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Student leaders face issues
Presidency offers
chances to learn
by Cheryl Maynard
Battalion Reporter
Being student body president
gives you a chance to work with a
wide range of people in ail lev els
of life, says Student Body Presi
dent Ken Johnson.
“It gives you the chance to do
constructive things here at
Texas A&M, and I’ve found it to
be a real learning opportunity
and personal challenge,” he
said.
To become a student body
president, a person must have a
minimum grade point ratio of
2.5, and must have been a stu
dent at the University for three
consecutive semesters.
But Johnson said some un
written qualifications are in
volved as well.
He said it’s important for can
didates to be knowledgeable of
student government and what
occurs at Texas A&M. The stu
dent body president must be
able to communicate and “tell it
like it is,” he said.
Further, he suggests that can
didates be aware of the commit
ment and willingness necessary
for the job. He added that a per
son has no business seeking
office unless he can put service
above self.
“You’re alw'ays going and
doing as student body presi
dent,” Johnson said. He esti
mates that he puts in about 50-
60 hours a week for the office,
including the luncheons, meet
ings and dinners he must attend.
The job has had him rub
elbows with University adminis
trators at all levels, students, for
mer students and chancellors of
other universities w ith whom he
would have never come in con
tact.
“Student government has to
accurately represent the needs
and wants of the entire student
body,” said Johnson.
To do this, he has helped to
initiate a campus canvass system
in which senators visit monthly
with as many students as they
can in their constituencies for in
put on campus issues.
Though the canvass gave stu
dent government knowledge of
some on-going campus prob
lems, there was no way of know
ing that it was truly a representa
tive sample of students being in
terviewed. Thus, Johnson said,
student government is begin
ning to solicit opinions from the
student body face-to-face.
Student senators each solicit
25 opinions in person from their
constituency. The most com
mon problems mentioned by
these students will be put in
priority order. Then, by phone
or mail, members of student
government will question 395
students randomly about these
priority problems.
Although the results are sta
tistically invalid, they do give
student leaders a better case to
present to University adminis
trators who can work on
changes, Johnson said.
Photo by Bob Sebree
Head Yell Leader Mike Thatcher holds onto Aggie
mascot Reveille IV before kickoff at a football
game on Kyle Field. Reveille and the yell leaders
boost the Twelfth Man spirit during all home games.
Photo by Todd Woodard
Student Body President Ken Johnson Johnson, a senior agricultural
reviews his notes before the start of a economics major, was elected during
meeting of the Student Senate. last year’s elections.
He said that when he entered
office in 1981, he wanted to
address tough issues, yet he had
no idea just how controversial
the 1981-82 year would be.
Issues such as limiting enroll
ment, parking problems and
Gay Students Service Organiza
tion law suits against the Univer
sity required the attention of
student government. Johnson
said these complex issues are on
going and they will be ol con
cern to the next student hodv
president as well.
Seniors recall year
Yell leaders motivate
by Lori Weldon
Battalion Reporter
Spirit and tradition are com
mon fare among Aggies. But for
Texas A&M University yell lead
ers, those words have special
meaning.
Yell leaders are the personifi
cation of Aggie traditions and
it’s the veil leaders’ responsibility
to preserve them or to instigate
changes to reflect the Universi
ty’s changes, said Head Yell
Leader Mike Thatcher.
Motivating crowds at football
and basketball games and set
ting an example of good sport
smanship are both important to
the role of yell leader. And since
they are probably the most visi
ble student leaders, their job en
tails much more than just lead
ing veils at games.
Senior veil leaders coordinate
veil practices — reserving Kvle
Field, arranging for use of the
Rudder Lower sound system
and planning lor security.
For out-of-tow n games thev
must make arrangements with
the Chamber of Commerce in
that city to have veil practice
there, said Norris Hodgin,
senior yell leader. Away games
also require financial planning,
time schedules and transporta
tion arrangements.
Another job of the v eil lead
ers is to speak to groups of for
mer students concerning
changes at the University. They
also meet with new students to
tell them about Aggie traditions.
Keeping tradition alive at
Texas A&M is more difficult
now, Hodgin said. Because of
the University’s fast grow th, a lot
of people are uninformed about
traditions, he said.
Thatcher said that being in
volved is what being a v eil leader
is all about. Hodgin said that-
when he was an underclassmen
he looked up to the veil leaders
because thev enjoyed what they
were doing and were involved
with the University.
“You’re caught up in what
Texas A&M really is — you’re in
control," Thatcher said. ”1 like
to be in a position where I can
have an influence. You have a
h/l wi input at uciivuit_:> uiliri
than those concerning yell
leaders.”
The head veil leader meets
about twice a month with other
student leaders, and in the hill
he speaks at about six meetings;!
week. Last fall 1 hatchet wits
scheduled to speak at lour or
five meetings a clay, five days a
week.
Occasional meetings are with
former students.
I he y ell leaders traveled to
football games in San Francisco
and Boston last semester awl
had the chance to talk to former
students from the classes ol
1920 and 1930, to hear them de
scribe what Texas A&M was like
when thev were students.
"Aggies are the greatest peo
ple in the world and it’s realiv
neat communicating with
them,” Hodgin said.
“There actually is a twellth
man.” Thatcher said.
“You're not out there lor
yourself, vou’re representing
the Twelfth Man,” Hoclgin said.
"That's what Texas A&M is. Its
tradition."