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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1982)
Galifnrnbi and dashed over Morudav’s landing aitemnt wasral weather had closed White Sands I r'mmm a Four men vie for presidency Page 5 junior agriculture education DeSoto I believe in Student Govern ment. It works. Because Student Government exists, you and I have a voice in what goes on at this University. Artd that's very important. We as students are the biggest single reason the University is here. Student Government has to make that plain to all con cerned. It has to serve as a bridge between students and t he administration. The student body president in particular has to be a bridge- builder. Of necessity he is often the chief student voice heard by administrators, and that means Jeff Anthony he has a responsibility to be a clear and effective spokesman. The bridges he builds must be lasting ones. I’m seeking the presidency of the student body because 1 be lieve I can be that clear voice. Being speaker of the Senate this year, as w ell as Speaker Pro Tern last year and a recipient of the Distinguished Senator award, has taught me a great deal about how things work and how jobs get done. My work in the Senate has, I think, prepared me for the heavy weight that descends on the student body president’s shoulders. This office, of course, re quires more than just a history of holding Senate positions. Broader experience in the Uni versity is essential. For me, that experience has come in many ways: through being Chairman of last year’s Student Agricul ture Convocation, earning an American Farmer Degree from FFA (Future Farmers of Amer ica), and being active in Collegi ate FFA the Saddle and Sirloin Club, and various University committees among others. I’m excited about what we can accomplish in Student Govern ment this year. There are great challenges but also tremendous opportunities. Among other things, we must work to: — make long registration lines shorter — provide an intra-campus shuttle bus system and expand student parking — expand student computer facilities — ensure that on-campus hous ing remains economically reasonable — recognize effective teaching — bring senators and their con stituents together to discuss common concerns — keep off-campus students up to date on Student Government and other University activities. Achieving all this will not be easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is. But we can do it if we work together unselfishly and untir ingly — that is, if we work like good Ags. I hope to do my part as student body president; in that, I hope I have your support. junior then i icu I engi nee ring Knty The student body president is an advocate for the students. He takes issues decided by the Stu dent Senate or by the students themselves and presents them to administrators and faculty members. The president also sets the attitude and direction that Student Government takes in serving the students of Texas A&M University. Student Government lias made great strides in providing student services and effectively working with administrators to find solutions to problems that students want solved. After three years of involvement in Student Government as a Fresh man Aide, a Student Senator, and presently Executive Vice President, I have worked in both the legislative and executive branches. From this perspective, I see what steps need to be taken to continue input in University affairs. In choosing a student body president, Aggies need an experienced candidate with fresh ideas. My main goal as student body president will be to develop a comprehensive statement on all issues affecting students so that tve can initiate action in addition to responding to administration decisions. The University has a Planning Vice President who prepares the administration’s position on Texas A&M’s direc tion in the future. Students need the same time and effort put into preparing their views on the future of Texas A&M as well. Some areas of student interest that need to be addressed are academics, student services, and administration policies. Some specifics in the acade mics area include increasing computer access, improving academic advising, evaluating the physical education grading system, and encouraging stu dent input in rewarding good teaching. Texas A&M needs S45 mil lion to expand its computer faci lities to prepare Aggies for suc cess in their future careers. The allocation of computer time and computer money should also be evaluated to meet the increasing needs of business analysis, com puter science and engineering students. The P.E. grading system should be reversed, with Pass/ Fail automatic and a letter grade Jeff Bissey optional, so fewer students would be penalized for attemp ting to learn new skills. Student services that need to be established or improved in clude sports and recreation faci lities to meet the overwhelming student demand, effective utili zation of student Financial aid, and a book exchange. Major administration policies that need to be clarified for stu dents include bonfire, construc tion, Q-drops and Dead Week. By securing Building Exempt Status to protect the rest of Dun can Field, we can insure the con tinuation of bonfire on campus. Student Government can also insure that construction on main campus is on a student-use-first priority (intramural facilities, dorms, and classrooms) by working with the Board of Re gents to make this a written policy. junior intiustrial engineering Dallas WHY DOES MIKE LAWSHE WAN T THE JOB OF STU DENT BODY PRESIDENT? Many issues are important for the welfare of the students at Texas A&M University. Mike Lawshe, as junior class presi dent, has watched Student Gov ernment take on few of these important issues. He has seen the lack of direction that our Student Government has fol lowed this year. Any time a gov erning body allows debate about whether senators can eat candy during a meeting, important issues are being ignored. Mike Mike Lawshe will define specific goals for the year that will have tangible gains at the end of the year. As a past member of the Advisory Council, Mike has seen the lack of enthusiasm and moti vation of many senators. He has seen our Student Government so frustrated by inaction that 45 percent, almost half, of the sena tors have left the organization. Mike wants to promote pride in a governing body that w ill be in volved in real issues and not “Candy Caper” issues. What is a senator’s job de scription in Student Govern ment? This has never been de fined. Mike will provide, in wait ing, guidelines for specific roles and responsibilities for each senator. As sophomore class president and a member of Student Gov ernment's Advisory Council last year, Mike knows that many organizations have not been consulted on many issues. For example the Advisory Council was never even convened this year. Mike will reinstate an effective Advisory Council that will voice the opinions of all ma jor campus organizations. A Student Government should know how to coordinate and be aware of all issues about Texas A&M and leave the de tails to organizations such as RHA for campus living, OCA for off campus problems, and MSC Council for student prog rams and activities. Mike believes that not every one must be an active member in Student Government, but that Student Government should be responsive to the needs of all students. Input should come from dorm presidents, dorm councils and other organizations that are not heard in Student Government today. Mike w'ants Mickey Mouse be havior to go back to Hollywood, so that w'e can have an effective Student Government w'ith “real” issues. junior political science San Antonio As a second year Senator repre senting the off-campus sector of Ward II, I have served on sever al committees including Rules and Regulations, Internal Affairs, the Student Financial Advisory Board, Student Ser vices, and the Campus Canvass Committee. Through these committees I experienced the workings of our University and realized that there is room for improvement. I feel that main worthwhile committees have been stilled bv some short sightedness on the part of the executive branch of Student Government. These committees have an important role in meet ing student needs — a role that could he strengthened hv a pres ident involved in student activi ties. I am also a member of Town Hall, Off Campus Aggies, College Republicans, and have been a fish camp counselor for two years. In the Senate, I gained know ledge of all aspects of Student Government and realized the capabilities of a strong leader. Leadership is a vital aspect of the presidency, but management of our Senate’s responsibilities and its effect upon the student body is equally important. A manager of government could unify the student body by creating re sponsiveness and opening chan nels of communication between students and their government. I am looking for a change in di rection from that of previous leaders in hopes to further the potential that I think Student Government possesses. The primary concern of stm dents is academics. I plan to address the issues with the same interest that has been so greatly expressed by my peers. Numer ous services are available to stu dents concerning academic advice and counseling. Unfor tunately, too many of us are una ware of them. Efficient prog ramming and University-wide publication of these services can inf orm us of their helpfulness. I have found that one of the big gest academic-related problems is that advising varies from col lege to college. Therefore, we have developed a program that will involve honor societies and experienced students volunteer ing scheduling advice to others Pat Pearson prior to pre-registration. Of the deans and faculty members con sulted, all were verv receptive to the idea and offered aid in de veloping the criteria to train these volunteer advisors. As the University grows, we must realize the unfortunate ex istence of daily crime problems. In order to protect ourselves and our property, positive ac tion must be taken by the stu dent body as a whole. The Resi dent Housing Association has begun steps toward crime pre vention through a “Lock Up and Look Out” program. I would in stigate a crime awareness prog ram that will work in conjunc tion with area police and other organizations throughout the community. After reviewing what such a program would entail, I feel confident of its success in elimi nating much of the crime at Texas A&M.