All University Committees need students

AUCs are an important aspect of the university

A new school year means new ASPSU campaigns and plenty of All University Committee spots that need to be filled.

“Students need to know that these committees are doing important work,” said Sean Green, a member of the Budget Committee. “Out of 71 spots, the majority aren’t being filled year after year.”

AUCs are an important aspect of the university

A new school year means new ASPSU campaigns and plenty of All University Committee spots that need to be filled.

“Students need to know that these committees are doing important work,” said Sean Green, a member of the Budget Committee. “Out of 71 spots, the majority aren’t being filled year after year.”

These committees serve an important role at PSU: They allow students to have their voices heard in almost every area of the university and see how it runs. Students that meet the 2.0 GPA requirement and are enrolled in at least one credit are eligible and are encouraged to apply for any of the AUCs, said ASPSU University Affairs Director Laken Harrel.

When a student applies for an appointment, their online application is sent to the ASPSU president who decides which applications should be sent to the dean of Student Life. The dean determines whether the student meets the GPA and credit requirements, and then sends eligible applications along to the secretary of the faculty senate to be appointed.

Harrel said that over half of the 71 spots have already been filled, with high hopes that the remainder will be filled by the beginning of October.

Two committees in particular that need students to apply are the Academically Controlled Auxiliary Activities Committee and the Academic Appeals Board. The latter has five academic appeals waiting to be heard.

Depending on the committee, AUCs range from being a forum for discussion and planning to decision-making.

The Traffic Appeals Board is one committee that has considerable decision-making power. This committee can actually override a traffic or parking ticket, Green said.

To apply for a committee, visit the ASPSU website, www.aspsu.pdx.edu, and click on the “AUCs” link.

In addition to promoting AUC appointments, ASPSU is starting their special-elections voting campaign. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 18. ASPSU’s goal is to register 1,000 voters by this deadline, according to a press release. In the first weeks of the term, ASPSU members will be around campus tabling and clip-boarding to get the word out. On Oct. 5 and 6 there will also be a “Residence Hall Raid” to help students living on campus register at their new addresses.

Along with the voting campaign, ASPSU is encouraging all students to fill out the Oregon Student Association state-wide survey, according to a press release. Survey collection began last Tuesday. ASPSU has the goal to get 3,000 students to fill out the survey by the deadline on Oct. 25.
 
Any student can take the survey from the various tabling and clip-boarding ASPSU members that will be around campus throughout this time.