ASUI hosted their first official meeting of the semester this Wednesday and with it, they presented new and exciting ideas.
Brandon Brackett, Director of Student Involvement at the university, brought forth the idea of “Joe’s Inferno,” a project much akin to “Hot Ones.” For those who may not know, “Hot Ones” is an interview style where the interviewer asks the interviewee questions while they both eat progressively spicier hot sauce. “Joe’s Inferno” plans to interview student groups, clubs and departments on campus as an effort to bring awareness to them. Brackett said that they plan to film an episode with multiple ASUI representatives, including President Martha Smith herself.
Smith then addressed the senate, saying how excited she was to kick off this school year. Smith’s main campaign point last semester centered around ratifying voter registration on campus. She has continued to meet with different people, including the League of Women Voters, to work towards this goal. Smith said that with their help, she plans to table regularly for up to eight weeks before the election this November to help students get registered and draw their attention. Tabling would allow students to be made aware of common problems with voter registration, including the fact that a student ID is not a valid form of identification for registration.
Vice President Emma Johnston added to these points later, speaking about an initiative that would encourage Idaho to open their primary votes to everyone. Currently, only those who claim to be Republicans can vote on the primary ballot.
Furthermore, Smith said she had been working towards rekindling the Idaho Student Association, which is a group that represents the entirety of Idaho’s higher education. The association has dwindled in the past 10 years, but higher education needs a strong voice, Smith said.
ASUI senators also expressed their gratitude towards the Outdoor Program for the ASUI rafting trip that they hosted over the past weekend.
Rebekah Weaver can be reached at [email protected].