High Hopes for ASG This Year

By August 22, 2012

The Associated Student Government President and Chair of the Senate have expressed a positive outlook for executive and legislative plans for the 2012-2013 academic year and have encouraged students to become more involved in ASG.

This year, the ASG Senate plans to focus on more external policymaking over internal policies, said ASG’s Chair of the Senate, Mike Norton.

“I felt like we have focused more on internal policy in the past through structural and procedural reforms, which has still served a vital purpose, but it’s time to transition the organization to more external policy,” Norton said.

“A few objectives I personally want to see us accomplish this year are to make ISIS available 24 hours a day, provide students with one free e-transcript per semester, expand Safe Ride by better utilizing the university’s car resources and reform the ASG constitution to make a graduate and law student senate,” Norton said.

“Senate is the representative voice of all students, and I have full intentions of pushing it to its fullest potential with the help of the senators that will be elected in a few weeks,” Norton said.

With senate elections rapidly approaching, Norton urged students to become involved in the process.

“There is no doubt that I hold a bias, but I wholeheartedly believe that the ASG Senate is the best way to plant your feet strongly in the university community. You’ll have the opportunity to work with administration, draft legislation, and learn the concepts and politics that underpin every democracy around the world.” Norton said.

Norton also encourages students to look into other ASG opportunities as well. There are positions available on cabinet, university committees and with the freshmen leadership program Fresh HOGS.

“Our campus is progressing, growing, moving and shaking at an ever-increasing rate,” Norton said. “To ensure that all of these changes always represent student interests, we should all stay active in the university community and make the most of our time on the Hill.”

The ASG’s newly elected executive cabinet has a good working dynamic, said ASG President Tori Pohlner.

“Our executive team is really great,” Pohlner said. “We each bring something unique to the table and have different areas of expertise that I think will really benefit us and the campus in the year to come. We also have a mutual respect for each other that keeps us positive and moving forward.”

Among a growing number of plans for the year, the executive cabinet is working on checking off platform issues from last semester’s election, Pohlner said.

“I think plans are looking really good. We checked a few platform items off over the summer, but I want cabinet members to be involved in most of them, so I’m excited for them to return to campus so we can put plans into place,” Pohlner said.

Current plans include a philanthropic fundraising program hosted at football games, expanding homecoming events, implementing a campaign encouraging students to become involved in campus organizations, hosting an election center for the 2012 presidential election and increasing ASG’s online presence, Pholner said.

  • Bailey Moll

    As a former member of ASG Exec, I am thrilled to see Mike Norton as Chair of Senate.  His dedication to the students through his service to ASG has been unparalleled these last few years.  His initiative to allow students to have one free transcript per semester would be a welcomed policy change.  When applying for scholarships, students have to pay to get a transcript.  If a student is applying for scholarships they most likely are financially strained, why does the UofA charge students in financial need?  Norton’s plan is students first in action. For all those planning on running for ASG Senate, be ready for Mike to put you to work.