By Josh Hughes
Almost everyone you ask at Western will know what the Associated Students (AS) is, but some students are unaware of how much the organization does for the community, or how to get involved with it. Essentially, the AS is a student-run organization on campus that provides programs and services to the school community. Whether that means funding for campus clubs, organizing the student voice in the school’s administration, or providing on-campus jobs, the AS does everything to create an accessible platform to help students out. It is a program that seeks to connect students with their interests and make Western an enjoyable, fulfilling experience. These are some of the various resources that the AS offers:
Club Hub
The AS Club activities office, colloquially known as the club hub, is located in VU 425. The Club Hub provides students with easy access to finding, joining, and creating clubs on campus. Their page, part of the AS website, lets students browse existing clubs and has links to important forms and resources for anyone who wants to start their own club but doesn’t know where to start. This year also marks their second annual AS Club Cup, where clubs compete to earn points based on how much presence they have on campus and how well they utilize their resources.
AS Productions
AS Productions, VU 422, is a group that organizes and curates campus events such as Lawnstock, art exhibits, and movie events. They maintain a steady social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to help find out what sort of events students wish to have on campus. As an organization they find entertainment for campus, and their platform makes it easy to hear about events as they happen.
Resource And Outreach Programs (ROP)
The ROP, located in VU 511, strives to integrate seven programs that stand for advocacy, empowerment, and diversity on campus. Their goal is to be inclusive to all members of Western’s diverse community, and they do so by managing programs on sexual awareness (Sexual Awareness Center), social issues (Social Issues Resource Center), veterans (Veterans Outreach Center), women (Women’s Center), queer issues (Queer Resource Center), legal information (Legal Information Center), and disability (Disability Outreach Center). The ROP offers jobs and volunteer positions for all their programs, and it provides a platform for students of all backgrounds to find a voice and community on campus.
Representation and Engagement Programs (REP)
The REP, located in VU 435, is an organization that provides students with representation for decisions that affect the university at different levels. Student elections, on campus committees, and the Western Votes program are all run through the Representation and Engagement Programs. Western Votes, which holds meetings in VU 567 every Monday from 4 to 5 p.m., advocates politics on campus, reaching out to educate students on elections and promoting voter registration. The REP website also includes a link that makes it easy to register to vote.
Publicity Center
The Publicity Center, located in VU 411, is a full-service advertising center that offers graphic design, poster distribution, photography, and on- and off-campus promotion for any advertising needs. The center is also home to the AS Review itself, and is responsible for distribution of on campus advertising, including banners for events and elections. They offer an easy way to request for publicity by having a link on their webpage to forms in which students can apply for any advertising needs.
In addition to the services listed, AS also offers and runs KUGS-FM, the Outdoor Center, Environmental & Sustainability Programs, the AS Bookstore, and the Ethnic Student Center, as well as many other services. For more information on how you can get involved, visit http://www.as.wwu.edu/
