The University of Oklahoma Student Association is supposed to be the voice of the student body, but President Amanda Holloway said she thinks that in the past, leaders have been forced to listen to the sound of silence.

Holloway plans to change that. Holloway, advertising and marketing senior, said students haven’t known very much about their student government in the past, but she hopes that will change during her administration.

“We want to be able to help students,” she said. “But we can’t unless they know about us and know they can come here.”

Holloway said she sees the Conoco-Phillips wing of the Oklahoma Memorial Union, which houses the UOSA offices, as the first stop for students who wish to express concerns relating to campus life or offer ideas about how to make OU a better place for students.

“To get to the true interest of the students, we have to have a dialogue with them,” she said. “Whether they come here or find us through e-mail or Facebook, we’re definitely open to talking to people.”

Holloway and UOSA Vice President Vince Winston, public affairs senior, have been working since April to resolve problems for students.

One of the first issues they faced when they took office was a backlog of student parking appeals that included almost 400 tickets worth $10,475.

When they assumed their positions in April, Holloway and Winston initiated changes to the student bylaws governing the parking appeals board, Holloway said. Once restructured, the committee was able to immediately begin work on eliminating the backlog.

“As of the second week in the summer, we have all those out of the way,” Holloway said. “We’re starting the year on a fresh slate.”

While students may notice changes in the parking appeals process, UOSA often works on less visible issues. Now, the executive branch is working with the city of Norman to resolve drainage and traffic problems.

“Those issues effect students on a daily basis, whether they realize it or not,” Holloway said.

One of Holloway’s major agenda items for the fall will be focused on the 2008 presidential elections. UOSA will partner with various organizations on campus, including the Young Democrats and the College Republicans, to organize a non-partisan effort encouraging students to register to vote.

“We’re really pushing for 2,008 new voters in 2008,” Holloway said. “If you think of just the freshman class, it really shouldn’t be too difficult a goal.”

Holloway said the most important initiative for UOSA this year will be communicating the organization’s purpose and inviting students to share their thoughts with UOSA’s leadership.

“We’re here every day,” she said. “We want students coming to our office.”

For additional information visit the Student Leadership Center located on the first floor of the Oklahoma Memorial Student Union, or the UOSA Web site at www.ou.edu/uosa.

Untangling UOSA

The University of Oklahoma Student Association is divided into four branches. Here’s what students need to know about each part of campus government.

Executive Branch

Who they are: The executive branch is made up of UOSA President Amanda Holloway, Vice President Vince Winston and their cabinet, which includes departments in charge of overseeing exterior relations, interior relations, academics, parking and off-campus transportation and living, student organizations, finance and communication.

What they do: The executive branch’s role is to facilitate communication between students and the administration. Holloway and Winston make themselves available to students and communicate student concerns to other members of the university community. The leaders of Cabinet-level departments take on special projects to improve the quality of student life at OU. This semester, the executive branch will be coordinating student services including peer mentoring and a free textbook library.

Legislative Branch

Who they are: The legislative branch is composed of two bodies, Undergraduate Student Congress and Graduate Student Senate. The members of these bodies are elected by members of the colleges or programs that they represent.

What they do: Representatives and senators pass legislation expressing the student body’s opinion on issues ranging from academics to safety issues. This semester, Student Congress representatives are going to draft legislation about Dead Week. Student Congress is also responsible for allocating funds to more than 300 student organizations. The Friday before the OU-TX game isn’t an official holiday until Student Congress passes legislation requesting the day off each year.

Programming Branch

Who they are: The programming branch, more commonly known as Campus Activities Council, is made up of CAC Chairwoman Regan Lynn and the committees in charge of a variety of CAC events.

What they do: CAC committees plan events for the OU community throughout the year. They are responsible for securing funding for, planning and recruiting volunteers for Howdy Week, the Big Red Rally, Family Weekend, University Sing, Homecoming, the Big Event and Parents’ Weekend.

Judicial Branch

Who they are: The judicial branch includes members of the Student Superior Court and the Student Parking Appeals Board.

What they do: Student Superior Court is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the UOSA Constitution and performing final reviews of the acts of the legislative branch. The Student Parking Appeals Board rules on the validity of appeals of parking tickets submitted by students.

Sources: Amanda Holloway, Kurt Davidson, Daily archives