I am writing to encourage Iowa State to establish an Iowa Student PIRG chapter. I am the student body president at the University of Oregon, and we’ve had an Oregon Student PIRG chapter since 1971. That chapter has made my campus, my community and Oregon a better place — and you all should restart the chapter in Ames.

I wanted to share with you an example of the good work a student chapter could do. Until last week, Eugene, Ore. was the largest city west of the Mississippi without housing standards to protect renters. During the last 20 years, a number of students, student groups and even student government have tried and failed to establish renter’s rights in our city. This year, student government joined with Oregon Student PIRG to write a research report and run a consumer renter’s rights hotline. Armed with information from state law and from renters calling the hotline in Eugene, OSPIRG and Associated Students of the University of Oregon. ran a campaign to convince the city council to adopt tenant rights laws. After a year of research, advocacy and grassroots organizing, we won — hundreds of students got involved, we built relationships with important local officials and we set ourselves up to give students more rights and more opportunities for the future.

You can do similar things in Ames, and starting Iowa Student PIRG on campus is a great step. Senators should vote to fully fund the chapter this Wednesday.

Adam Petkun

President of Associated Students University of Oregon