Student Government Wants You to Help Represent Needs

Why, you ask, would my student government ever want a regular ole' student like me? What can I offer the noble, worthy and honorable institution that is our revered student government?

Well, for starters, we'll take a pulse.

You see, here at UNC, the administration is always trying to find out what the students are saying.

They're constantly asking Student Body President Justin Young to represent students by sitting on a billion different committees, boards and other task forces.

Even Justin, our sculpted president (a veritable Hercules) can't handle this job alone.

But hold, faithful sidekick! (That's you.) This is where you come in!

Justin is out there representing 24,000 students on just about every issue under the sun. He needs a few good people to help him out and serve as his proxy on several committees around the campus.

You too could represent 24,000 of your comrades on hot topics like academic advising, child care, career services, sexual harassment, women's issues, safety and security, Student Stores or energy sustainability.

Have we got you excited yet?

Traffic! Parking! Housing!

Feeling tingly?

If those issues don't float your boat, you can also serve on the boards of directors for groups like the Student Recreation Center, the Carolina Union, Student Television, Student Legal Services or Carolina Dining Services.

You can lend your sage counsel to Student Health Service or WUNC. You could even weigh in on grade inflation if you sit on the Faculty Council's Educational Policy Committee.

Not dangerous enough for you? Are you the more Xtreme Administration type?

How about thinking big? You can meet UNC's best professors on the University Teaching Awards Committee or swing with the big wigs on the chancellor's committees on financial aid and buildings and grounds.

Do you have a love-hate relationship with your adviser? How about Caroline? ("Are you still there?")

You can institute change on the brand new Student Academic Advising Board.

Yes, we have a cornucopia of positions available for you to pick from.

We would do it ourselves, you see, except that we're so busy here in the office. Rudy, the vice president, has changed the water in all the snowglobes in his office and refilled the limited collector's edition Yoda Pez dispenser. Lerissa, the former veep, has color coordinated her thumbtacks and alphabetized her M&M collection.

OK. Enough of this joking around. Let's be serious for a moment.

Justin isn't Hercules. Our jobs aren't a joke -- government life is busy and demanding. And all of us in student government truly appreciate the opportunity you've given us to serve.

But we weren't joking about needing your help.

Today, you have a chance to take on a new role that will let you see UNC from a new perspective. As a student representative, you're no longer a part of the audience. You're a key player on the stage.

If you seize this opportunity, we promise you will gain a new sort of school spirit -- a different kind of Tar Heel pride.

That's because you'll know that for better or for worse, you will have been influential and vital in shaping UNC's future.

Your journey starts today, at http://www.unc.edu/student/orgs/studgov, where you can find the application to be an external appointment for the student body president.

Those are due Thursday.

There is also a separate application for the Student Academic Advisory Board, which won't be due until April 24.

And finally, if the burden of an application is too much for you, then you create change by volunteering on student government's executive committees. These deal with academic affairs, human relations, town relations, student services, public service, minority affairs and technology.

If you're good with computers, we especially need help with the new Student Government Publishing Office, which will maintain the student government Web site. Swing by Suite C in the Student Union for more information on any of these positions.

Most students don't think government life is for them. But if you've ever wondered what student government really does, this is your chance to find out firsthand.

So remember, fellow students, ask not what student government can do for you. Ask what you can do for our University.

Apply for an external appointment today.

Rudy Kleysteuber is the new student body vice president and a biology major from McLean, Va. He loves Yoda and hates Pez and can be reached at rudyk@email.unc.edu. Lerissa Rentas is the outgoing student body vice

president and a senior from Charlotte double majoring in psychology and sociology. Her impression of Punky Brewster's Glomer is unparalleled, and she can be reached at lrentas@email.unc.edu.