ASUN appointing committee members

While most students are polishing up term papers and cramming for finals, the leaders of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's student government are wading through applications trying to decide who can join the administration.

There are 52 positions up for grabs this week on 21 committees that make up the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska.

Lauren Garcia, a junior advertising major and appointments secretary for ASUN, has done at least 60 interviews since April 20 and has roughly 20 left to go.

Garcia, along with the two other students on the appointments board, have done interviews from 7:15 a.m. to late into the evening, all the while trying to decipher who would fit each position best.

Garcia, who will be in charge of appointing the majority of the positions, has made a spreadsheet at the end of each day and logged remarks about every applicant. She writes down anything about applicants, including the ideas brought to the interview or what they wore.

The appointments board is responsible for appointing 43 students to 17 different committees, the largest being the Parking Advisory Committee which has 12 members.

Megan Collins, a senior business administration major and ASUN president, was trying to relax in the ASUN office on Monday evening. She spent Monday doing interviews for the nine positions from four different committees that she appoints.

"It would be truly good to have people (for a position) who aren't what you would typically want for that position," Collins said.

There are a lot of familiar faces in the ASUN office, Collins said. And just because someone might be more qualified than another person doesn't mean they won't be considered, because ASUN is looking for new faces and perspectives to fill the committees.

Collins has the final decision on who to appoint, but she said she is "talking-out" the appointees with her vice presidents, Amanda Crook and Brian Coburn, as well as with Jared Tidemann, speaker of the senate.

"We come in with the base knowledge of people," said Crook, a junior political science major. 

Crook said she looks over the resumes and notes from the interview and offers insight into what each of the committees and its members is responsible for so Collins can make a better decision.

"We're trying to bring in people who are different," Garcia said. "To some, ASUN has the appearance of being an exclusive club."

Both Garcia and Collins said when it comes to choosing one person instead of another passion is the most important attribute.

What they don't want is someone trying to get one more activity to share with a future employer.

"It doesn't serve students to have people who want one more line on their resume," Collins said.

Garcia agreed, and said it isn't hard to spot a "resume builder."

"You can definitely tell when someone has passion. … Even in a 10 minute interview," she said.  "Maybe they don't seem as knowledgeable but do have the passion."

The appointments will be decided on and finalized by the time ASUN convenes for their final meeting of the semester on East Campus on Wednesday night. At the meeting, the senate will get a list of the appointments and vote.

ryanboetel@dailynebraskan.com