More than a name
ASUN contributions should be recognized
With the annual ASUN elections quickly
approaching, it is once again time for students
v tD prepare for the campaign season.
Unfortunately, along with this campaigning
comes the rolling of eyes and the unpleasant
sighs of students who wish the entire process
would just go away.
They argue that the student government
doesn’t actually do anything. ASUN has meet
ings where elitists speak for the sake of hearing
their own voices and then congratulate them
selves on a job well done. For this reason, so the
argument goes, the student body does not need
to waste its time in trying to elect the best candi
dates for such a group.
However, people who feel this way are most
likely uninformed as to the many things that
ASUN actually does accomplish. These stu
dents have simply chosen to remain ignorant
rather than take the time to become informed.
These are the students who are probably disillu
sioned with the university and with life in gen
eral.
They are not willing to take action to try to
change things, and they often resent those who
are motivated enough to make an impact on
campus. The impact that ASUN has can be seen
throughout the university. Its actions, programs
; and decisions affect countless aspects
of our daily lives. _
With all of these
options available,
there is no excuse
for being
uninformed and
apathetic about the
actions of student
government.
f
ed on campus has the opportunity to serve on an
advisory council, attend open senate meetings,
talk with ASUN members and help out with a
party during election time.
With all of these options available, there is
no excuse for being uninformed and apathetic
about the actions of student government. The
information and resources are available, but
each student has to take the initiative to find and
use them.
Apathy is a choice people make in despera
tion, when they feel they have no control over
what is happening. But students do have con
trol; they have control over who they allow to
represent them.
Becoming involved and voting in ASUN
elections is the single largest way in which stu
dents can begin taking control of their educa
tion. ASUN cannot change everything, but it
can make what it can change count.
It has recently adopted the
NU on Wheels program to
ensure that students will have
a safe way to get home if j
students have been
drinking or feel
unsafe in some I
way. ASUN /
made sure /
that students /
hadrepre- /|
sentation on
the commit
tee that
planned the
renovations in
Love Library.
It offers legal
services to stu
dents and was
responsible for
many of the events
on Martin Luther King
Jr. Day.
This is a small fraction
of the things that student
government does for stu
dents. ASUN is die best way
in which the student body as
a whole can enact change
ASUN is the voice of the stu- .
dents. The president of
ASUN has a spot on the
Board of Regents, the main
governing body of the univer
sity system. No one can say
mat mat is not an
example of student
government having
real power..
ASUN is not elitist at all.
Every student is represented
by a senator; or senators,
democratically elected from
his or her college. In fact, that
is the beauty of the system
and the election process. Any
student can run for a senate
seat or form his or her own
i party.
Another way in which
ASUN attempts to get all stu
dents involved is with the pres
ence of advisory councils.
There are numerous advisory
councils that deal with student
concerns, such as parking
appeals, women’s issues and the
state of racial affairs on campus.
A student who feels that he
or she is not valued or represent
In the wrong direction
NUtodo Web site provides worthless tips
As I stumbled out of a downtown drinking
establishment the other night, I knew driving
home wouldn’t be an option. In my drunken
haze, I remembered I could call 475-RIDE for
a safe ride home.
As I struggled to punch the numbers into
my cell phone, I felt proud that the University
of special midnight showings of movies.
The things to do at home area gives you
television listings (I’m not kidding) and links
to local papers, including the beloved Daily
Nebraskan. And I don’t know what the differ
ence between things to do with friends or with
a group is. Both essentially give listings of
area restaurants, bars and theaters. While this
information would be good for tourists, uni
versity students need more to keep their inter
est.
The site is run by a coalition called NU
Directions. Their motto is “reducing high-risk
drinking... altogether.” It’s funny that they put
bars on the NUtodo site, seeing as how the
university is cracking down on drinking. But
even worse is that they put Amigo’s in the
restaurant listings. I don’t know anvone who
ofNebraska-Lincoln
offered this service to
students. I thought the
University might be
ready to take a hard look
at student drinking, and
this was a productive
first step.
I was eager to see
what else was in store,
and I was hopeful the
university big wigs were
It s funny that they put
bars on the NUtodo
site, seeing as how the
university is cracking
down on drinking.
enjoys the taste of
Amigo’s without high
risk drinking before eat
ing it. That’s why the
place is open late on
weekends and it’s
always packed - with
high-risk drinkers
.NU Directions
needs a compass. They
claim to promote events
and fun activities
on the right track. Then
I went to NUtodo.com, and I dropped all hope
quicker than Dan Alexander drops a football.
For those of you who haven’t visited tjie site,
let me enlighten you.
There are four different categories of
things to do: things to do at home, with
friends, with a group and things to do at NU.
Wouldn’t you think that the NU things would
have a listing of things happening at the
University? Nope. Instead,
it gives you a listing
throughout campus as
alternatives to drinking, yet I’ve never heard of
these events. They only mention one on their
Web site. It’s called “Back to School Bash,”
and it “lets students party the night away at the
movies and at a pancake cookout.” That
sounds lame whether you drink or not.
NU Directions obviously has resources to
work with, but what they’re lacking is one
event that a large group of students would be
interested in.
A couple years back there was an outdoor
Shawn Ballarin/DN
concert called Comstock on campus.
Maybe NU Directions can resurrect that
and hold it in the spring. I would like to see
a battle of the bands
featuring acts
from all
over _
the
w
Midwest.
Hr The winner
would get a
prize and would be
booked to play Big Red
Welcome or Tailgate on the Turf.
Speaking of Tailgate on the Turf, there
were 10,000 people there, so if it’s a worth
while event that’s promoted correctly, peo
ple will show.
Another university event that could be
brought back is Rosmet Klub. This was
basically an all-university talent show. If
you got the residence halls and Greek
houses behind this event, it could
' be huge. A signature event
1. would help NU Directions’ goal
to make a safe and positive environ
ment for NU students.
It would not reduce binge drinking,
but it would give students a platform to
get their message out to other students.
It’ll be hardto find events the rest of the
year that will interest so-called “high-risk”
drinkers. There just isn’t that much to do
in Lincoln.
Hie sad truth is evident in the lack of
anything to do on the NUtodo Web site.
Even if it did list university events, do you
think I’d skip the bars ora party to see the
Nebraska basketball team? Ha! That’s a
good one.
So scrap the cheesy little shindigs and
focus your efforts on something big. This
will draw attention to the cause, and may
get people talking about binge drinking.
Until then, we’ll see you at the bars.
w
Tony Cacioppo is a senior secondary English and Spanish education
major and a Daily Nebraskan columnist
