The Daily Northwestern

The Associated Student Government entered the 2004-05 school year with the goal that size shouldn’t matter.

At an annual weekend fall retreat, the ASG Executive Board hashed out plans to find ways for smaller groups to host events and programming similar to what larger groups do, ASG leaders said.

Financial Vice President Zaid Pardesi suggested small groups join together to host larger events.

The Student Activities Finance Board, which Pardesi leads, will host a conference on co-sponsoring events for all interested groups from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m on Oct. 7.

The conference will take place in the Purdue Room of Norris University Center. At this conference, Pardesi said, student group leaders will be able to give a small presentation on their various programs.

Through appreciating each others’ agendas, groups will be able to communicate and work together on programming, Pardesi added.

Student Services Vice President Alex Lurie said his committee is working to decrease the cost of NU apparel, an idea that has won the support of ASG President Jane Lee.

“Every student should own Northwestern paraphernalia,” said Lee, a Weinberg senior. “I’d love to see a sea of purple at Northwestern football games.”

The committee would also like to further improve handicap accessibility on campus.

“We are working with the administration to get (prices) about where we are, where we’ve come from and where we have to go,” Lurie said of his committee’s work on making the campus more accessible.

Student Services aims to post shuttle route information in dorms and at shuttle stops off-campus. A Global Positioning System for the shuttles is still in the works and will be available off the ASG Web site soon, said Lurie, a Communication junior.

This year’s diversity conference will be smaller and hopefully more effective, Lurie said. Attendees will be the student group leaders of NU’s various cultural clubs.

“ASG has been insular before and we’re trying to reach out to more groups,” he said.

The retreat agenda also included looking at ways to make the governing body more effective at serving its constituents, according to Lee.

ASG also plans to continue with past projects. This quarter it will host another Friday After Class event, turning Norris into a bar with a deejay, drinks and food.

“It’s a good way for students to come together with your fraternity, your student group or your class,” said Communication senior Sara Whitaker, campus public relations chairwoman and organizer of the event.

Other long-term goals include facilitating dorm exchanges, offering financial aid for summer classes and strengthening the Asian American studies program.

Committee leaders said they will report progress toward these goals at the weekly ASG senate meetings, on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in Norris. Meetings are open to the public and anyone can participate in the question and debate portions, Lee said.

A complete list of executive board members and senators, along with recent legislation, can be found on the ASG Web site at www.asg.northwestern.edu.

Reach Alexis Crawford at [email protected].