This week, Central Campus will be turned into a spot where university community members can go to brush up on their politics and get some free lunch.

Every day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Political Action Week will feature debates, guest speakers and free meals.

This year is the first time the Government of the Student Body has put on Political Action Week.

“I’m really excited, I’m expecting it to turn into an annual thing,” said Eric Lindstrom, GSB associate justice and senior in political science.

Although Lindstrom hopes Political Action Week will happen next year, he can’t say for sure because he will be graduating.

“We are focused on this week going well, before we think about next year,” he said.

Sarah Sunderman, ISU Democrats president, GSB director of student events and junior in marketing, said the plan is to do Political Action Week every other year.

GSB decided to do Political Action Week three weeks ago when Lindstrom pitched the idea to GSB President Emily Jensen.

“It’s been pretty busy, but we’ve been working hard at it,” Sunderman said.

Most of the funding from Political Action Week came from GSB. The College of Agriculture and donations from vendors also helped fund the week.

“I just hope that students come to Central Campus and get involved and get active,” said Donald McDowell, ISU College Republicans president and junior in political science.

GSB’s goal for the week is to promote civic thought, dialogue and action.

“Politics is not about voting, it’s about interacting with other people,” Lindstrom said.

When that happens, we have accomplished something, he said.

“Educate yourself on the issues, then you know what you stand for and what other people stand for,” Sunderman said.

McDowell said it is hard to predict how the week will go because it depends on what kind of students show up and the direction the speakers take.

Because a lot of the planning and organizing was done last minute, it was hard to get a big Republican name, McDowell said. However, he hopes the week will be fair and balanced.

“I do think there is a good balance,” Sunderman said.

For more information on topics and speakers, go to Gsb.iastate.edu.