The Tietz Slate is making the environment one of its top issues in the Student Government Association election.
Ben Tietz said Ball State's recycling program needs to be expanded for the students' convenience.
According to www.teamtietz.com, the Tietz Slate wants to "standardize and simplify the recycling program" to protect and to beautify the campus.
To improve the program, Tietz said more recycling bins are needed in academic buildings.
"We want to put them in places where students are," he said. "It's also important to make sure the bins are visible."
Kevin Kenyon, associate vice president of facilities planning and management, said the current recycling program is working.
However, Kenyon said the current recycling bins, in the academic buildings, need to be more attractive.
"I can't say they're not nice looking, but I think it's possible to make them more attractive," Kenyon said.
Olufunmbi Elemo, vice presidential candidate for the Tietz Slate, said one suggestion would be to change the color of the bins and to have more bins around campus.
"Simply put we can't find recycling bins," Elemo said. "We need to make the bins more accessible to students."
Kenyon said the university could work with the student government to improve the recycling program.
"I don't think it would be too costly to do it," Kenyon said. "I think it's possible."
The university pays for the recycling program through its waste management contract, Kenyon said. The recycling budget is flexible enough to allow additional recycling bins, he said.
Kenyon said more bins can make recycling easier, but it's up to the students to recycle.
"Since it's not mandatory, we need to do a better job of explaining what students need to do," Kenyon said.
Tietz said if elected, his administration will work to promote recycling around campus and to keep the students informed on any changes.
"If we are to take ideas and make it fun to recycle, we can make recycling easier to promote," Elemo said.
Kenyon said recycling in the residence halls needs the most improvement on campus.
"Point blank: Ball State is our home," Elemo said. "We live nine months out of the year here."
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