In an effort to increase voter participation among college students, USF will be the only state university to host a straw poll for the upcoming gubernatorial election.

At Tuesday’s Student Government Senate meeting, political science professor Susan MacManus urged senate members and all students to participate in the poll. The straw poll will be taken today at the Phyllis P. Marshall Center and Cooper Hall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The poll is sponsored by the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society and the USF Student Government Association.

“We’re trying to educate students about how elections work,” MacManus said. “I think a lot of candidates are realizing that younger voters are the only untapped reservoir out there.”

MacManus stressed that the straw poll is important to the gubernatorial candidates.

“Any poll they come out on top of is great,” MacManus said.

Also at the meeting, sophomore Megan Provencher, a Beta Hall resident, attended the meeting and addressed senate members regarding parking problems on campus.

“I’m just a resident who is pissed off,” Provencher said. “I went and paid three tickets today.”

Provencher passed a petition, which had already been signed by dozens of students, to senate members.

Provencher, who isn’t a SG member, said she is just trying to organize students who have complaints about parking.

Provencher said she would like to see signs posted around campus that would inform students of parking services available to them, including Park & Ride and shuttle services.

Senator Pasha Baker said Parking and Transportation Services employees, who issue parking citations, are simply doing their job.

Provencher welcomes suggestions, comments and questions about parking concerns. She can be reached at vbalin8@aol.com.

At the meeting, Director of Student Affairs Tameka Bradley, who is organizing USF’s Sept. 11 memorial, expressed the need for volunteers to set up chairs and light candles at the vigil.

She can be contacted at tameka1220@aol.com.

Student Body president Michael Griffin spoke briefly at the meeting to warn senate members about the possibility of the state eliminating the Bright Futures Scholarship.

“I think if you take away Bright Futures you’re taking away people’s opportunity to go to college,” Griffin said.