The ASCC anticipates meeting its goal of 20 leadership applicants by May 8.
Every spring the student government selects students to fill 12 positions on the ASCC and the Activities Programming Board. Last year’s deadline was extended
Director of Student Life Sarah Gruhler said the ASCC has stepped up promotion efforts this year to attract more students.
“We’ve got posters up all over campus, some social media and a leadership scavenger hunt,” Gruhler said. “And ASCC President Sarah Moe made sure the ASCC social events this quarter and last quarter really focus on the positions and details of the jobs.”
The seven ASCC officers, including the president, clubs coordinator and finance director, are accountable for attending weekly meetings, addressing student issues concerns and managing the Services and Activities budget, which exceeded $1.5 million for 2016-17.
There are five positions open on the APB, which runs events on campus throughout the year. ASCC and APB leaders are paid $11.50 an hour.
“I get to claim up to 15 hours a week,” Moe said at the ASCC Winter Social in February. “Some weeks I work more than that though.”
According to Gruhler, students can apply for as many or as few positions as they want.
“At first I just wanted to be on the team and didn’t know the jobs,” Moe said. “So I applied to all 12 ASCC and APB jobs.” Moe said that she originally didn’t aim for president. “I didn’t even think about it until I was collecting signatures and someone in my class said ‘You should go for president!’”
But Moe said she’s glad she did.
“I was ecstatic,” Moe said, recalling the phone call announcing her appointment. “I was screaming around my house and calling my best friend and screaming in the phone, ‘Oh my god, I’m the president!’”
The same curiosity and drive to be involved also attracted a potential applicant this year, Erika Aronson. Aronson said she attended the ASCC Winter Social in February after her College 101 teacher recommended joining the ASCC to get involved on campus.
“I walked by the table and thought it sounded cool, so I picked up an application,” Aronson said. “The only thing I knew about the ASCC was that they run the free coffee.”
Aronson said she would have expected more people to be interested in the positions.
“I would think students would want to take a more active part in what student government does,” she said. “But I guess they might just be too busy.”
According to Gruhler, it’s common for many students to wait until the deadline before finishing their application.
“I turned my application in right at the deadline last year,” Moe said. “At that point there were 12 applicants, which is how many positions were open on the ASCC and APB so it really wasn’t a choice; that’s why the deadline got moved.”
According to Gruhler, the number after the extended deadline was 30, which is the average since the system was implemented in 2011.
After applying, candidates for the ASCC are interviewed by a selection committee consisting of the outgoing ASCC president and vice president, another member of ASCC, the director of Student Life, a faculty or staff adviser appointed by the Executive Council and four students, according to ASCC bylaws.
Gruhler said the ASCC will most likely introduce the new councilors during the week of June 5.
