By Lacey Desserault

Students at Washington State University Tri-Cities who are looking to serve their fellow classmates and help create positive change on campus are encouraged to submit applications to join an advisory committee. Student representation on these committees plays a pivotal role in influencing the committee’s decisions by providing guidance on programs and initiatives, contributing to policy decisions, and granting students a voice in determining the allocation of their fees.

On the WSU Tri-Cities campus, there are four committees students can participate on.

The Associated Students of WSU Tri-Cities (ASWSUTC) Finance Committee reviews requests from student organizations and decides how to allocate student fee dollars in support of student organization activities.

The Safety and Transportation Committee represents the student voice on how to allocate the safety and transportation fee that all students pay to improve access to campus and invest in modern safety measures.

The Services and Activities Fee Committee determines how to allocate the services and activities fees that students pay across various departments and organizations at WSU Tri-Cities. They also assess the current services and activities fees and determine if there should be a fee change in the next academic year.

The Student Union Building (SUB) Governance Board contributes to the decision-making processes related to utilizing the SUB fees that students pay for the operation of the building. They have a say in how to make the building what the students want it to be.

“Advisory committees give WSU Tri-Cities students the opportunity to use their voices to make proactive changes for the future use of student fees,” said Evelyn Ostrom, director of student engagement and leadership. “They empower students to share their perspectives, which ensures we’re being intentional about the utilization of fees. University departments greatly benefit from the student representation as it helps them ensure they are meeting student needs through their programs and initiatives.”

To join any of the four committees, students must fill out an application by Thursday, Sept. 14.

For more information, contact Evelyn Ostrom at evelynmtz@wsu.edu.