Student body president
Officials comment on position, important characteristics of office holder
By JASON COX
The Battalion
Texas A&M's next student body president
needs to be willing to make hard decisions
which will affect student's lives and work to
wards bringing the campus together, said Uni
versity officials Monday.
"A student body president needs to articu
late and communicate the goals, aspirations
and needs of the University inside and outside
of the community," said University President
Dr. William Mobley.
Mobley said the student body president is
the primary communicator of the student
body's perspective, and the president needs to
take advantage of the many opportunities to in
teract with the administration.
"The president will need to be a good listen
er and understand how challenging it will be to
get unanimity on any issue," he said.
Mobley also said the president needs to rep
resent the views of the student body in a vari
ety of forms, but particularly to the administra
tion.
"I look personally to the input and advice of
the president," he said.
Both university presidents and student body
presidents perform a limitless number of cere
monially duties, he said, and represent students
in legislative affairs.
"The legislature is very interested in the stu
dent perspective," Mobley said. "When a stu
dent body president appears before them, it
carries the weight of their important elected of
fice."
Student Body President Steve Beller said al
though there are few listed official duties, the
office of president is a full-time job.
"It seems like the president gets all the glory,
but it is a lot of work," he said. "You have to
balance school and work, and you're usually
"It seems like the president
gets all the glory, but it is a lot
of work. You have to balance
school and work, and you're
usually there before eight and
until after five."
- Steve Beller
Student body president
there before eight and until after five."
A president has the option of approving or
vetoing bills presented by the student senate
and has to be committed to following up on the
issues, he said.
Beller compared the job to being the chief
executive officer of a corporation.
"You're the executor of a $100,000 budget
and the talents and resources of over 800 peo
ple," he said.
Like any leader, Beller said, a president has
to be involved with his constituents.
"A president has to be in close proximity to
effectively represent," Beller said. "A&M is so
huge you have to be involved with all factions."
Dr. John Koldus, vice president for student
services, said the role of president is a demand
ing position that takes a "tremendous amount
of time."
"A president needs to be well-organized and
get a handle on things early on," he said.
Koldus said a great many things that affect
student life come down through the Faculty
Senate, and one of the president's chief jobs is
to act as liaison for the student body.
"A president needs to be someone who can
provide leadership in regard to all programs
sponsored by student government," he said.
In addition to being a representative of all
facets of student life, a president has to support
those elected officials in positions under him
and provide guidance, Koldus said.
"A person doesn't know what it's like until
he's walked in his shoes," he said. "A presi
dent can't say yes to everything. He has to
have the ability to say no at times."
Former Student Body President Steven Ruth
said besides working on policy, the president's
has other important duties which include meet
ing with the board of regents, the Association
of Former Students and visiting dignitaries.
Ruth said a president has to see things from
a broad perspective and make decisions affect
ing students that may not please everybody.
"This election is going to be competitive," he
said, "The candidates are going to share a lot of
their views on the issues - I wish them prudent
judgment and moral guidance that will help
them in this capacity."
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•Student Organizations Advising
Council
•MSC Jordan Institute
•Fish Camp
•Student Organizations Liability
Task Force
•Rules and Regulations Committee
•Texas A&M Speakers Bureau
Howdy Ags!
My name is Jimmy Stathatos and I want to be your next student body president.
I feel that I have the most experience, and I also feel that I have many ideas and solutions to the prob
lems that have only received band-aids in the past. The time has come to push forward and break new
ground instead of merely projecting the status quo.
I just completed my third year on the Student Senate. I am presently the only undergraduate student
on the Faculty Senate. I am external vice president of the Interfraternity Council and I am involved with
various other activities such as Fish Camp, Whoop! This is important because I have been exposed to a
large number and a wide variety of students.
The more students I come in contact with, the better chance I have of effectively addressing the needs
of the majority of the students at Texas A&M.
I have a platform that includes solving some of the main problems with financial aid dispersement's,
food services and parking. ,-rrr
For example, many of the 24-hour reserved spaces are only used a few times a week. Therefore, I
want to work to get these converted over to after 10 p.m. spaces so students can use them after 10 at
night and on weekends. This is one of my many ideas.
Above all I want to be responsive to the needs of you, the students. I will have an open-door policy
where you can let me know what you think needs to be addressed.
I appreciate your support and please take the first step to beginning a partnership between myself
and the students and vote for Jimmy Stathatos on the two election days.
Gig 'em!
Experience and existing ties to University administration are the biggest reasons to vote for Jimmy
Stathatos, he said during student body presidential candidate interviews Sunday.
"I have a lot of experience with student organizations and have been exposed to many facets of the
University," Stathatos said. "I feel that I can respond to anybody's problems."
Student body presidents often go into their presidency with a strict agenda, but the agenda reflects
only what the candidate and his or her supporters think the students want, Stathatos said.
He said he wants to be flexible enough to be able to respond to any need that is put to him by stu
dents that come to his office.
Even though he would like to be flexible, Stathatos is campaigning with some of his own goals.
Stathatos has focussed his campaign on increasing student parking areas, decreasing the time it takes
for students to receive their loans, grants and scholarships and continuing off-campus catering on-cam-
pus.
Other issues he wants to tackle include the passing of a Cultural Sensitivity Promotion Bill and low
ering the cost of obtaining a transcript.
"Through my experience in Student Senate, I have worked with President Mobley and other admin
istrators," he said. "I believe this will help me to implement my plans.
"I won't spend the first half of the year creating ties with the administration - they already exist," he
said.
-Juli Phillips
Awards
♦jNirn© service meritorious award
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Volunteer third platoon
*2 1/2 year Army Scholarship
•Graduated from both Army
Airborne School and Air Assault
School
Experience
♦Guidon of the Fish Drill Team
•Guidon of the Ranger Challenge
Team
•Commanding Officer of the
National Champion Ranger
Challenge Team
•Executive Officer of the Ross
Volunteer Company
•Corps Staff
•Member of Traditions Council
•Class Council
•2 years as a Fish Camp
Counselor
•Big Brother Program
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major issues:
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•S.G.AJs Executive Council
•Judicial Board Chair
•Director of Development
•Lechner Hall Social Chair
•lechner Flail Council
♦Casino Dealer
right Hall Newsletter Staff
Camp Counselor
•HQ Crew
• Fish Camp Co-Chair
♦Class Council
•SCdNA
•Aggie Leaders of Tomorrow
Howdy!
My name is Jason Arbaugh. Tm a senior electrical engineering major from Kyle and I am running for stu
dent body president.
I would like to take this time to tell you why I am running for student body president.
As a senior, I have seen, heard and experienced many of the problems that all of us face each and every
day. Then when I realize that no one is working to solve them, I get upset. These problems include things such
as:
•ACADEMICS - the lack of diverse and effective faculty members in all departments
• MULTICULTURALISM - the lack of multiculturalism curriculum andvoluntary educational opportunities
•PARKING - the inability of students to find parking on campus whenthey need it
•UNIVERSITY SERVICES - the high costs of books the inadequate library, Food Services, Financial Aid,
registration, PITS, etc.
I am tired of seeing these problems persist and I want to work to solve them for the student body. I will do
my best to make sure that the student's views are fully represented to the faculty and administration.
In short, I want to work for you. I have the experience and knowledge from my four years in Student Gov
ernment, the Memorial Student Center, Fish Camp, and the Residence Hall Association to get things done.
Texas A&M is known for it's great traditions, but it is the students who make those traditions and truly
make this a great institution, I want to serve the students and make sure that you are getting everything you
can from your stay here at Texas A&M University.
As Texas A&M University student body president candidate Jason Arbaugh sees it. University funding is
the most important issue facing student government.
"The reason we are here is academics," said Arbaugh, a senior electrical engineering major. "We need to
make sure we're being provided with the education we are paying for."
Arbaugh told the Battalion Sunday that it is important for Student Government to maintain close ties with
the state Legislature in the coming months.
"There's going to be a lot of issues coming up that we need to speak with the legislature about," he said.
"We need to make sure they are not going to adversely affect students."
Other topics Arbaugh said he would address were on-campus parking, campus safety and on-campus re
cycling. Multiculturalism deserves special emphasis, he said.
"For students to get a good education, they have to feel comfortable," Arbaugh said.
Arbaugh said he would look into proposing a mandatory one-hour class or seminars for student leaders on
multiculturalism.
"We need to look at our options and see what other universities have done," he said. "Some say a class
would just be a way for people to antagonize others."
It is Student Government's job to make sure the University is doing everything it can for the students.
"I want to work for the students and make sure they are getting what they deserve," he said. "I'll always
have an open door and find solutions the University can work with and the students can accept."
-Gina Howard
•Student Government Outstanding
Committee Member - RIO, United
Way
rOuhtanding Chair for;
Experience
•Public Information Office member
•Student Government United Way
member : .
•Public Information Committee
Chair
•Fish Camp counselor
•Vice President of Public Relations
and Marketing
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