After years of uncertainty and debate, the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) will have its chance this weekend to show other Big Ten student governments it is serious about student government.
When the Association of Big Ten Students (ABTS) met for its biannual conference last August, UPUA was not even recognized, much less invited.
But come Friday, UPUA, after finally earning official recognition by the ABTS, will be hosting the conference for the first time in Penn State history.
"I think it shows the progress we've made in the past couple of years," current UPUA President Gavin Keirans said. "I think that we've made some constitutional changes, and there are still more positive changes that can come, but we're on the right track."
The event kicks off Friday at the Smeal College of Business and will conclude Sunday morning in the HUB-Robeson Center.
The primary purpose of the conference is information exchange between the governments, Student Assembly Chairman Ralph Crivello said, and Penn State will benefit from the advice and support of stronger student governing bodies.
"One of the cool things about coming to this conference is hearing all of these initiatives and ideas from other schools, and hopefully we can give Penn State all of the support they need," ABTS Executive Director Alex Swain, of Ohio State University, said.
Former UPUA President Hillary Lewis said UPUA offered to host the conference at the spring 2008 event; ABTS formally recognized UPUA in January, she said.
"Having Penn State hold the ABTS conference shows UPUA's dedication to moving student government at Penn State forward and our desire to work and collaborate with the Association of Big Ten Students," Lewis wrote in a subsequent e-mail.
Once the offer was made and accepted, UPUA began the initial planning process, Lewis said.
"I think it just shows that we're moving ahead with our new organization. It's a positive move that other schools are recognizing us as well," UPUA Vice President Valerie Russell said.
Hosting the conference is a "huge honor," Keirans said, and other UPUA officials agreed.
"Hosting this event was a way to show [UPUA's] appreciation to the Big Ten community ... and to come to Penn State and see what [UPUA] has
worked on and [UPUA's] progress," Crivello said.
Crivello added UPUA has made many strides in the last three years, but he hopes the association will achieve more through such conferences.
Though Crivello cannot attend the event, he believes it will give UPUA perspective to where the organization wants to go.
Keirans couldn't disclose specific details of the discussions at the conference, but he said he would like to discuss a possible voting challenge between the Big Ten schools for the upcoming presidential election.
Besides a potential Big Ten challenge, the weekend will consist of presentations and speeches, discussions regarding the different procedures at the schools, campus tours and a concert, Keirans said.
UPUA has been preparing for the conference since the offer was accepted earlier this year. Keirans said his major work began in July confirming discussion topics, scheduling speakers and finding accommodations for visiting students.
Because most student governments aren't operating at full status or at all during the summer months and the significant distance Penn State is from the other schools, getting representation from all universities was difficult, Keirans said, but added there will be a respectable turnout equating a strong conference.
