Missouri Students Association President Eric Woods is making it a priority to change the way MSA communicates with MU students this semester.

Woods said he wants to move away from the idea that students should come to the government with problems. Instead, he said he thinks it is the government’s responsibility to go to the people.

MSA’s Outreach committee is dedicated to that idea.

“We are assembling an army to go forward and talk to the student body,” Woods said.

The committee is made of 10 to 12 students who arrange meetings with organization leaders across campus.

After having a one-on-one meeting with leaders, Outreach members then attend larger organization events to listen to concerns and comments.

“It’s important for student organizations to know that they can talk to us,” Outreach Chairman Nick Droege said.

Outreach contacted the Muslim Students Organization and attended one of its general body meetings on Sept. 8.

“They spoke about MSA and the overview of the organization,” MSO president Taha Hameduddin said.

He said they focused on how Outreach can be a voice for students, and he thought the committee’s mission was a move forward.

“It’s a start, because in the past this wasn’t done,” he said. “I applaud Eric because it’s the beginning of the year, so we can set the tone for the rest of the year.”

Droege said it’s important for a connection between student organizations and MSA to exist.

“It’s from them that we find out what we can do or improve on campus,” he said. “My goal is to reach out to as many people and organizations as I can.”

So far, Outreach has contacted more than 50 organizations and attended meetings with 15 to 20, Droege said.
Woods said the committee is working the way he had originally envisioned.

Outreach is an ad hoc committee, meaning it doesn’t fall under any legislative branch.

“(The ad hoc committee) allows us to establish committees to address a specific issue that doesn’t fit into any standing committees,” Woods said.

Woods said he hopes to find a permanent place for the committee by the end of the semester.