Through its public relations committee, Student Government is restructuring its outreach to be more digestible for students. 

Public relations chair Ian Steenhoek and vice chair Carter McNew are hoping that by revamping its platforms – specifically on social media – and making Student Government more accessible, that more students will understand not only its significance but how they too can get involved. 

“The biggest things we are working on right now are finding different ways to reach out to the student body,” Steenhoek said. “Some of the biggest complaints that we get are that people don’t know that there is a Student Government or they don’t really know what we do and they’re not really sure how to contact us or their representatives.”

To do this, Steenhoek and McNew are hoping to also use more video, as well as collaborative efforts with other campus organizations. 

“I’ve been working pretty closely with the Film Producers Club. We’ve had about five or six meetings with them to discuss possible campaigns that we can do as a collaboration between the two organizations,” McNew said.

This will hopefully extend the efforts of the public relations committee into more sectors of the university. 

“We’re for the student body so working with other organizations is just a great way to show that we’re really there to help people,” Steenhoek said. 

One of the ways Steenhoek and McNew hope to accomplish more outreach is through their YouTube channel. 

“It’s a different way to digest the information and it’s a little more entertaining, as opposed to us just posting on Facebook all the time,” Steenhoek said.

Currently, Student Government uses Facebook Live to stream its senate meetings. On top of looking into a better live stream system, Steenhoek and McNew are hoping to also start posting preview or review videos of the legislative agenda that would explain the purpose of the bill, funding sources and other issues relevant to the students. 

These videos, while still in the works, are to ensure that Student Government and an understanding of it is more accessible to the students. 

Additionally, Steenhoek said, he has been charging a revamp of the Student Government directory page. 

“Looking at other Student Government websites I found that there’s a lot more visually appealing and it’s a lot less clunky than our site,” Steenhoek said. “My overall vision is to get a nice photo that shows off [the Student Government members] personality a bit. We’re going to have bios on everyone’s section that tells them who they are, what they do and why they joined Student Government and what they hope to get done.”

This, McNew hopes, will more or less humanize Student Government.

“Being able to provide content, whether its informative content on the directory of who their senators are or more like this is what is going on on campus, this is what we’re involved with… being able to reach students in new ways and be able to tell them what’s going on,” he said.

Moving away from ways to restructure outreach online, the public relations committee recently allocated funds for 100 buttons reading “Ask me about Student Government” for senators and executive members to wear. 

“It’s to identify us and to spark that conversation,” Steenhoek said. 

The most important message for Steenhoek and McNew, however, is to stress the importance of reaching out should an issue arise. 

“Come to us and work with us. Help us find a solution,” Steenhoek said.  “It’s one thing to be told the issues, but it’s another thing to figure out how to solve those issues.”

For more information or to contact your senator, visit stugov.iastate.edu. The senate meetings are open to the public on 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.

Ian Steenhoek is a photographer at the Iowa State Daily.