By Paige Godden

Daily Staff Writer

Partnerships are what Luke Roling and Nate Dobbels campaign is about.

Roling, an engineering senator and chair of the University Affairs Committee, has issued his statement of intent to run for president of the Government of the Student Body for the 2010–2011 year.

Dobbels, an agriculture senator and member of the Rules Committee, will be running as Roling’s vice president.

The duo has been talking about running since both got involved in GSB two years ago.

“One of the big issues, which is unique to our campaign, is establishing partnerships,” Roling said. “Partnerships between the executive branch, City Council and constituency councils with the student senate.”

Roling and Dobbels explained how each partnership could potentially help how the GSB operates.

“We would like to see more cooperation between the Executive Council, the judicial branch and the senate,” Roling said. “We would be creating one large group and not three different sections of people.”

Roling also said he and Dobbels would be sure to find cabinet members with necessary skill sets which they would need to carry out their duties properly.

Currently the only communication GSB has with constituency councils happens when the councils send three or four delegates to meetings, Roling said.

A stronger partnership with constituency councils could start projects that are meaningful to all students, and could make setting up joint events easier.

Setting up joint events will be another new project because of the creation of the new events account, Roling said.

Dobbels and Roling also expressed an interest in creating a stronger partnership with the Ames City Council.

“Right now we only have a joint meeting a year,” Roling said. “It is always the longest meeting of the year, and there is always good discussion.”

He also mentioned that ISU students make up about 50 percent of the Ames population, which means the Ames community has a large impact on student life.

Continuing and expanding on the partnership with the Ames City Council could also help improve the potential of Campustown, Roling said.

“Campustown is a huge source of potential,” Roling said. “Students will drive by on his or her first visit and want to come here.”

Roling and Dobbels have more ideas for their campaigns other than partnerships.

Dobbels said that Iowa State is noted for its leadership opportunities, which need to be taken advantage of.

The duo would like to see the creation of a certificate that students could earn through being involved in leadership and volunteer opportunities.

Dobbels said he believed it would be helpful for students to have something to show future employers what they did in college instead of having to list activities on a resume.

Roling said he was also concerned with student debt.

“Students have been bombarded with information on the rising cost of higher education this year,” Roling said. “We need to give them something to focus on, a way of taking action.”

Roling said he was one of the people who helped to implement the peer-to-peer financial education group that is hopefully going to be launched next year.

He wants to continue to work with the ISU Ambassadors and with the administration to make sure that the students voices continue being heard.

Roling added that his and Dobbels’ goal will be making sure information is communicated with students.

“The key point we have found is potential,” Dobbels said. “With a little extra motivation, whether it is in the classroom or through extracurricular activities, we need to make sure students are finding their potential.”