the Associated Students of Arizona State University Polytechnic (ASASUP), the primary student government organization of the Polytechnic campus, will be held March 31 and April 1.
The final candidate forum, where students may come meet the candidates, hear their platforms, and ask questions, will be held today from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on the south patio of the Student Union.
ASASUP serves as the representative voice of the student body to faculty, administration and the community. The executive body of ASASUP is made up of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, and the ASASUP Senate consists of three senators from each of the three Polytechnic schools: the Morrison School of Management and Agribusiness, the College of Technology and Innovationand the School of Applied Arts and Sciences.
Fall 2008 will be the fifth year ASASUP has been in place as the Polytechnic student government.
"I'm really proud of the way the current representatives have worked hard to help make Polytechnic the fastest-growing ASU campus," said Michael Mader, assistant dean of student affairs and ASASUP adviser.
Installing a coin machine in the laundry facility, making the shuttle between Tempe and Polytechnic a free ride, and improving the parking conditions are just a few of the successful initiatives that ASASUP has worked on in the last year.
ASASUP is also responsible for distributing University funding to all of Polytechnic's more than 35 student organizations, such as the Student Nurses Association, the Poly Cycling and Triathlon Club, and the Timbaleros Salsa Club.
Mader also said the current ASASUP members have created many highly functional working groups — including food, housing, campus safety and environmental committees — to address student concerns.
ASASUP officers said they strongly encourage students to express their views and concerns by coming to meetings, sending them e-mails, or speaking with them in person.
"The senators on Polytechnic really have an advantage due to the fact that Polytechnic is a smaller, more personal campus," said Daniel Voica, the current ASASUP treasurer. "They go out to talk and meet with the students face to face all the time," he said.
Susan Gromadzki, the School of Applied Arts and Sciences senator, also said she hopes students play an active role in their community and communicate with ASASUP.
"I usually sit out on the patio during lunchtime and try to talk to at least a few students to hear their ideas," Gromadzki said.
To vote in the ASASUP elections, stop by the Lunchtime Voting Feast on March 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or the Late Night Voting Feast on April 1 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. located in the Cooley Ballroom.
ASASUP will be providing refreshments and computers for voting.
To vote from home, visit www.asu.edu/interactive any time on March 31 or April 1.
Reach the reporter at: kbielski@asu.edu.
