Hi Lutes!
I am the president of ASPLU, the governing student body here on campus. Myself and my vice president, Carlos Alvarez, have been working hard this summer as we navigate this exceptionally weird back-to-school season, and we’re really excited to get to see you all, whether that’s virtually or masked up in person. Many schools aren’t resuming in-person classes, clubs, or activities at all, so we’re feeling fortunate and (cautiously) optimistic to get to have a semi-regular year of college. We are both in our fourth years here and are going to miss some of the spaces we’ve made memories in, but we’re proud of our university for prioritizing student safety and still giving us a chance to continue our studies.
This isn’t to sound like a propagandist — having been behind the scenes of many university-level decisions, we really do feel that PLU students are set up for the best year possible under current global circumstances. And any time throughout the year, you can contact us or other members of ASPLU via email, social media, setting up a meeting, or attending one of our weekly sessions, which are open to the public. This regular sidebar in The Mast will also help us keep you updated on what’s going on with ASPLU and our university.
Now for the summer updates. We have been busy! ASPLU is tasked with finding student representatives for the various faculty and university committees across campus. Normally this happens in the fall, but we decided to jump on it in June! We have filled nearly all of the positions! You will be well represented by your peers. I’ve been hard at work assembling the Lute Vote team, which focuses on voter registration and getting out the vote each election season. We are coming up with creative ways to engage with students in a virtual setting, which involves multimedia content and interaction. Finally, we’ve been meeting with the administration about COVID and building a healthy campus community. My cautious optimism has prepared me for a year of the unexpected, but also new opportunities for strengthening community and care.
Wishing you all luck as we head into the school year!
Til next issue,
Gracie Anderson
asplupres@plu.edu
Photos courtesy of Gracie Anderson and Carlos Alvarez.
