Ledger

Three students write down comments for the ASUWT during Husky Huddle.

What happens when a bunch of Huskies get together? Howls and growls? In an ongoing effort to address student interests, the ASUWT held a "Husky Huddle" on March 1.

The event will be held every other Monday in either the GWP building or in front of the library, depending on weather conditions. Officers want to make sure they are as visible as possible to students. The ASUWT has used the Mattress Factory for similar events in the past, but chose GWP for the Husky Huddle to increase foot traffic.

"We are a commuter campus. The Mattress Factory is out of the way for a lot of people. We see mostly freshmen in the Mattress Factory," Sen. Kanchana Senviratne said.

Vice President Ray Shepherd agreed. "We don't get a lot of traffic over [in the MAT], so we are going to the students," Shepherd said.

The purpose of the event, according to Senviratne, was to help "bridge the gap between ASUWT and the student population." Senators hope the Husky Huddle event will encourage students to become more involved with their student government.

ASUWT officers welcomed comments, complaints and suggestions from students. The committee offered free coffee and bottled water, hoping to entice more participants to visit the colorful table set up to host the event.

Students were allowed to write their comments on a large sheet of paper, which will hang from the table in the ASUWT office. Comments ranged from suggestions like "Let's have more discussions about current events" to spirited remarks like "School is great! Go Huskies!"

"It's an awesome idea," said Tom Murray, an IAS senior. "It builds community. That's what this school needs: a sense of self." While talking with students, ASUWT officers also encouraged students to attend the public forum which took place on March 2.

The public forum, which will gather once every quarter, allows students to voice issues and concerns. Although it is similar to the Husky Huddle, the forum structure also features updates from the senate on current and future events.

After the forum, ASUWT staff opened the floor to answering student's questions. The question asked this quarter was why the women's bathroom never seemed to have hygiene products in stock and why the machines are never repaired.

Shepherd's answer was pretty simple. "I don't know," he said. "I've never been in the girls' bathroom."

However, now that the issue has come up, it is being taken care of, according to Shepherd

Article Tools