With tears and laughter, Student Government Association inaugurated its 2002-2003 executive board, senators and justices Wednesday.
According to 2001-2002 President Pro Tempore Richard McClelland, SGA authorized 16 pieces of legislation and passed 14 under the Tommy Rector administration.
"I believe SGA was always run as smoothly as possible, but all organizations can work better," McClelland said.
A majority of the inauguration was devoted to reflection and initiation.
Each caucus and committee member listed the goals set at the beginning of the term to evaluate if those goals were accomplished.
Among the most prominent accomplishments were from many aspects of campus issues. Academic Affairs initiated an elimination of Saturday finals which now sits in the Student Campus Life Council of the University Senate for negotiation.
Governmental Affairs worked to help students in on-campus housing and to help crack down on slumlords. Student Safety drafted legislation to improve parking lot conditions and install a chirping light at McKinley and University avenues.
Community Affairs helped initiate "Trolley Tuesdays" as an alternative transportation option to link the Ball State and Muncie communities.
Aside from acknowledging its overall accomplishments, SGA also recognized individual members of the organization.
Each executive board member prepared a speech before inducting each elected member.
Then-secretary Ashley Furnival said the term went more quickly than she had expected. In her speech, she characterized then-President Tommy Rector as "dedicated and motivated."
She recognized the "grace and integrity" of then-vice president and president-elect Tolu Olowomeye and acknowledged the positive attitude of then-treasurer Michael Spear.
Spear said he was pleased to have the opportunity to address the organization, as he "is usually the guy in the back crunching numbers." He thanked the Rector slate for its efforts and addressed the criticism the slate faced early in its term.
"A lot of people criticized us because we had no competition," Spear said. "Even if we had, I believe we would have been victorious."
The most emotional speech was given by Olowomeye, minutes before she was sworn in as president. As she fought back tears, she thanked Rector, Furnival and Spear, eluding to her future goals.
"Every U.S. Senator needs a good investor," she said, as the audience laughed.
The vice-president gavel was passed to Megan Pickens, senators were sworn in and the remainder of the meeting was run by the new executive board.
As Olowomeye said before she swore in Pickens, "I guess this is my time to say good-bye and say hello."
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