Wednesday, April 25, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
End of an era: senate leaders proud of time spent
Walker says exit is bittersweet; newspaper program is his legacy
Rv Brooke Hesler
By Brooke Hester
writer@kanson.com
Kanson staff writer
Ben Walker is almost done packing up. There are just a few things left in his office. The walls are bare, and boxes are scattered about the room.
Walker, the outgoing student body president, likened his final days in office to a Dr. Seuss quote: "Don't cry because it's over, but smile because it happened."
"It's kind of a bittersweet ending," Walker said. "I feel proud of what we've done this year, but anything you spend so much time on is hard to let go of."
Walker will remain at the University of Kansas next year to finish his undergraduate work. After serving two years as a student senator and this year as president, Walker said he looked forward to just being a normal student.
When Walker became president, he had hopes of a political career, but now he is not so sure. He said the office was not what he thought it would be.
"I thought it would be a lot more fun," Walker said. "I did have a lot of fun, but it was also a lot of work."
After criticized for deciding to not pass on a token baseball past student body presidents had signed, Walker said he was frustrated. He said he hoped students would remember the things he accomplished rather than focusing on Senate traditions such as the baseball.
"I understand that's the way things work," Walker said. "It's the nature of the beast, and I've learned that you have to have thick skin if you're going run for a public office. I think
I've grown a few layers this year."
Walker, who ran with the United Students coalition, said he wouldn't change many things about the way the year unfolded.
"I left very few Senate meetings feeling dissatisfied," he said.
By the fall of last year, Walker said all the coalition's platform issues had been addressed. However, the issues of online enrollment and the tuition bill of rights took some turns out of Senate's control, he said.
"The tuition bill of rights became unfeasible because once we saw the budget, we were put in a position where we had to fight to keep what we already had," he said.
Walker said he was glad to see a shift in the focus of Senate.
"I think we changed the priorities of Student Senate," he said. "We wanted to provide students with more tangible things."
This fall, the Lawrence Journal World, The Kansas City Star, The New York Times and USA Today will be distributed throughout campus as part of the newspaper readership program Walker helped implement. Leah Bain, Sloux Falls, S.D., freshman, said she was glad Walker took
Leah Bain, Sioux Falls, S.D., freshman, said she was glad Walker took the initiative.
"That's going to be great," she said. "I like it that I am going to have a national newspaper to read."
Walker said he feared many students looked at the student body presidency and considered it to be for people concerned with their resumes.
"It's not up to me to decide how I am remembered," Walker said. "I hope I would be remembered as an individual who really cared."
Outgoing student body president and Hutchinson senior Ben Walker, left, and vice-president Marlon Marshall, St. Louis senior, clean out their offices in the Kansas Union to prepare for the incoming administration. Walker and Marshall said they wanted to be remembered as people who cared about the University and students. Both will remain at the University to continue their studies. Walker said his plans to pursue a political career were up in the air, and Marshall said he had no plans to go into politics.
Photo by Aaron Showalter/KANSAN
— Edited by Leita Schultes
Minority recruitment, retention among Marshall's achievements
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Bv Brooke Hesler
Marion Marshall is finding out that letting go is harder than he planned.
Marshall, who is finishing up his term as student body vice president, said he was proud of his Student Senate career.
"I worked for this organization for three years, and I am sad to leave." Marshall said. "I know I will do good things in the future."
Although Marshall is done with Senate, he will stay at the University for a fifth year and finish up his undergraduate work. He also will serve as Student Union Activities president.
"I've been on Senate for three years," Marshall said. "I think it's time for a change."
Marshall said one of the things he was most proud of was his work with minority recruitment and retention during this year.
"We talked about minority recruitment and retention for years, but nothing had really been done," he said.
Marshall and his coalition supported the creation of a full-time admissions staff that would work with the Office of Multicultural Affairs to recruit a multicultural student body as well as educate KU students in diversity. The University is likely to implement Marshall's plan.
Jaimee Dixon, social welfare senator-elect, said she was glad Marshall got the ball rolling on the issue and she hoped Senate continued expanding the issue
next year.
"He's been a big supporter of that," she said. "It's a good issue to pay attention to, and he has done a good job bringing it to light for Senate."
Marshall also helped with plans for the new recreation center, which is in the works right now.
The fact that there will be a new building here on campus and I had something to do with that makes me feel good," he said. "People might not remember me, but they still see the building."
"I admit that it got pushed by the wayside," he said. "I take responsibility for that."
Marshall said more than other accomplishments, he would like students to remember him as someone who cared.
"I'd like to be remembered as a person who worked for students," Marshall said. "When they hear Marlon Marshall, I want them to say, 'He's the guy who cared about us.'"
He said while he enjoyed his time on Senate, he would not consider running for public office in the future.
"I've had fun, but that's not my dream," he said.
Marshall said future vice presidents had to be extremely committed to the office.
— Edited by Jay Pilgreen
"You're free to work on issues you think the campus cares about," he said. "The vice president needs to feel out those issues and listen to the student body."
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- Applications available in the Organizations and Leadership Office on the 4 $ ^{th} $ floor of the Kansas Union.
- Mandatory meeting Friday, April 27, 2001-4:00 p.m. in the International Room in the Kansas Union
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