Students walking around the Indiana Memorial Union on Tuesday could
easily read the minds of the Indiana Public Interest Research Group
members stationed near to the elevators.
“What’s your plan on
financial security” and “what’s your plan on global warming” were two
of the thoughts emanating from students’ heads, both figuratively and
literally.
The Indiana Public Interest Research Group is an
organization dedicated to improving the environment and promoting
citizen involvement. The group took pictures of 47 people, including IU
Dean of Students Dick McKaig with thought bubbles next to their heads
to compile a visual petition that will be sent to the 2008 presidential
candidates. The petition is part of INPIRG’s “What’s your plan?”
campaign.
“It asks the presidential candidates about issues
that effect our generation,” said INPIRG president Brett Kokot. “It’s
going to show them that the 18-24 demographic is a group worth paying
attention to.”
The college-aged demographic will be making an impact on other things as well, Kokot said.
The
four major campaigns INPIRG will be focusing on this year are the New
Voters Project, “What’s your plan?”, Hunger and Homelessness and Campus
Climate Challenge.
For the Campus Climate Challenge, Kokot
said that INPIRG is trying to organize a Focus the Nation rally.
According to Focus the Nation’s Web site, the rally aims to coordinate
teams of faculty and students at thousands of colleges, universities
and K-12 schools all over the nation.
For IU’s rally, Kokot hopes to secure senators, representatives, University administrators, faculty and the mayor as speakers.
INPIRG
will be hosting a membership drive during the week of Sept. 13, when
they will petition students to join their group by walking around
campus, setting up a table outside of Ballantine Hall and posting
fliers around the University, Kokot said.
Isabel Estevez,
media coordinator for the Hunger and Homelessness campaign, said INPIRG
provides an extraordinary opportunity for students to get involved on a
local, national and eventually, a global level.
“It’s an easy
way to make a difference,” she said. “It doesn’t require a great time
commitment – a few hours can go a long way.”
Students looking to get involved with INPIRG before next week can sign up on the group’s Web site, www.inpirg.org.
