By SYDNEE HAMILTO
BYUSA is a service organization that provides students a chance to get involved with planning and running activities that serve the community and the students.
At the end of each winter semester, the students elect a president and a student advisory council vice president, said Andrea Beck, vice president of public communication at BYUSA.
According to the BYUSA operational guidelines, the candidates must be in good standing with the university and in observance of the honor code and dress and grooming standards. Candidates must have a non-rounded GPA of 3.0 and be a full-time student during semesters in office.
This year, students elected Kristian Watford as president, and Peter Miller as Student Advisory Council (SAC) vice president.
Watford and Miller then accepted applications and conducted interviews to fulfill branch vice presidents. In the interviews they looked at the applicants' government experience and goals the individual wished to accomplish, Beck said.
From the applicants they appointed five branch vice presidents. Each branch is a resource for students who have questions and concerns about the university, Beck said.
One branch of BYUSA is campus life, directed by Jody Quick. The Preference dances, pre-game spirit activities, and campus events are planned by this branch.
Community Service, another branch of BYUSA, gives students the opportunity to serve people on campus and throughout the community with programs like Special Olympics and Sub-for-Santa. This year, Dan Dellenbach is vice president.
The third branch of BYUSA is university relations. Bryan Horsley is vice president and works with the faculty, staff, international students and other student organizations to represent these entities in BYUSA decisions.
BYUSA public communication branch directs all internal and external communication of the student association. Beck creates and implements the advertising and public relations campaigns for all activities sponsored by BYUSA.
The administrative branch handles all the financial, personnel and historical records of the organization. Dallin Anderson is vice president of this branch of BYUSA.
The five vice presidents of the branches and the elected pair comprise the presidency of BYUSA, Beck said. The presidency in the fall and winter semesters are expected to spend up to 30 hours each week in fulfilling their responsibilities, Beck said.
'We are meeting twice a week right now as a presidency, but we hope to cut that back to once a week,' she said.
They receive scholarships for their leadership skills while in office.
While Watford and Miller were choosing branch vice presidents, they were also deciding on executive assistants. These assistants make sure the campaign promises come to pass, Beck said.
The five branch vice presidents then held interviews for assistant vice president and executive directors for their branch. Each branch has one assistant vice president and four to five executive directors, Beck said.
Under the executive directors are program directors. These are volunteers who coordinate sections of activities for homecoming and other student events.
Six assistant vice presidents, an executive assistant and a coordinator make up the president's advisory council (PAC), said Taylor. 'PAC essentially reviews programs and decides if the proposal program is a proper use of allocation and resources,' said Taylor. 'If the program is passed, it is given to the proper branch of BYUSA and the program is run.'
SAC is made up of two members of each of BYU colleges, a representative from certain groups on campus including multicultural and united club council, and the elected vice president. A total of 38 are involved in SAC.
'They plan proposals about issues that affect students and give them to proper administrators,' said Beck. 'The administration allowing students to wear shorts throughout the summer as a trial period is an effect of SAC,' said Beck. Allowing students to have bikes on campus is another example of the effects of SAC