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ASUU is starting a new outreach program called #DearUofU, which it hopes will help student leaders connect to the 30,000 students on campus.
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While administrators work to address bigger issues at the U, ASUU’s student leaders want to improve day-to-day campus life. With rising tuition and school fees, students have different concerns and are seeking different opportunities while at the U. Justin Spangler, student body president of ASUU, said the #DearUofU campaign hopes to connect students to what they need.
“Thirty thousand pairs of eyes can see much more than just mine or other campus leaders’,” Spangler said. “Which is why we started this campaign: to hear the voice of concerned students.”
Students can participate through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Students may share their feedback or ideas by logging onto one of these social media sites and using the hashtag DearUofU. ASUU leaders will review the submitted posts and pass them along to school administrators for further review, discussion and possible action.
Jack Bender, ASUU’s marketing director, has oversight of all of ASUU’s social media accounts. Bender said he hopes the campaign can make a difference.
“What I hope to get out of this is change,” Bender said. “I hope the administration can recognize that students are seeking change in small and big ways and that they take our feedback and put it to good use.”
Bender hopes #DearUofU makes administrators aware of the new ideas students and faculty have to make the U a safer place. Bender also said he hopes the campaign encourages students to advocate for change.
“I hope every student takes advantage of this campaign to create a better environment at the University of Utah,” Bender said. “Without retweets, likes and posts, the administration will not notice any change is needed.”
Spangler said he hopes #DearUofU will help change campus life and student groups for the better.
“The most efficient and effective way of achieving this is to have as many different
perspectives as possible,” Spangler said. “Hopefully some really good ideas [come out of this] that the current ASUU administration has not thought of.”
The program started last Monday and will continue until Mar. 4, when ASUU student leaders meet and discuss the results with President David Pershing and his administration. Currently, more than 50 students have submitted ideas concerning extra tutoring centers, a campus-wide lost and found and a tobacco-free campus.
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