Elections might be over, but there are still many different positions students can fill in the Undergraduate Student Government.
USG focuses on 12 major areas that range from student life to information technology and almost everything in between. There are more than 25 different committees and hundreds of positions assigned to students every year.
Jake Bruner, a third-year in political science, has been involved in USG for the past three years. He is in charge of receiving and helping look over all the applicants for next year’s positions.
“We want people who put in the time and represent the organization well,” Bruner said.
Next year, Bruner will be chief of staff for incoming USG president Taylor Stepp. Bruner said he is excited to get started on improving USG.
Stepp, a second-year in Russian and public affairs, won the USG election April 15 with his vice-president, Kevin Arndt, a third-year in public affairs and political science.
Bruner said he thinks safety might have the biggest impact on campus next year.
“Safety sticks out with everything that has been going on,” Bruner said. “I know Taylor and Kevin are going to try and push for joint jurisdiction.”
Joint jurisdiction is increased cooperation between Ohio State Police and the Columbus Division of Police.
Celia Wright, a first-year in exploration, served as a USG intern this past year.
Several students have said they worry about the time commitment when looking to get involved, but Wright said this concern is manageable.
“Working on a committee is about an hour to an hour-and-a-half commitment each week,” Wright said.
Leslie Wu, a first-year in pharmacy, has served as an intern for the past year and said she enjoyed her time with USG.
“My favorite part of the program was meeting everyone and being able to see what everyone (in USG) did,” Wu said.
Andrew Tichenor, a fourth-year in political science, has served on USG for three years in a variety of roles. He started as a South Campus senator, became a chairman on Student Life in Senate, and moved on to the director of Student Life in Cabinet.
“We look for people who have ideas, leadership and experience; but no one will be turned away,” Tichenor said.
USG members encouraged students to apply for positions and can get as much out of it as they are willing to put in.
“The work we do is not just throwing events or giving money to philanthropies, but we also have a voice in student operations and university decisions,” Tichenor said.
Applications are due Friday and can be found on the USG website.