Student interest has influenced Student Association President-elect DuJuan Smith to institute new programs and expand old ones, and many students said this will be beneficial. At this point, no updated plans have been made to the new programs, Smith said.

SA Tuesdays

As a way to promote the SA, Smith said he plans to initiate “SA Tuesdays.” Every Tuesday, or every other Tuesday, SA members will be situated in the residence halls to inform students about the SA.

Junior elementary major Jane Kelly said SA Tuesdays would be a good idea because she knows very little about the SA.

“I think most students read about the Student Association in the paper, but I don’t think students know exactly what the group does,” she said.

Jay Taylor, a junior political science major, said he knows very little about the SA as well, but he would be very interested in learning about the association.

“Anything that involves student input is a good idea,” Taylor said. “It makes students feel more involved.”

Get Out of Debt Office

Another program Smith has been working on is the “Get Out of Debt Office.” Graduates from the Students’ Legal Assistance Office will advise students about ways to get out of debt, Smith said.

This program is much needed on campus because there are many students who are in debt, Taylor said.

“Many students aren’t able to deal with this situation,” Taylor said. “Students take out loans but then get further into debt.”

Taylor, who is currently in debt, would like to see the office include money management programs, one-on-one counseling and a financial aid counselor.

“Most of the time students take out loans and don’t really realize how much debt they will be in,” Taylor said.

A financial aid adviser would be beneficial to explain interest rates more in depth, he said.

Huskie Late Night Ride Service

The SA is also planning to expand the Huskie Late Night Ride Service by providing more vehicles, Taylor said. The current 45-minute to an hour wait for the service should shorten with the addition of more vehicles, he said.

The Huskie Late Night Ride Service receives 200 calls per night on average, University Police Lt. Matt Kiederlen said. Funding for more vehicles would always be a great assistance, he said.

“We try not to wind up with lag times,” he said. “Sometimes we don’t have sufficient run time and vehicles for every call at a rapid pace.”

Freshmen Amanda Kuna, an undecided major, and Robin Schrader, an accountancy major, said they have had problems with the delay period.

“We had to wait for about 40 minutes for [a vehicle] to get there, so we just said ‘forget it,’” Kuna said.

“It’s always busy when I call, so I gave up and don’t call anymore,” Schrader said.

Recently, Kuna said she tries to call around 9:59 p.m. — one minute earlier than the service opens – hoping the phone line will not be busy.