Between the presidential search committee's silence and the Manship slate's campus tour is junior Sarah Atkinson, answering questions.
Now that she's running for Student Government Association treasurer, Atkinson said talk of the next president has died down. In fact, no one has asked her about the committee since campaigning began Monday, Atkinson said.
"Everyone that I'm working with closely understands that I can't talk about the search," Atkinson said. "I don't think it's come up at all."
Atkinson said she's in "an interesting position" with campaign and committee work.
"With the committee, there's a very limited extent to which I can talk about the president and issues," Atkinson said. "With the slate, I have a responsibility to push and publicize issues."
SGA vice president and presidential candidate Ben Tietz said students have asked him if Atkinson shares information about the search with her slate.
"I don't think she would," Tietz said. "There's nothing she can tell the Manship Slate that she can't tell us."
Tietz said Atkinson faces a challenge participating in SGA elections and representing the student body.
"I don't know how she can effectively represent the student body when she's running against another slate," Tietz said. "I'm not trying to say she'd be biased at all. I think it's difficult for her right now being on Jayson's slate."
SGA president and presidential candidate Jayson Manship said Atkinson is professional enough to handle that challenge.
"She's very in touch with students' interests and what students are looking for," Manship said. "If we don't win, she won't say 'I'm not going to hear what you have to say, because you're not on my team.' That's not her at all."
Atkinson said confidentiality hasn't been an issue.
Three months ago the search committee selected Atkinson as the student representative. That's when she met Manship, she said. After discussing student issues and hanging out a few times, the two became friends.
"She's very knowledgeable about Ball State and its policies," Manship said. "She was very receptive to SGA and understood its purpose -- to be the voice of the students."
Manship said he asked Atkinson to run because of her experience and confidence. Atkinson currently serves as treasurer of Residential Property Management Association, the group that sponsored the Jan. 28 student housing expo.
"I could see her in a larger role as treasurer," Carla Earhart, RPMA's adviser, said. "She's done an excellent job here in RPMA. She's very well-rounded."
Earhart said Atkinson would make a wonderful representative.
"She has such strong leadership skills and is still a very down to earth kind of person," Earhart said.
Senior Meredith Steen, Atkinson's friend and fellow Kappa Alpha Theta, said Atkinson is well-respected and can multi-task without problems.
"She has priorities and knows how to balance them," Steen said. "I think (running for treasurer) is a great opportunity for her. She's always been concerned about campus, and she comes up with a lot of different ideas on how to increase security on campus."
Atkinson's next campus stop is the slate debate Thursday. Its time and place is still undetermined.
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