All about action” is more than a slogan for the Alliger/Nelson campaign – Brooks and I believe it is what the Government of the Student Body needs.

GSB needs to advocate for student interests to better serve ISU students and to help make your time at Iowa State the best possible experience. We intend to focus on stabilizing tuition, increasing entertainment options, strengthening diversity by celebrating differences and empowering students to initiate change.

The Alliger/Nelson administration will combat tuition increases by working to coordinate the efforts of the University of Northern Iowa, the University of Iowa and Iowa State within a statewide association. Tuition has increased nearly 80 percent in the last 5 years. Although effort has been exerted to address those increases, higher education is becoming more and more difficult for many to afford. We will work to keep future tuition increases as low as possible. Just as the Iowa Board of Regents and university administrations work together to advocate for their interests, so should students. Brooks and I will lead the way.

Our administration will take the lead to work for more entertainment options in Ames. Brooks and I will focus on Campustown and options for the 18-to-21-year-old crowd. We will provide support for student-organized events and work for increased entertainment offerings on campus. Students need to lead the discussion about what type of entertainment should be offered and what better ways there are to use the Welch Avenue area.

Diversity is a word that we hear a lot at Iowa State. We are fortunate to have a diverse campus, and Brooks and I believe the campus could do more to celebrate it. We stand firmly behind the proposed cultural center, to be housed in the Memorial Union, and believe that it should be inclusive and welcoming to all students. Our administration will work to ensure that support of underrepresented populations becomes the norm at Iowa State. We support the Principles of Community and support the work that so many do to promote social justice.

Finally, we will empower students to initiate change. GSB should have taken on this role years ago.

Our administration will amplify the student voice through expanding or publicizing the opportunities already available to you through student organizations and creating new opportunities for students to get involved with issues and campaigns.

Voting offers you the opportunity to make your voice heard. Brooks and I will see that it is easy for you to register to vote, get informed and make it to the polls in November for the midterm elections. We have the experience and a plan that will encourage thousands of other ISU students to join you. By voting, your voice will be heard and politicians will pay more attention to students and our issues.

Brooks and I have worked independently to make the student experience better at Iowa State since we first arrived on campus. Together we can achieve even more. In addition to serving more than three years on the GSB Senate, including one term as the speaker of the senate, I have also been involved in a number of other organizations. I have worked with other student leaders to build ActivUs. Nearly a year away from the GSB Senate helped me to gain a better perspective of what students really want, and this is reflected in our platform.

Nelson has participated in, and now advises, the President’s Leadership Class, Freshman Council, ISU Ambassadors and Theta Delta Chi, and currently serves as the GSB senator for the Interfraternity Council. He has worked to inform the greek community about GSB and communicates issues to the senate.

We know that GSB cannot do everything for you and that GSB can do a number of things well, but we believe it could be doing a lot of things better. GSB should be advocating for students at the campus, local, state and national levels. GSB should be making on-campus improvements that will make your college experience better. GSB should be taking action for students.

We are asking that you vote Henry Alliger and Brooks Nelson March 3 to 6, online at Vote.iastate.edu.

We would love to hear what you think or answer any questions you may have. For more information, check out www.allaboutaction.org e-mail us at [email protected].

– Henry Alliger is a senior in animal science from Paton.