SRC speaks up for students
By Elise Sakievich, Scroll
The Student Representative Council acts as a bridge between students and administration at
BYU-Idaho, ensuring that students voices are heard.
Astrid Gaona, a senior studying early childhood special education, is the director of the SRC.
She said last semester the title and term of the student body president changed. Before, the
president served for two semesters. Now, the student in this position is titled director and serves
for one semester.
I have the opportunity to sit on the Presidents Council with President Clark and President
Miyasaki to represent the voice of the students, Gaona said. Im not there to say what I think,
but to share what students on campus think.
The SRC is composed of 10 council members who each sit on two or three of the administrative
councils at BYU-I. There are more than 20 administrative councils overseeing the needs of
students, according to the SRC webpage.
We each sit on different councils so we get input from different areas, Gaona said. Every
Monday we meet to discuss those things we have noticed and discuss solutions.
The SRC is in charge of campus surveys and Q-and-As with President Clark, Gaona said.
Council members go out blitzing every week and talk to students, she said.
Gaona said blitzing means going door-to-door and talking to students. Council members collect
questions and concerns to see if there are any common problems.
We go out and gather information, then collect it all and report it, said Dempsey Wheelock,
program manager for the SRC and a junior studying business management. Then we take that as
a council, whichever one we sit on throughout the school and even into the city, and get
information to people who can help.
Gaona said the SRC also collects information through email and Facebook. She said they check
every day for students suggestions or concerns.
Just a few weeks ago, we got an email from a student, Gaona said. The flag outside the
Kimball was tearing apart, and nobody had noticed. But he emailed us suggesting that the flag be
changed. A few days later, a new flag was put up.
Gaona said the SRC also works on projects assigned by the Presidents Council. They go through
survey results and filter the information to answer questions the administration has about the
students on campus.
We are the medium between the students and administration, she said. We do what we can to
serve both.
Anthony Hernandez, a member of SRC and a junior studying accounting, said he enjoys the
unity of the council.
Its like the way M. Russell Ballard put it: SRC is like a car, and were the engine, Hernandez
said. If one part isnt working, we are all messing up. But when we are all working as hard as
we can and we are all fine-tuned, the car works perfectly.
Gaona said she is concerned with the way some students view the SRC.
Just because we take suggestions, we cant change everything, she said. Its not all in our
power, but we have the ability to suggest and influence changes through administrative
councils.
Gaona said its up to the students to help the school.
We love to hear what students think, she said. We are always looking for ways to better their
experience here at BYU-I
Alanna ONeal, a sophomore studying preschool education, said she likes being a part of SRC
because she stands out because people see her SRC polo shirt and ask her questions.
It provides the opportunity for me to learn more about the school so I can answer those
questions, so I can be an effective representative of the school, ONeal said.
Gaona said the motto of SRC this semester is being instruments in the hands of the Lord.
The information we gather and share is very important, Wheelock said. We have the
opportunity to be the carriers of it. Its kind of like the torches for the Olympic runners. We are
the runners of the information. We play an intricate part in that.
Gaona said its hard for students to recognize and appreciate what goes on behind the scenes.
We care for the students, Gaona said. All of the people serving in our council have a love for
the school and the people that are here. They are so willing to serve.
Gaona said students should try to appreciate what goes on around campus and use the resources
theyve been given.
We are here to listen, she said.
