Tears, laughter and applause resonated through the Ball State University Student Government Association during Campus Alliance's inauguration ceremony Wednesday.
Family, friends and administrators attended the event and welcomed the new slate into office.
Before U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative slate members officially gave control to Campus Alliance, special recognition awards were given to Executive Cabinet and SGA representatives. The slate members also gave speeches thanking friends, family, administrators, senators and students for their help and support.
Outgoing Treasurer Zac Davis said his term in office seemed surreal.
"It seemed like just yesterday Betsy and I were chillin' on my bed in Schmidt/Wilson," he said to a laughing audience.
Davis said during that time in his residence hall room they thought of what it would be like to run SGA and that dream became a reality.
"Our accomplishments have been highlighted, but I want to set a charge," Davis said.
Davis said he and his other slate members agreed with Andrews-Albritton '08 that there needed to be a new outlook with SGA. He said the Campus Alliance members needed to look for other opportunities to get students involved and informed about Student Senate.
The new slate should meet with the people at the Scramble Light who give free hugs, or see if Happy Friday Guy will go around every Wednesday yelling about when SGA meets, Davis said.
"Don't just look outside the box," he said to Campus Alliance. "Shatter it. The charge is not a task, but a suggestion."
Outgoing Secretary Jessica Tindal said the moment she decided to run on U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative's slate was the moment she realized her name would mean something and the slate's name would coincide with various people.
Outgoing Vice President Jamie Manuel said his slate supported Campus Alliance and urged the slate to utilize them. He wished it the experience of leadership through all their successes and failures.
"I sincerely wish you'll have the experience of thinking up an idea and see it be successful," Manuel said, "but also see it fail."
Trying to hold back tears, outgoing President Betsy Mills had words of praise and gratitude for her family, friends, professors, senators, cabinet and slate members.
"To Frank Hood, I always knew you'd be SGA president, I just didn't think it'd be this year," she said with a laugh. "I don't have to worry about you working hard because you are one of the hardest workers I know. To U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative, we did it. To Campus Alliance, you will too."
After the Campus Alliance members pledged to carry out the duties and responsibilities of their positions, the senators and approximately 40-person crowd gave them a standing ovation.
Hood then gave his first Presidential Address. He thanked greek members, campaign helpers and U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative.
"I thank the students who encouraged us and believed in us to run," he said. "I also want to thank those students who supported the democratic process and simply voted. Let's exceed expectations. We have 25 items. They [U.N.I.T.E.D. Initiative] did it, why can't we?"
Vice President Carrie Cozad told the audience she was excited about the term and thought it would be productive.
After the inauguration, Mills said it was weird her SGA experience was finished because she had been on Student Senate for her four years at Ball State.
"This is an organization I love," she said. "I believe in change and this is the right way to do it. I think Campus Alliance will be amazing."
She said this year's experience was amazing and a huge privilege.
"I really love this campus," Mills said. "We tried to really represent the students. I gave it all I had and I know my slate has done the same. I'm honored I could serve the position."
She said she and her slate had specific items they have had to do to transition Campus Alliance into power. She has been working on putting together contact information for Hood, and they have attended meetings together with administrators.
Hood said he was thrilled the election and campaign was finished and inauguration took place because now Campus Alliance could get to work. He said he has been making the contacts he needed to and was talking to senators.
The first thing he wants to accomplish is getting a strong cabinet together, he said. Once a cabinet is in place, he said, they can help with platform items, working with senators and helping to fill seats.
"I hope the student body will put aside its differences, and if they didn't support us [during the campaign] they will still help us work to better the campus," Hood said. "I also hope our supporters will hold us accountable for what we said we'd do."
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