The Council of Representatives (COR) discussed questions for the upcoming student census, which is designed to ensure that student government is addressing issues that students care about, at its meeting Tuesday.
"These results will definitely have a direct impact on how student government proceeds for the next couple of months," student body president Bob Reish said.
"We want to help the student government better represent students," Reish said. "Are our deals and our initiatives on track with the larger student body?"
The survey will be useful to provide proof of student interest in a particular issue when student government is talking to the administration.
"We'll use this as kind of like a support," Reish said.
In the COR review of the proposed census question, Reish encouraged council members to ask "is that question going to help us in our initiatives?"
Senate student outreach committee chair Sarah Rodts is organizing the survey, which students will have the opportunity to take through the Web site Surveymonkey.com.
The census itself will not be end of the discussion about a particular issue.
"Some of the committees will have secondary surveys based on these questions," Rodts said. "The committees have the opportunity to have another survey if they need more results based on these answers."
Some COR members said they thought the questions in the census were designed to elicit a particular response.
Student body vice president Grant Schmidt said the questions were designed to be fair.
"In no way are we trying to get students to answer one way or the other," he said. "If we find out what we're doing is stuff people don't care about, we won't continue with it."
COR also approved Adam Steinbach, a finance major from Knott Hall, as the Student Government Executive Controller for the 2008-2009 term.
Steinbach was originally in the running for the position last year, but he did not receive the appointment at that time. The position opened again recently, and Reish nominated Steinbach to fill the vacancy.
As controller, Steinbach will be responsible for the management of all student government and senate committee funds.
