TUESDAY,APRIL29,2003
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 34
BSU chooses new leaders
By Henry C. Jackson
cjackson@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Two close votes led to two new leaders for the Black Student Union.
In one of the closest elections in the organization's history, Trey Allen, Wichita freshman, was elected president last night by a margin of three votes over Renita Norman, Topeka sophomore, securing a one-year term as the head of BSU.
"I'm already thinking about next year," Allen said. "I've got a big role and I'm going to try to make things better for the future."
Because of the close vote margin, and Allen's friendship with Norman, who served as BSU's co-programs chair this year, Allen said his victory was a little bittersweet.
"I hope she knows I'll do the best for this organization," Allen
said. "We've got a great executive board, and we're all going to work together."
Allen was elected at BSU's last meeting of the school year at the Burge Union. In addition to electing Allen president, members of BSU also elected eight other executive board positions for next year.
In the night's other close election, C'Nea Hatches, Valparaiso, Ind., sophomore, defeated Alicia McDougal, Lenexa freshman, by exactly one vote for the vice president's position. Hatches served in the same role for BSU this year.
Hatches said she wanted to improve the dedication level among BSU members. She said that attendance tended to wane at the end of the spring semester, and she wanted to improve on it.
"There's a saying. 'If something isn't broke, don't fix it,'" Hatches said. "I'm not saying BSU is broke, but I see two major
Hatches said fund raising and participation were at the top of her to do list for next year's BSU executive board.
cracks."
Candidates for executive board positions gave two-minute speeches, which were followed by limited question-and-answer sessions with the candidates.
Jeff Dugas, Naperville, Ill., freshman, was elected as one of BSU's co-programs chairpersons. He said he wanted BSU to be more involved with the community and to focus on improving academic support.
"We need to be there for each other." he said during his speech. "We need more programs to help our grades. We all came here to graduate."
Trey Allen, Wichita freshman, laughs during last night's Black Student Union meeting. Allen was elected BSU's new president, replacing Mark Dupree, Kansas City, Kan., junior. "It feels great," Allen said. "I'm already thinking about next year."
Mark Dupree, the outgoing president of BSU, said he looked forward to next year's board taking over.
Andy Samuelson/Kansan
"I'm confident," Dupree said
"I believe they will push forward and surpass what we've done."
Dupree, Kansas City, Kan., junior, said he would still be
involved in BSU but would not take a role on the executive board. Dupree was recently elected to a junior/senior College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences seat in Student Senate.
Edited by Andrew Ward
KUnited tries to erase coalition divisions within Senate
Bv Cate Batchelder
By Cate Batchelder
cbatchelder@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
By Saturday, the Student Senate executive staff were supposed to clear out of their offices. Desk candy, Senate party pics and an inspirational poster of Princess Diana posing with a small child were all gone.
"It's sad." said Anna Clovis, former executive secretary, putting office supplies in a box Friday afternoon.
Clovis' leave of absence won't last long. She'll have office hours to serve next year because she won a freshman/sophomore senator seat.
Catherine Bell, former student
executive chairwoman, will only have to move next door. As student body vice president, she'll have a new office.
With the new offices come a new executive staff with new ideas.
In his first report to the new senators at joint Senate on Wednesday, Student Body President Andy Knopp listed the projects they could expect to work on next year.
This included a student online vote for new fees, a free on-campus bus route and volunteer escort service to walk students home after dark.
Also included were an expanded sexual assault awareness program at the Emily Taylor
Resource Center, a plan to lobby the city commission to repeal the city ordinance that allows searches in living spaces, an online book exchange keeping an eye on tuition enhancements and the creation of an executive staff position to address cultural sensitivity in Student Senate.
The ideas came from the KUnited platform, Knopp and Bell's coalition; the Delta Force coalition and faculty and administrative suggestions.
Knopp addressed the "divisions" between opposing coalitions that ran for Senate seats. He said it didn't matter whose ideas they were anymore.
"I truly believe that the day we all stop worrying about who gets
the credit for what we do is the day Student Senate can reach its full potential," he said.
Bell reiterated the hope of breaking down coalition division within Student Senate saying any differences were hype.
"I don't see a lot of differences between coalitions and I think that reflects my experience in Student Senate," she said.
Bell tried to get the senators excited for the next year's projects as well as the friendships they would make along the way. But it was Knopp who gave them something to work for by inviting them to stand up and say a pledge,
New Appointed Executive Staff
Student executive
Student executive chairman: Kyle Johnson
Treasurer: Lindsay Kokoruda
Assistant treasurer:
Bryan Young
Executive Secretary:
Manuell Jones
Communications
director: Jana Szatkowski
Legislative director:
Blake Shuart
Community affairs director: Nick Sterner
Center for Community Outreach co-directors: Kevin Hager and Kaelyn Fox
which he wrote.
Transportation director:
Tim Akerman
"I, state your name in full, pledge to work for the student of the University of Kansas for the next 365 days and beyond..I will proudly serve as an elected mem-
Source: Andy Knopp, student body
president
ber of the Student Senate of the University of Kansas of the students, by the students and for the students."
— Edited by Melissa Hermreck
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