ASMSU’s plan of creating a blog to better connect with the student body came one step closer to reality Tuesday when a bill calling for its creation was approved by a joint meeting of the Student and Academic assemblies.
ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.
The joint assembly unanimously approved the bill, which calls on the group’s information technology, communications and media relations departments to begin creating the blog. It is expected to officially launch the middle of next semester.
The idea to create a blog first arose in September when the organization went on a
leadership retreat at the Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa near Manistee, Mich., to discuss its hopes and goals for the year.
“One of our main, overarching goals from the retreat was to incorporate students better using technology,” said Mike Lipphardt, Academic
Assembly’s College of Social Science representative. “This encompasses the blog, among other things, and finding new avenues to incorporate students.”
Lipphardt, who was one of the driving forces behind creating the blog and was one of the bill’s primary sponsors, said the blog will benefit both the organization and student body by fostering ties between representatives and their constituencies.
Some early concepts for the blog include profiles for each representative, including their contact information and voting record on bills that pass through their respective assemblies. Lipphardt said he hopes the blog will feature forums for students and representatives to discuss issues with both the university and ASMSU.
“It basically leaves us a little more accountable and puts the students in the loop a little bit more,” he said. “We want to get that outreach out there.”
ASMSU’s Academic Assembly Chairperson Kristy Currier said a group of representatives, as well as several ASMSU departments, will begin working on the blog as soon as
possible.
The blog likely will be featured on the group’s main Web site, asmsu.msu.edu.
Currier said utilizing
technology to reach out to students is important for the organization because of the prevalence of social networking and other communicative technologies.
“We really felt like things needed to be updated,” she said. “There’s new and
exciting ways to reach students.”
Kerry Chereskin, an advertising junior, said she would use the blog upon its creation and said it was a good way for students to stay connected with different MSU issues and events.
“I think it’s a great idea, especially since so many students are online all the time,” Chereskin said.
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