In one sentence: ASUPS stands for the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound, the university’s student body government.

With another sentence: ASUPS functions as an autonomous department, and serves as the central hub for all student programming, affiliated clubs and organizations, policy and student representation on faculty, administration and Trustee committees.

One last sentence: ASUPS is expansive and essentially has limitless boundaries; however, its capacity fluctuates depending upon the amount of students who utilize it to its potential.

Okay, one more: Anyone can get involved in ASUPS (even freshmen); all it takes is being willing to ask.

How is it structured?

You can divide ASUPS into six general categories:
1. Executive Team
2. Senate
3. Programmers
4. Committee Representatives
5. Media
6. Clubs/Organizations

What is the ASUPS Executive Team?

The ASUPS Executive Team consists of the President, Vice President, Director of Business Services, Director of Public Relations and the Director of Technology Services. On the Student Leaders tab, you can find individual position descriptions and video interviews with each of the Executives. The Executives are paid representatives who work throughout the year on the second floor of Wheelock.

What is ASUPS Senate?

Senate officially meets once-a-week in the Murray Board Room for a formal session, at which dockets are discussed and voted upon, student initiatives are weighed, and general campus issues are brought to the table. Reports are given from several members, and Formal Senate is open to everyone.

Senators are charged with attending all meetings of the Senate, having the final say on all dockets, appointments, finance allocations and the ASUPS Budget, serving as liaisons to specific clubs, and serving as representatives of the student body’s collective voice and interests to the best of their ability.

The individual senators are listed on the Student Leaders page.

What are Programmers?

See the Programmers page to learn more about ASUPS Programs and the individuals who make it work. Programmers are also located on the second floor of Wheelock.

Who are Committee Representatives?

Though not well-publicized, there are many committees that serve a vital role in the Puget Sound experience, not simply for students but for staff, faculty and administrators. There are three different types of committees with student representation: Trustee committees, faculty committees, and ASUPS committees (which are entirely student-run). Between all the types, more than sixty students each year serve as representatives, providing a student voice on committees that decide policy, projects and the overall direction our school is heading in. All committee members are appointed by the ASUPS President and then approved by Senate.

What are the types of media that ASUPS provides for the student body?

There are links to the different media on the “Links” page, but here is the general list: The Trail (student newspaper), KUPS-The Sound (radio station), Tamanawas (yearbook), Crosscurrents (literary journal), and the science journal (Elements).

Here are the Media Heads for different media, who you should contact if you are interested in helping out, or even applying for a position:

What clubs/organizations are available?

The comprehensive list is being worked on currently (~80 different clubs, takes some time), but the best way for you to find out now is to e-mail the ASUPS Director of Public Relations, Libby Orrick (asupsdpr@pugetsound.edu). You can also contact Kevin Carlton, the ASUPS Senate Club Liaison (kcarlton@pugetsound.edu). Let them know what you’re looking for, and they’ll send you in the right direction!