WHAT IS ASUO?

What is ASUO? ASUO?

WRITTEN BY SKYLAR ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHED BY WILL GESCHKE

Ever wonder what the student fees included in your tuition go towards? Enter the Associated Students of the University of Oregon—better known as ASUO. Keep reading for a deep-dive into what goes into ASUO and how the student government works.

ASUO is the university’s student government, where elected student officials help their peers by providing them with a voice in relevant and influential decisions made for both the university itself and its students. When enrolled at UO, students are required to pay a fixed sum called the Incidental Fee (I-Fee). That fee goes towards ASUO and its mission to support student-run groups and organizations across the entirety of campus—along with its principle of being a source of support and guidance for all UO students.

According to its website, “the Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) strives to provide for the social, cultural, educational, and physical development of its members and for the advancement of their individual and collective interests both within the university and the community at large.”

With the student fees summed up, ASUO is allocated a budget of around $17 million each year. This money is then divided up between over 200 student-run organizations, campus events and facilities and student-provided resources such as free public transportation and free sports game tickets. ASUO also arranges financial, creative and leadership services and support for its recognized organizations, playing a critical role in its community.

ASUO is divided into three different branches: executive, legislative and judicial. Much like our own state and federal governments, it also follows an array of rules and regulations set in place by the ASUO constitution.

The executive branch houses the student body president, vice-president and 24 delegated student leaders, where it focuses on coordinating campaigns, overseeing student organizations and approving or vetoing financial decisions that impact the student body.

The legislative branch is made up of a 24-member student Senate, where each student member represents one of the academic majors provided at UO, and four studentled finance committees. This branch is in charge of commencing I-Fee funding, ratifying financial committees decisions, writing resolutions and confirming appointees for presidential ASUO positions.

The judicial branch, also known as the Constitutional Court, is represented by five student members who are sworn to serve the student body for the entirety of their time at UO. The court is responsible for upholding the ASUO constitution, monitoring the other branches for transgressions and/or fallacies—and reviewing appeals that arise from the same branches.