Students are the voice of the future. OSPIRG, Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group, is promoting “What’s Your Plan,” a national campaign following presidential candidates that will continue for the rest of the term. The purpose is to raise awareness of student’s voices and to spread the word.
“What’s Your Plan” focuses on issues specifically of interest to students such as global warming, textbook rip-offs and college affordability.
Nick Mumford, a student intern for OSPIRG, spreads the word about political activism and how important it is for students to be involved.
“If they address our issues, then more young people will get out to vote, and it will increase, and maybe next election, they’re going to look at the younger votes and take it more seriously. That is [what] “What’s Your Plan” is all about.”
OSPIRG is an opportunity to help out and gets the issues students are interested in taken care of. One area of action, the affordable textbook campaign, is trying to get publishers to adopt reforms that will save students money.
Along with the national campaign, OSPIRG is videotaping students making statements. The tapes will be sent to all presidential candidates.
“It gives a face to the questions. The tape will show that it’s not just a small group of people but a large group,” Mumford says.
Hesid Brandov-Ysrael is the camerawoman. She works for an independent politically active newspaper, The Media Collection. Brandov-Ysrael thinks it is important because of the collaboration between groups.
“If we’re not involved, then things are just going to go on without us, and if our age group doesn’t decide to be involved or have a say, then it is going to go on like business as usual, and it’s going to be the old guys who do everything. They don’t really care about the issues that are very important to us,” Brandov-Ysrael said.
OSPIRG has a lot of volunteer opportunities. Students can get involved with many programs including community service events, environmental campaigns, voter registration drives and local research projects. OSPIRG also offers course credit internships that will help students learn skills such as how to work with the media, research policy issues, and organize support for a campaign.
“I personally think it is important for students to get involved because even though we’re students, we’re still citizens. It is important that every citizen has a voice. If you give up your right to have a voice, then you might as well not even have power at all. Everyone has power to change the world and doing this exercises that,” Mumford said.
OSPIRG’s website will allow students to register to vote as well as inform them about urgent issues, www.OSPIRGStudents.org.
