Editor’s note: This article is part of the Arizona Summer Wildcat’s 2014 Campus Guide. The Campus Guide is a special issue that runs every year to help introduce incoming students to the UA and campus life.
Students looking to get involved on campus can find many opportunities with the Associated Students of the University of Arizona. The chief governing entity of the student body, ASUA offers a wide variety of programs and services students can participate in.
ASUA programs range from planning carnivals, raising funds for scholarships and representing student concerns to the state legislature. Frequently utilized on-campus services from ASUA include ZonaZoo, SafeRide, the Spring Fling carnival and the Wildcat Events Board. ASUA is also responsible for the well-being of the approximately 500 on-campus clubs and organizations.
This year’s ASUA president, Issac Ortega, said his plans for this year include continuing to provide and expand existing programs, such as the Pride Alliance and the Women’s Resource Center. He also hopes to get more students educated in voter issues and registered to vote.
ASUA often lobbies lawmakers for pro-student policies and works closely with the Arizona state legislature. Ortega said ASUA acts as the main advocate for students, and this year they plan to speak to the legislature about funding.
ASUA consists of one legislative body, the Senate, a student body president, an administrative vice president and an executive vice president.
Students hoping to get involved in ASUA can apply for internships within ASUA, apply to be a senate aide or run for a senate seat or officer position during the spring, said Daniel Douglas, administrative vice president.
Ortega said he encourages anyone who wants to be an elected official to run in the spring elections.
“We want to get new and different faces in the senate,” he said. “We’re working on bringing different people in from all across campus with this new legislative body we’re calling ASUA assembly, which will hopefully be launched in the next couple months.”
Ortega said students interested in participating in ASUA should follow ASUA on social media and check the ASUA website for applications.
“We need as much help as possible this year and we would love for people to come and get involved,” Ortega said.
Students can also sign up for the involvement newsletter, which is overseen by Douglas, and details all the ways students can be active in ASUA.
Both Douglas and Ortega said they recommend that incoming freshmen get involved on campus, whether it is in ASUA or one of the many other clubs.
Students hoping to see how the Senate operates or who want to express their opinions to ASUA can sit in on senate meetings, which allow anyone to attend and present to the senate, according to the ASUA website.
Students with issues or opinions relating to matters falling under ASUA responsibility can also email or come by the ASUA office, said Ortega. He or another officer will always be available to talk about ways to get involved or ASUA-related issues, he said.
