A lot of the student body is angry and energized right now, as they should be. We woke up one morning to a hateful and unwelcome op-ed by a figure of authority within the Catholic Church. In words that have become all too familiar, we read reasons why the Church should reject those in the LGBTQ+ community. It is this exact kind of hate and unfamiliarity with the love of Jesus Christ that is leading the Church down the path of irrelevance.
The outpouring of support for the LGBTQ+ community among the student body, as well as clerical figures and faculty on campus, fills me with hope that UP will always stand up to hate.
Some of the anger the student body felt was then directed at The Beacon, which chose to publish the op-ed. I totally understand that anger, which was also directed at ASUP for not taking a hard line against The Beacon. If you disagree with us, good! Excellent! Voice your opinion and run for student government.
The applications to run are due on March 6 and this is the link to applications on Engage. Campaigning will occur from March 7 to voting on March 22 and 23 (which will be on Engage). We will host a Speech Night that all are welcome to on March 16. Follow us @asup_news on Instagram to keep up to date.
You may ask, why? What is the point of student government, and do they even do anything? Yes, we do! Each semester, we collect a $130 student activity fee from each of you — it’s essentially a tax. This fee is then spent in a budget each semester on things like dances, clubs and services (like EspressoUP). ASUP stands for the Associated Students of the University of Portland and we are divided between an Executive Board (with positions like President, Director of Finance, etc.) and a Senate, full of representatives by year and school (Junior Senators, Nursing Senators, etc.).
What have we done this year? ASUP has created and funded Pilots Matter Period, which provides free tampons in bathrooms throughout UP, hosted the Into the Jungle Fall Dance through the work of the Campus Program Board (CPB), fought for and won student representation on UP’s COVID-19 Steering Committee and delivered a historic budget of $225,000 for clubs here on campus. This has all been possible because of the countless hours our Senators, Executive Board members, students in services, and volunteers have put in throughout the year.
It's possible to achieve a lot in ASUP. Is it enough? No, of course not. There is always going to be more progress that needs to be made. But that’s where you come in. If you have been recently frustrated and believe that our student government needs to do more, then run. Every senator position is open to run for. So are the positions on the Executive Board, which range in specialization. If you have any questions whatsoever, please contact me at hefferna22@up.edu. As Elections Committee Chair, it’s my job to assist you in running for student office.
Want to get involved but not run for a position? You still can. We have many committees that every student can serve on. Student government is what you make it, and if you don’t show up, nothing will change. That is exactly what certain op-ed writers want, an angry but unorganized student body. To make things better on campus, reach out and consider running for student government.
Connor Heffernan is a senior and ASUP Speaker of the Senate. He can be reached at hefferna22@up.edu.
Have something to say about this? We’re dedicated to publishing a wide variety of viewpoints, and we’d like to hear from you. Voice your opinion in The Beacon.
