ISU students have recently shown they care more about their political surroundings than skeptics have given them credit for.

Twice as many students voted in the Government of the Student Body elections compared to last year, many participated in the highly publicized Iowa Caucuses, and about 75 Iowa college students traveled to Des Moines Tuesday to protest the state legislature’s proposed changes to Iowa State’s budget.

There is another chance approaching for some students to make a difference in campus politics.

The Inter-Residence Hall Association elections will be held April 4, and we encourage all students living in the ISU residence halls to take a couple minutes to vote.

IRHA makes a big impact on the lives of ISU dormies — anyone who has a complaint about anything in the residence halls can turn to IRHA representatives for help.

One of IRHA’s biggest accomplishments this year was changing the fee structure for ethernet services. Using $55,000 the Department of Residence previously allocated for CyRide’s Brown Route, IRHA was able to pass a flat fee of $54 for all dorm residents to pay for two semesters of ethernet use, replacing the installment and monthly fees.

The parliament also voted to start the “Dining Dollar$” program, the university’s first step toward retail-based food service.

IRHA serves in another capacity as the voice of students living in the dorms.

Many students’ disapproval of the Iowa Legislature’s proposed ban on alcohol in the dorms was collectively communicated to the Statehouse through IRHA’s resolution calling the ban unreasonable.

“It’s not right to make drinking in your own home a criminal offense,” said Chris Benson, Birch-Welch-Roberts representative, in a Jan. 27 Daily article. “An important thing about college is to make the right choices responsibly on your own.”

Representatives also stood up for students by fighting the finals week evacuation policy in the residence halls’ 1999-2000 Room and Board Contract.

On a grander scale, IRHA is one of the five groups that must take the Veishea pledge in order for the spring celebration to commence.

This fall, by a very narrow margin, IRHA was the final organization to approve the pledge, taking Veishea into its third alcohol-free year.

IRHA is a greater force on campus than many people realize, especially the government’s contingency.

We hope everyone living in the residence halls will take some time to visit the Daily’s Web site (www.daily.iastate.edu) to read Monday’s story about the candidates running for executive positions, then take the time next Tuesday to vote.

Keep up the pace of involvement.

Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Sara Ziegler, Greg Jerrett, Kate Kompas, Carrie Tett and David Roepke.