Student bodies are using postcards to highlight their plight for lack of funding to lawmakers. They are also asking for passage of legislation that would allow medical amnesty for students in Iowa state.
University of Iowa (UI) has a longstanding tradition of sending postcards each year to legislators demanding for legislation that benefits students.
This year will not be different and University of Iowa Student Government (UISG) and Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) partnered with Hawkeye Caucus this fall to send postcards to legislators.
This year they want to demonstrate to these state lawmakers how important Iowa University is to the community. The will also be sharing first-hand information about their experience in the university and requesting funding for areas they feel have been neglected.
UISG and GPSG have argued that they have come to like postcards as a way of communicating with the lawmakers. It is more effective than sending mails because, these legislators have to go to the mail office, fetch their letters, open them and read. This, they described, makes it more efficient, especially when matters being discussed are of importance.
Request for increased funding legislation by lawmakers
GPSG President Dexter Golinghorst said,
The postcard campaign is a long-standing tradition in student government, It is an opportunity for students to engage with [legislators] and kind of get an early feel for advocacy and government relations.
Funding will be the central part of these postcards these years. They are working with the legislator to ensure enough money is appropriated to the university, which will go a long way in helping the student community of UI.
They are also highlighting the importance of retention in areas such as health sciences. Golinghorst said this is an important area where there are shortages of graduate or professional.
UISG Governmental Relations Director Connor Wooff insisted that they are also focusing on medical amnesty. He continued by saying,
Essentially, [medical amnesty] is a law that would grant limited legal immunity to underage people in alcohol-related emergencies.
41 states have legislation on medical amnesty. The state of Iowa, however, has not passed the legislation thus becoming the only state in Midwest with no such legislation.
