The summer was a busy time for Campus Alliance slate members as they began working on their platform items for the school year.
Although Frank Hood, Ball State University Student Government Association president, interned for a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., he kept in contact with his other slate members and administrators to advance their goals for the year. Luckily for Hood, the work he did as an intern was similar to what he has to do as SGA president, he said.
"I did nothing different there than I would to try and get administrators to let us do something for SGA," he said. "I never considered [that] what I did as president toward administrators would be lobbying, but it really is. It's what lobbyists do."
SGA Vice President Carrie Cozad said she, Hood, Secretary Ebony Strong and Treasurer Moses Jones each took different platform items to work on this summer. They will discuss the progress of all the items and how to continue based on what was discovered when school begins, she said.
Cozad said working on items this summer was a little difficult because not all the slate members were in Muncie to brainstorm ideas with one another.
"It was basically independent [work] all summer besides sending e-mail [to one another]," she said. "It wasn't as easy as being at school."
Even though they could not communicate with one another as they would during the school year, she said it was nice working in the summer without having to worry about anything else.
"I was working and had some babysitting at home but didn't have homework and could spend the time working on SGA stuff and not worry about other duties, so that was a little nicer," she said.
Hood said despite them being apart this summer, they were in good shape with their platform items' progress.
Some of the items they have been working on include Jones having meetings with Kevin Kenyon, associate vice president of facilities planning and management, to fix draining issues on campus. Hood said that work would begin when school started with some areas already being fixed this summer. Campus Alliance members also have talked to the mayor's office about getting roads and sidewalks around campus fixed. Hood said the office was asking the slate members what roads they wanted fixed and being receptive to the plan.
The slate also is closer to having a university-wide philanthropy by supporting an existing one, Hood said.
"It's better to strengthen one that already exists than take away from it, so our biggest decision is which one to support," he said.
Cozad also has a meeting with Alan Hargrave, director of Housing and Residence Life, when school starts about computerizing the night security system and extending the operation hours of the fitness rooms in the residence halls.
Hood said while most of the other platform items were in discussions on how to continue, one platform item would not happen as of right now: having heat lamps for the bus stops.
"We were initially told no, but we'll try to keep pushing it through and see where we can go with that," he said.
Although the summer is finished, both Cozad and Hood said they were looking forward to starting Senate and getting the platform items and other pieces of legislation completed; however, there were some they said they rather see completed first.
"I'd like to complete as many of the platform ideas as we can," Cozad said. "I'd love to see the pep rally or something to build the community among Ball State."
"We're way farther than we were," Hood said, "but I'd like to see the multicultural forum get off the ground. That's very, very important because we want to make sure there are students who come in and right away they understand that multiculturalism and diversity is an important aspect of campus life at Ball State University. If they come to campus and know from the beginning that it's important, then hopefully it'll stick."
For the complete Campus Alliance platform visit bsucampusalliance.com
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
