Associated Students Organization (ASO) is looking toward the future which includes the possibility of a smoke free campus, a change in field trip requirements and the search for more potential ASO members as some members prepare to transfer.

“We started a committee for recruitment, we will have a lot of space that will open because people are leaving,” Megan McLean, ASO president said.

ASO is experiencing a transition period as many of the members of the ASO senate prepare to transfer to universities, leaving gaps to fill.

McLean said they are hoping they can find students who are interested in being a part of the student government.

“We are looking for people who are interested, we would like to have them,” McLean said.

McLean added that the need for more ASO members is not only due to the fact that senate members are not as dedicated as she would like, stressing that she wants dedicated and reliable students who do want to be a part of the group.

“We are becoming real strict on the constitution and if the senators are not taking their jobs seriously they won’t keep it,” McLean said.

A committee is being started by ASO and will help potential ASO candidates understand the rigors and learn their jobs.

“We started a committee for recruitment. We will have a lot of positions open because people are leaving; they wouldn’t have voting rights but they would shadow us,” McLean said.

Interested students can attend any of the ASO meetings they have since they are public meetings.

“I expect similar to what Megan expects, I want people who want to serve and not just have the title or nice offices,” Joshua Casper, 18, senator of behavioral and social sciences, said.

Harold Tyler, director of student services, said that another issue that has arisen during the discussion of this topic is that there is an issue of eligibility as far as who can be in the ASO executive cabinet.

“There is a question of whether a (senate member) has been senator long enough, since some of our members have served in high school they are like ‘I am ready now (to serve on ASO),'” Tyler said.

Tyler added it had to deal with the issue of whether you need prior experience in a senate position befor deciding to run for an executive cabinet such as president.

Also on ASO’s agenda is the issue of smoking on campus.

The idea of banning smoking on the campus or at least limiting where students can smoke has been discussed at meetings.

ASO is looking for student input on the matter.

“The issue of smoking is becoming a big deal since everyone is thinking green,” Tyler said.

The issue has resurfaced because of the persistent amount of smokers seen on campus.

“Last year we wanted to ban it on campus, but we have a lot of smokers,” Tyler said.

Another issue that ASO may deal with is the field trip policy, in which limitations and restrictions may be placed upon those who attend field trips.

Tyler said it is being considered to limit the number of states students can go to.

“We presented a field trip policy to the board for reading because members think there is too much liability on the road,” Tyler said.