Issues, not accomplishments, to be focus of Groh’s address

Rachel Webers

Government of the Student Body members are pleased with the current state of the organization and cited the new environmental and principles commissions as positive contributions by the body.

GSB President Angela Groh will deliver her State of the Student Body address in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Instead of using the address to talk about all of the positive things GSB is doing, Groh, senior in political science, said she is changing the content of the speech.

“I intend to do something different,” she said. “I would like to identify some of the major issues and concerns that exist on campus right now and then lay out the way that I feel GSB can play a role in addressing these issues in the upcoming six months or so.”

Chris Deal, GSB vice president, said the past six months of the term has given the group experience to finish all of their goals for the full term.

“We’re starting to get into the groove of things,” said Deal, senior in mechanical engineering. “All in all, things have gone well.”

Deal said the term so far has been a learning process, with issues coming up in the process.

Christina Dvorak, Panhellenic senator, said she was pleased with the decisions GSB has made this semester, including several new commissions.

“Overall, everything has been good,” said Dvorak, junior in pre-advertising.

Dvorak said she approved of the new recycling commission because it helps students and the environment. She also approved of the principles commission because it addresses discriminatory acts, welcomes all students and makes Iowa State feel like a safer place. She was against the bill on Intelligent Design, however.

“I didn’t support the bill on advancing Intelligent Design,” Dvorak said. “I didn’t pass, but I don’t think that it is our position to tell professors what to talk about because they’re allowed to teach whatever they want.”

Like other GSB members, Clark Richardson, director of government relations, said he is pleased with the term so far.

“Everything has gone smoothly,” said Richardson, junior in agricultural biochemistry.

Amanda Halfacre, human sciences senator and sophomore in child, adult and family services, said she is proud of the positive things GSB has done this semester, such as the principle commission and the environmental committee.

“It’s a group working together to find a common goal,” she said.