Building relationships currently sits atop Government of the Student Body President Daniel Fischer’s list of GSB’s accomplishments during the past academic year.

Looking back over the past two semesters, Fischer, junior in agricultural business, deemed GSB’s work a success and said progress has been made towards his and Vice President Maggie Luttrell’s campaign goals for next fall.

GSB was busy, with three major focus areas over the 2007-2008 academic year: city relations, state relations and campus projects.

Fischer said the two most successful projects are the Campustown Safety Walk and the Campustown Court project, which passed by a vote of 27-0-0 in late February. Both helped establish amiable relationships between student leaders and city officials, he said.

“I think we are looking forward to another good year of trying to accomplish some of those projects,” he said.

Relations between GSB and state government officials helped keep tuition increases to a minimum – only 3.2 percent for traditional students in 2000-09 – while the state legislature funded more than 90 percent of the regents’ salary increase, keeping them at inflation-appropriate levels.

Funding for campus projects and organizations is always a large responsibility for GSB. The recreation referendum – although surrounded by controversy – is an issue Fischer believes the student body was properly informed on, and other issues such as fencing on campus and the Lake LaVerne Clean Up Committee were projects GSB was heavily involved with.

Moving into the summer term, Fischer is set to complete an internship with Cargill and will pass his responsibilities to Luttrell during his absence. Some of Fischer and Luttrell’s main initiatives are to continue the government relations plan by working with the city leaders and state officials in hope of accomplishing student goals.

Although there is work to be done, there won’t be as many campus projects, considering the decrease in the student population during the summer.

Looking forward to state relations over the summer, GSB is planning to speak with candidates for the state Senate and House to obtain their support for higher education.

Along with state officials, Fischer knows that keeping in good contact with the student body is crucial as well.

“Inform the student body and try and get as many people to vote,” Fischer said – his pair of important goals for the coming school year. “Our biggest effort is to try and get as many students involved because this is an issue that will affect them in the big picture.”

One fairly new matter, the Generation Iowa commission, appointed by Governor Chet Culver, will be a priority concerning low retention of the young population in Iowa after graduation. Fischer said he hopes to work with other universities and colleges around Iowa to form a bigger and more influential group.

“It’s not just a regent university issue, and it’s not just a public university issue,” Fischer said. “It’s something that affects all young Iowans, and it could use support from the student government from all across Iowa.”

The Generation Iowa Commission has made recommendations to try to minimize the number of fleeing youths by instituting more loan forgiveness programs and more cultural options.

There are three main things GSB will be striving to complete in dealing with city officials in the fall. Most importantly is finishing the Campustown Court project, but overseeing the City’s tenant/landlord position and the Campustown Task Force that Ames Mayor Ann Campbell will be appointing are also important efforts.

The tenant/landlord position helps resolve issues between lessors and tenants and brings in a third party to communicate instead of going through city officials. Fischer said the position has the potential to make it easier for students and landlords to solve their problems by communicating effectively.

Fischer also said the city council has set Campustown rejuvenation as their number-one priority for the next year. City officials, ISU officials and a GSB representative will attempt to explore possible rejuvenation ideas and long-term solutions on how to improve Campustown economics.

The new GSB finance director, Tom Danielson, senior in civil engineering, was appointed to the position during the April 16 GSB Senate meeting. Danielson has served on the finance committee for the past two years and, in the past year, was the vice chairman. In his mind, Danielson feels he deserved the appointment for the position.

“I’ve worked really hard the last two years to learn the rules and regulations and why things have happened,” he said.

One of his goals as finance director is to make funds more accessible to student organizations by improving the funding process.

“[It’s] been going well so far, really busy – a lot of groups want item transfers,” he said.

Fischer said that even though no one else applied for this position, Danielson would have been the best choice regardless. He even went on to say that the appointment of Danielson will have a larger impact than when he was elected president.

“[It’s a] more important position than president,” Fischer said. “Because they have a large say in where the money goes.”

Although the Government of the Student Body is not holding weekly meetings this summer, the Senate and Cabinet members will be keeping in touch through e-mail. Informal meetings will be held as needed.