Washburn University makes it a priority to give students the tools they needto plan… literally.

The Washburn Student Government Association is taking an active role in getting students involved and prepared for the upcoming school year. WSGA, partnered with Student Life, will continue the annual tradition of handing out new planners to all students at the beginning of the year free of charge.

Caley Onek, vice president of WSGA,said that the main purpose of this serviceis to provide all students with a copy of thestudent handbook and university calendarin addition to providing a method of organization and space for students to document schedules, assignments and otherappointments.

Each planner provides important dates and activities happening on campus, as well as meeting times and contact information for various student organizations. The planners also contain phone numbers and contact information for different departments on campus and a welcome letter to the students from Washburn President Jerry Farley.

Along with new planners, students will also receive a free notebook, sponsored by WSGA. The pages inside the cover include a letter from the president and vice president of WSGA, a list of the WSGA Executive Staff, important dates to remember for the fall semester and a campus map. The notebooks also provide students with contact information for various campus departments.

Planners and notebooks will beavailable for pickup in several locationsthroughout the Memorial Union any time after Aug. 14.

While WSGA works to provide studentswith the materials they need to besuccessful, the organization continues toencourage students to get involved early.New freshmen are encouraged to apply for one of five open senate seats. The fall 2009 freshmen elections are scheduled for Sept. 2 and 3.

All petitions, which require a totalof 50 student signatures or a nomimationfrom a current campus organization, are tobe turned in to the WSGA office, locatedin the basement of the Memorial Union, by Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 5 p.m.

For more information about WSGA and the various services the organization provides, visit the Web site at www.mywsga.com or stop by the office.