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(President’s race draws 3 contenders
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Wade Masterson
_ WADE MASTERSON
Name: Wade Masterson
Age: 21
[ajor: Sociology and Business
Administration
Gass: Junior
Hometown: Dallas
What are your qualifications for
student body president?
I was the representative of Texas
A&M for Scona 24 in February 1979
and I have been involved in the
MSC, serving on the OPAS Execu
tive Committee and working with
VAE. I have worked with the Stu
dent Government, including civic
work for the Student Purchase Pro
gram. As an on-campus student I
have served as a member of the
dorm J-Board and as an off-campus
dweller.
How do you feel these qualifica
tions prepare you to interact with
the student body?
Working with both MSC pro
grams and Student Government
committees has given me a better
overview of the sources and chan
nels by which to get things done here
at A&M. I have become associated
with the programs of several of the
larger student organizations without
becoming too enveloped or indoc
trinated into one which has left me
with the objectivity needed to rep
resent the entire student body
without impartiality. Living on and
off campus has given me a better
picture of the uniqueness and spe
cial concerns of both styles of hous
ing.
What do you see as the major
problems and issues confronting the
student senate next year?
I think reponsiveness and com
munication are presently lacking in
the student government. Changes
are needed: a responsive Student
Government must be developed;
one which is in-time with the needs
of all the students, particularly the
often neglected concerns of off-
campus, foreign and married stu
dents as well as the academic and
economic issues that affect us all.
Specifically, the Student Govern
ment should provide leadership to
combat fee increases, like the tui
tion hike proposed by the state
legislature, and encourage discount
programs with service to the stu
dents as a priority over who prom-
ides it.
What changes, if any, do you
plan to make as student body
president?
One of the things I intend to do is
have frequent surveys of student
opinions and interests. I would also
like to have weekly newspaper ac
counts of student government
events and proceedings in a regular,
readable column form, in order to
better solicit student review of gov-
'emment activities. I would have a
continuous public relations effort to
keep everyone informed of the serv
ices available to us all, and would
use any other methods or proce
dures proposed that would establish
a better communications link.
What do you feel is the role of
student government and what di
rection will you point the senate
toward if elected?
The role of the Student Govern
ment, strictly speaking, is to “act as
a communicating link between the
students and the administration.” A
more constructive approach in
cludes such terms as: “advocates for
student interests,” “a representative
body for student Aggies”, or “a plat
form for student issues. ” The admin
istration wrote the first definition;
it’s our responsibility to establish a
new definition and expand the role
of our Student Government. Im
provement. Change. These are the
only acceptable routes for the Se
nate.
B. Wayne Morrison
Name: J. Wayne Morrison
; Age: 21
Major: Accounting and Finance
I Gass: senior
iometown: Houston
I What are your qualifications for
student body president?
■ 1 have been an active member of
t(ie student government finance
committee for the past two years. In
addition, I had the privilege to serve
the student body as vice president
for finance in student government
this past year. In this position, I
have been able to assess from an in-
sipe perspective the inner workings
of all three branches — executive,
legislative and judicial — I know
nt government s strengths and
jfeaknesses. My involvement on
several University committees is an
indication of my desire to serve the
students of Texas A&M Universitv.
How do you feel these qualifica-
Jons prepare you^o interact with
the student body?
These qualifications have not only
ded me in relating to students on a
one to one basis but have also given
me the opportunity to work, sup
port and serve many other student
organizations, besides student gov
ernment, such as the Memorial
Student Center and the Off-Campus
Student Association. My student
government experiences have re
impressed upon me the fact that
students must support students if
we are going to improve the quality
of life here at Texas A&M Univer
sity.
What do you see as the major
problems and issues confronting the
student senate next year?
The priority issue confronting
student government next year will
be a continuing effort to widen the
channels for student input into
academic matters. It will be our re
sponsibility to insure that the stu
dent viewpoint on such issues as
Q-drop and the raising of standards
for graduation with honors is taken
seriously by the University adminis
tration. In addition, we should work
in the Texas Legislature to insure
that in-state tuition fees are not in
creased.
onnie Kapavik
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RONNIE KAPAVIK
Name: Ronnie Kapavik
Age: 20
[ajor: Agronomy
>lass: ’80 (grad May ’80)
Iometown: Lancaster, Texas
What are your qualifications for
lent body president?
During the past three years at
A&M, I’ve had many valuable ex-
Jriences. Among these are: stu-
snt government responsibities in-
cluding 77-78 senator, Student
Service Committee, Subcommittee
on Internal Shuttle bus route, 78-79
Coordinator of Business Affairs, re
sponsible for refrigerator rentals,
VISA card program for graduating
seniors, Campus Chest loan fund,
and other business related pro
grams. Other responsibilites have
included: Class of ’80 council, Stu
dent Y as Fish Camp counselor (two
years), Student Agricultural council,
Alpha Zeta honor/service fraternity,
Cap and Gown, Mortarboard, and
involvement in the American Soci
ety of Agronomy on the local, state
and national levels. In addition, I
am serving on the Student Organi
zations Board and employed as a
Resident Adviser.
How do you feel these qualifica
tions prepare you to interact with
the student body?
A student body president’s back
ground should be broad based, with
interest in many areas of student ac
tivities. My active involvement in
organizations have enabled me to
interact with students of all
classifications, academic majors, and
living areas. Having had these in-
J. WAYNE MORRISON
What changes, if any, do you plan
to make as student body president?
I would like to see increased
input from students, not only into
our University administration, but
volvements has made me able to
appreciate the opinions of students
with varied interest, and prepared
me to serve those interests in an ef
fective, efficient manner.
What do you see as the major
problems and issues confronting
the student senate next year?
As in the past, I feel that the se
nate will be faced with the problem
of formulations the type of policy and
legislation which will tangibly bene
fit students. This problem inhe
rently stems from the complexity of
Student Government structure. The
senate must caution against becom
ing involved in trivialities and begin
to address issues of concern to all
students, especially in the responsi
bility of Student Government as a
student spokesman in community
relations.
What changes, if any, do you
plan to make as student body presi
dent?
I would hope to work within the
existing structure of Student Gov
ernment to meet the needs of stu
dents as they arise. For the purpose
of set meeting long range goals,
however, I would encourage the se
als© to our state and federal gov
ernments as well. After all, these
three entities make policies which
greatly influence our lives here at
Texas A&M. Furthermore, I would
like to see student government in
crease its services to the students
next year as opposed to the decrease
we experienced this year. I want to
institute needed programs such as
an effective student bookmart and a
student self-service car care center
next year.
What do you feel is the role of
student government and what di
rection will you point the senate
toward if elected?
Student government’s role is to
represent the student’s interests to
the administration in a prudent and
effective manner. This is done, of
course, to enhance the quality and
scope of the education provided for
us as well as promote the general
welfare of the student body. If
elected, I would direct the student
senate in fulfilling this role of work
ing for the students as opposed to
overconcerning ourselves with our
internal red tape.
nate to establish a Student Govern
ment Long Range Planning Corn-
committee. A body of this type
would definitely help maintain con
tinuity and clarify the purpose of
Student Government.
What do you feel is the role of
student government and what di
rection will you point the senate
toward if elected?
The responsibility of Student
Government is to the students, all
students. In a university the size of
Texas A&M, their concerns can
often be neglected. To overcome
this problem, Student Government
must remain responsive to needs as
they arise, and continue working to
improve student social and
academic life at Texas A&M. The
body should provide a forum for
voicing opinion but it should also be
committed to action. Taking rec
ommendations to the university
administrators as well as local and
state leaders is an obligation which
must be met for Student Govern
ment to remain effective. It would
therefore be my objective to im
press upon the Senate the impor
tance of this duty.
Unopposed
VP-Rules, Regs
PAUL BETTENCOURT
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Name: Paul David Betten
court
Age: 20
Major: Chemical Engineering
Class: Junior
Hometown: Houston
VP-Finance
GEORGE BLACK
Name: George Black
Age: 21
Major: Finance
Class: Junior
Hometown: Houston