ASMSU considers blog to bolster student involvement in organization

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Students might have an easier opportunity to interact with the representatives and staff of ASMSU if plans to launch a blog on the organization’s Web site materialize, group officials said Wednesday.

ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.

The idea for a blog came about at ASMSU’s weekend leadership retreat two weekends ago in Manistee, Mich. It had been discussed by several representatives, including Michael Lipphardt, who represents the College of Social Science. A blog, Lipphardt said, would help the organization further several of its objectives for the year, such as increasing student involvement and interaction with ASMSU.

“We knew it was a goal this year to get more involved with the students and become a lot more involved,” Lipphardt said. “(The idea) was a collaborative effort.”

Although no official plans have materialized for creating a blog, Lipphardt said an initial premise is allowing ASMSU representatives to post information about bills the group is working on, as well as efforts being undertaken by the group on other issues, such as keeping tuition rates down. Students also would be able to contact their representatives via the blog.

“(It’s) keeping students inside the loop, letting them know what’s going on,” he said.

A blog also might help ASMSU become more aware of issues affecting the student body, Student Assembly Chairperson Kyle Dysarz said.

“It could bring in new ideas of student issues that are out there but we’re not hearing about,” Dysarz said.

He said such input could help the group draft more bills and initiatives to deal with those issues and also could support increased collaboration between the student and academic assemblies.

“Say the (Student Assembly) representatives get something from their constituents, but it’s an academic matter,” he said. “They’d have to talk to those representatives in (Academic Assembly).”

Some students, such as advertising sophomore Jessica Holli, said they would use the blog to find out more about the group and its operations. Holli said she knew what ASMSU is, but is unaware of what the group regularly does.

“I feel like they do so much, but I don’t hear about it until after things happen,” she said.

Journalism sophomore Bailey Walsh said the blog is a good idea, but only would use it if she had reason to.

“(I would use it) if I had a question about a certain aspect (about ASMSU),” she said. “If I found it helpful, I would use it again.”

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