ASUN officers make summer plans and look forward to fall semester

When students sell back their textbooks starting today, they may receive a bit more money then they would have if it hadn't been for the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska.

Textbook adoption, a program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that encourages professors to signal the University Bookstore early with lists of books they will require the following term, saw an increase in faculty awareness after ASUN passed a resolution on April 15 encouraging professors to submit their lists. ASUN passed the resolution after the submission deadline.

"At the very least we helped make it more known," said Megan Collins, a senior business administration major and ASUN president.

Their textbook adoption resolution was just one thing the new ASUN administration accomplished since taking office in March. It also passed bills that laid the groundwork for what it hopes to accomplish next fall.

ASUN created two new committees this semester. One will coordinate with eco-friendly clubs on campus in an effort to improve sustainability at UNL. Several clubs fit this bill on campus, and the ASUN committee will make sure all of them are working together.


The other committee is the Wellness Ad-Hoc Committee that will work to find how badly UNL students want to see improvements made to their recreational centers and health center.

During the last student government elections, UNL students voted in favor of constructing new facilities for the University Health Center and East Campus Recreation Center, and make improvements to the current City Campus Recreation Center. The next question on the ballot asked students if they would each pay $80 per semester in student fees to fund those construction projects, which students refused to pay by a narrow margin of just four votes.


This committee will probe students about how much they're willing to pay to make changes to the Rec centers so an initiative students don't like isn't on next year's ballot.


"I'm very proud of where we are at," Collins said. "We laid some pretty great foundations for next year."


Amanda Crook, a junior political science major and ASUN external vice president, will be the only ASUN executive living in Lincoln over the summer. Collins and Brian Coburn, a junior biochemistry major and internal vice president, will live in Omaha and spend a day or two in Lincoln each week.


"It will be more laid back, but the office will be open every day," Collins said. 

Crook, who will have an internship in the secretary of state's office, said she'll be in the ASUN office for at least a little bit each day.

"It helps if students see a warm body and face when visiting campus," she said.


Both Crook and Collins are a part of New Student Enrollment next year and both said it will be important for ASUN to have a stronger presence in NSE so new students know what ASUN is by the time the next semester starts.

On top of greeting incoming students, Crook said she will try to coordinate a blackout for at least one football game next year. ASUN has been trying to blackout the sea of red for a football game for the past few years. Crook thinks if ASUN work with the Athletic Department, and gets a press release out before the game, this year might be the year a Cornhusker opponent sees black.


To sum up the semester, Crook recalled election night when scores of supporters made their way to Lazzari's Pizza to help celebrate with the newly elected student government. She was surprised from the very start how much support ASUN received from the student body.


"Next fall we are going to hit the ground running," she said.

ryanboetel@dailynebraskan.com

bradypotthoff@dailynebraskan.com