Posted on 31 March 2011.

Cartoon by Ellen Weiss
Open Records are of the utmost importance to The Bulletin as they allow us to research topics to ensure that we publish the most up to date and detailed information available.
However, Open Records are not just a tool for The Bulletin to present information to the student body – it is one of the fundamental rights that were written into the constitution in 1787. National Open Records laws are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. The Kansas Open Records Act is an extension of those First Amendment rights at the state level.
At ESU, Open Records requests are processed by the Kansas Open Records Act Custodian, Tracy Greene, who also works as the General Counsel to the university. According to ESU’s website, the General Counsel “provides legal advice to the President, the faculty and staff on all legal matters that involve or affect Emporia State University.” Greene became the records custodian over winter break.
Because Greene’s primary professional responsibility is as General Counsel, it is in the best interests of the student body and all of ESU to ensure that the two professional positions do not conflict with one another.
It is possible that at some point, there could arise a situation wherein the release of certain open records may not be in the best interest of the administration. In such a situation, a conflict between the Office of the General Counsel and the Records Custodian could arise.
But regardless of whether or not this kind of conflict may happen, Open Records cannot be denied for any reason if we are to continue to uphold the statutes of the Constitution of the United States.
Open Records are just that—open. There is no way to get around this fact because it is inherent in the very name. If a situation such as this one were to arise, the proper course of action seems simple—the documents should be released if they do not fall under certain exemptions laid out in KORA, most notably, the release of personal records, or records that fall under the category of attorney-client privilege.
This brings up another difficulty in the relationship between the General Counsel and the Records Custodian at ESU. Because Greene acts basically as President Michael Lane’s attorney, a problem could arise wherein certain records that the university community at large has the right to know about could fall under the category of attorney-client privilege.
In such cases, the records custodian’s primary responsibility is to the student body and the university, not to Lane. In order for the university to be as productive as possible in terms of providing a high level of education for its students, the university’s administration must be transparent so that the student body and state taxpayers know what the inner workings of the university are. Attorney-client privilege is by no means an excuse to not be crystal clear about how university money is being spent or what policies are being made.
Only through transparency and honesty can the university system work like the well-oiled machine it is meant to be. Open Records help to ensure that all the gears are greased and ready to educate our students.
Posted in Staff EditorialsComments (0)
Posted on 31 March 2011.

Weiss
Ok, so we all know that the cafeteria is disgusting. We’ve heard it a thousand times and most of us have experienced it first hand. It’s flat-out awful. I’d rather eat garbage than go back to that place.
Well… that might be a bit of an exaggeration; I probably wouldn’t eat something out of a garbage can. There are, however, some people who only eat what others have thrown away. These people are called “freegans.” They dumpster dive for food, and then carefully clean, prepare and consume it. Besides being cheaper than buying brand-new food, freegans see that Americans are very picky, even wasteful with their food. They recycle perfectly good food, which others consider to be unworthy of their digestive tracts.
What can we learn from this strange lifestyle? First off, we need to stop coddling our immune systems. By that, I mean we Americans are getting rather germophobic. We need to realize that germs are an everyday part of our lives. Trying to eliminate them is not only an unrealistic goal, but also completely unnecessary. By exposing ourselves to germs on a regular basis, we are building up our natural defenses against them.
This is not to say that you shouldn’t wash your hands regularly or be careful to cook meat thoroughly. There are plenty of instances where being cleanly is not only appropriate, but necessary to a healthy lifestyle. I just think we’ve taken it a step too far.
Everyone reading this has to admit that we are downright spoiled by the amount of food available. Around the world, even in Emporia, people go hungry. This happens while we throw out vegetables that have lost their perfect crispness. Fruits that have bruises. Bread that is slightly stale. It makes me wonder, how can we sleep at night knowing that our waste could be a meal?
That being said, if I find a hair in my food, I will probably still eat it. If I drop something on the kitchen floor, I will probably still eat it. I don’t do it to make some grand statement about consumerism in our society, and I don’t do it just to build up my immune system. I do it because I’m not picky enough to deem it inedible. It won’t kill me.
And you know what? I don’t feel grossed out. I feel blessed. I am so grateful just to have this piece of food in my hand. Someone around the world, or even across town, would feel lucky to come across something as precious as this morsel of sustenance.
I beg of you, don’t buy more food than you need, don’t be unnecessarily picky with comestibles, and donate to charity whenever you have the means.
And finally, though my aforementioned views are based on articles I have read, I highly recommend that you do some independent research and find information from a more reliable, scientific source.
Ellen Weiss/ The Bulletin
Posted in Opinion ColumnsComments (1)
Posted on 31 March 2011.

Templeton
I never thought I’d find myself agreeing with anything that came out of the mouth of Margie Phelps from Westboro Baptist Church, but when she referred to a room full of my fellow student journalists as “seals,” she was spot on. Phelps recently argued a monumental case before the Supreme Court regarding the First Amendment – and she won. Weeks later, several members of The Bulletin staff had the privilege to travel to New York City for an annual college media conference where we had the opportunity to hear from Phelps herself.
From the beginning, it should have been obvious to any so-called journalist that Phelps and her entourage were attempting to “bait” the conference goers. They began the festivities that morning by picketing in Times Square. Unfortunately, their tactics worked and about an hour before the session began, someone tweeted that they were “about to do battle with Westboro,” which showed up on the giant screen the conference arranged to display Tweets at the conference. That tweet was the catalyst that started a chain reaction which had no business at a journalism conference.
The interview with Phelps started out civil enough, despite her blue T-shirt that read, “God Hates the Media Dot Com.” Things got heated when Phelps poked fun at pop culture by using terms like “fo’ rizzle” and “BFF” (this should have been recognized as another obvious attempt to bait the audience into heckling). But it wasn’t until the Q&A portion that my fellow pseudo-journalists really showed sea mammal qualities.
A one point, an audience member was in the middle of asking his question, which was really an attempt to counterattack the remarks coming from Phelps, when the crowd erupted in cheers. After the clapping and yelling died down, Phelps asked him to repeat the question because she couldn’t hear him “over the seals.”
She was right. The audience did sound like a herd of seals barking and clapping their fins. Never had I been so disappointed in a group of my peers. We’re supposed to be reporters, neutral when it comes to the news, but there we were, letting our emotions succumb to Westboro Baptist Church, and Margie Phelps called us on it.
As reporters, we leave our emotions at the door so we can get the job done the right way. As students, we don’t necessarily need to be void of emotion, but as I was sitting in one of my larger lecture courses this week, I was reminded of that interview with Phelps. She was trying to get a rise out of the audience – and it worked.
Similarly, this guy in my class kept shouting out obnoxious answers to every question the professor would ask, an obvious attempt to sound humorous, when in actuality, they were quite offensive. Just like those “seals” at the conference, several others in the class let their emotions get the better of them and a pointless debate over childrearing ensued. The guy’s arguments made absolutely no sense, but he presented them in such a way that his opponents were so frustrated they couldn’t even form a coherent response.
I’m not saying you can’t have a personal opinion, but you can’t expect to prove someone wrong or make them feel low by simply badgering them. The next time you’re caught in a situation where you completely disagree with someone on a fundamental issue, don’t lose your cool. Use the intelligence you were given and act like an adult.
Kenzie Templeton/The Bulletin
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Posted on 31 March 2011.

Yuying Cao, junior math and economics major, and Yuchen Chen, senior math major, sit in front of their H1N1 presentation they will be taking to Washington DC. The model uses a mathematical model to help the medical community predict the spread and severity of an outbreak of H1N1 influenza.
After half a year of research and presentations, Yuchen Chen, senior math major, and Yuying Cao, junior math and economics major, have something to show for their efforts. The two were chosen by the Council on Undergraduate Research as one of 74 out of 700 applicants to present a poster on their H1N1 model in Washington, D.C., on April 13.
“We collected data…and simulated how the flu (spreads) and when it would break out, when it will peak and when it will diminish,” Cao said.
Cao said the model does not show how the flu can be prevented, but rather it determines the number of people who need to be vaccinated in order to prevent an outbreak
“If we get enough people in the population vaccinated, the flu will never break out – (the model) just helps us (establish) how much of the population we need to get vaccinated – this could be really helpful in the next flu season,” Cao said.
Chen said the fundamental mathematical tool they used to develop the model was differential equations, which they applied to the SIR model. According to an online paper published by Duke University, the SIR model separates the population into three groups – susceptible, infected and recovered.
Chen said there are numerous models that can applied to the flu, but SIR is considered to be the fundamental option, and the two wanted to see how it would fit their real world data.
“It’s a very old model, but that model should work on, generally, all flu epidemics,” Chen said.
On Capitol Hill, Cao and Chen will have the opportunity to meet with Congress members and scientists in the D.C. area and explain the concept of their H1N1 model.
“My parents are very excited about this because they are back in China and when I tell them I am going to the Capitol of the United States they think from a Chinese (perspective) it is a very huge event – they are very proud of me,” Chen said.
The duo has presented their model at several previous conventions, but they said this opportunity is the most exciting and the most surprising.
“My parents know that I’ve presented this project a few times, but I told them this one is kind of special because the people coming to listen to our presentation are not math professors or people in this field… not everyone can get this chance,” Cao said.
Chen said the idea for the project came from Qiang Shi, assistant professor of math, computer science and economics. Shi attended an influenza workshop in summer 2009 where he got the idea for the project. Chen said they ultimately chose H1N1 since it had recently broken out when their research began.
Cao said she hopes the model will show how math can solve real world problems and “how this idea (SIR) is amazing.”
“I’m also a tutor in the math lab and most of the students don’t really like math at all, but actually mathematics is a very useful tool in all areas of science like engineering, chemisty, physics, so it’s actually very useful,” Chen said. “If you really have a good idea, it can turn out to be significant in solving real world problems.”
Kenzie Templeton
Posted in Breaking News, NewsComments (0)
Posted on 31 March 2011.

Professor of English Jim Hoy talks about his experiences on his ranch Sunday afternoon outside of Emporia. Hoy says that he has strong ties to the Flint Hills. Chris Franklin/ The Bulletin
For Great Plains native Jim Hoy, professor of English, Kansas is a state full of interesting people and places.
“I was reared in Cassoday and I was raised on a ranch, when I came back to teach, Pat O’Brien set up the Center for Great Plains Studies and I began teaching classes about the Great Plains area,” Hoy said.
Hoy said it was good to do research from the heart of the area he specializes in. The folklore of the area holds a specific interest to Hoy because he said it makes him look for “the extraordinary in the ordinary” from people.
One of Hoy’s favorite legends involves Bill Pickett, a cowboy famous for his invention of bull dogging. Pickett said he would show some locals something they had never seen before. Allegedly, Pickett leapt from a horse and brought down a steer with his teeth.
Hoy was featured on the History Channel, aiding with some research on Joseph McCoy, the founder of Abilene as a cow town. He offered to let them shoot some footage of their cattle on his son’s ranch.
“It was a really interesting experience,” Hoy said. “We spent three hours one morning driving the cows in a circle, and I asked him how much of that would be in the movie, and he said about 10 seconds.”
After graduating from K-State, he worked odd jobs including on the railroad and doing some rodeo and ranch work. Hoy said he won enough money in calf roping that he didn’t need to work for awhile. When he realized he would need to work, he began to teach.
“I started teaching in El Dorado, and I taught there for two years, and eighth graders drove me to college,” Hoy said.
He wound up at Emporia State after finishing his graduate studies and he said he was glad for that because the Center for Great Plains Studies opened up shortly after his joining the school. He soon became the chair.
Hoy also writes a weekly news column for the newspaper “Plains Folk,” which he has been writing for since 1983.
Brianna VanSchoelandt, senior English major, said she enjoys Hoy’s classes because of his broad knowledge base.
“I really like Hoy because he’s an endless supply of knowledge and information – He seems to know something about everything,” VanSchoelandt said.
Hoy’s personable and approachable nature makes him a favorite teacher of Chelsea Lewis, senior English major.
“I’ve taken a class from him every semester for the past two and a half years, he has his niche and he knows everything about it,” Lewis said.
Along with teaching Hoy raises horses on his land and also helps out with his son’s cattle ranch. The Hoys have six horses, and he used to make his own hay. He also breaks his own colts though he no longer shoes them.
Hoy also spent time as the chair of the American Folklife Center Board of Trustees. He was appointed to the board by Sen. Bob Dole. Other members of this board during his tenure included Mickey Hart, the drummer for The Grateful Dead, and professors from schools like Harvard.
Charlie Heptas
Posted in Breaking News, NewsComments (0)
Posted on 31 March 2011.

Ryan Wash, junior communications major, and LaToya Williams Green, senior communications major, talk about breaking into the double octo-finals at the National Debate Tournament Wednesday afternoon in the William Allen White Library. Jon Coffey/ The Bulletin
LaToya Williams-Green, senior communications major, is the first African-American woman on Emporia State’s debate team in the history of the university. She and her partner, Ryan Wash, junior communications major, are also the very first African American duo in ESU debate.
At the National Debate Tournament on March 24-29, Williams-Green and Wash were the first ESU team to break into double octo-finals since 2003 and they were among the top 32 debate teams in the country. Only 78 teams qualified for the national tournament in Dallas, Texas.
“It was overwhelming for me because we worked so hard, done so much as a team and as individuals, so to get to that place was just awesome…I’m still kind of digesting it all,” Wash said.
Wash acknowledged the fact that his partner was the only African American woman to be involved in NDT in any capacity along with being recognized as one of the top 20 speakers.
“She (was) the seventeenth speaker in the country at NDT to represent on behalf of all African American women and the participation of African American women in debate itself,” Wash said.
Williams-Green said the experience was both humbling and a blessing.
“To be a part of that top 20 – you could have told me that I got twentieth and it would have felt like first place,” Williams-Green said. “It resonated and was very symbolic for me…it’s a white male dominant activity and so for any minority to come in and do well is not only unheard of but speaks volumes to the evolutionary patterns of debate – it was good, it was real good.”
There are two national debate tournaments, the Cross Examination Debate Association, which was an invitational held at Binghamton University in New York this year on March 18-22, and the NDT, which is a qualifying tournament. There were 139 teams at CEDA this year.
Williams-Green and Wash competed in CEDA along with their teammates Matthew Cook, senior English major, and Paul Mose, junior communications major. Cook and Mose were “surprised” when they placed ninth in the tournament.
“It was pretty phenomenal,” Cook said. “I’d say it was kind of surreal because, to be blunt, (Mose) and I’s year up until that point had been below our expectations.”
Cook and Mose have been debating 11 and nine years respectively and have been debate partners for more than a year. Mose said the partnership works because they have fun and provide stability to one another.
“We’re kind of Yin and Yang because he keeps it cool – I’m a little more hot-headed in debates, a little more aggressive, so we balance each other out,” Mose said.
CEDA was Cook’s last tournament for his debating career as he will be ineligible after this year. Cook said he had no regrets for his final season.
“There’s really no professional debate league to graduate to, and this is my last year, I’m not going to be able to do it anymore, so I knew I had to get every single bit of enjoyment out of it that I could, and I think this year was proof of that,” Cook said.
Wash was recognized at the fourth speaker and Williams-Green as the 10th at CEDA, although they did not place. Days later, they travel to Texas for NDT.
Williams-Green has been debating for seven years while Wash has been debating for six. They’ve been partners for three years and in that time, they have come up with a system for success.
“We match,” Wash said. “Clothing wise we need to look like a unit.”
Wash and Williams-Green have also invented a unique catchphrase to sum up their debates.
“It’s about bizness,” Wash said. “That’s the motto, that’s our mantra…bizness with a ‘Z.’”
But debate is not all “bizness.” Williams-Green said there is more to debate than simply researching and presenting the argument.
“Debate is about swag,” Williams-Green said. “You can be the smartest person in the world, but these are not computers talking to computers – these are people connecting and communicating with another person, so if you don’t have any aesthetic appeal, nobody’s going to care.”
Mose said debate is often misunderstood by those outside the community.
“A lot of people think that when we tell them we’re going a debate tournament, they think it’s like we’re going to a chess tournament or we’re going to trivia night, which is not even close,” Mose said. “There’s so much work that goes on before we ever enter that room and speaking is just a small part of it.”
Mose said he has not yet decided whether or not to continue debating next year, but Williams-Green and Wash said they’ve already set their sights on the next season.
“Ya’ll ain’t seen nothing yet,” Wash said.
Kenzie Templeton
Posted in Breaking News, NewsComments (0)
Posted on 31 March 2011.
The Kansas Board of Regents, under recent financial pressure by the state, has released a report regarding their impact on the Kansas economy. The report, titled “The Impact of the Kansas Board of Regents System to the State Economy” and produced by Ernest Goss of the Goss Institute of Public Research in Colorado, outlines the benefits that KBOR has upon the state’s economy.
“The Regents system not only produces the skilled employees Kansas businesses and industry rely upon, the system also contributes to enhanced quality of life and economic development,” said Gary Sherrer, chairman of KBOR.
The report states that “for every one dollar the state invests in higher education, it receives nearly $12 in return,” which according to Sherrer, is a “sure way to boost the Kansas economy.”
According to the report, the Regents’ system produced $7.3 billion in overall economic impacts on the state economy in 2010 and $3.4 billion of that was in wages and salary.
Another $485 million in state and local tax collections were also contributed. In addition to the monetary benefits 95,327 jobs were also created.
The report shows that by impacting the overall higher education in the state that KBOR lowers joblessness and boosts income. The report also indicates that 388 of 394 industries in Kansas benefit from higher education spending – that is 98-percent of the industry in the state.
In addition, the report also displays the positive impact universities have on their communities because of the draw they have for culture, entertainment and publicity for the local areas they reside in.
There are 32 public colleges and universities affected by KBOR and state funding, including Emporia State. ESU’s overall impact on the state economy was also released with this information.
ESU contributes 2,800 workers to Lyon County’s job base, $78 million to the state economy, $90 million to state wages and salaries and more than $10 million in income for self-employed individuals and volunteer work according to the press release.
“Emporia State University is an integral part of not only the state’s economy but the economy of Emporia and Lyon County as well,” said ESU President Michael Lane.
The report also shows the combined impact of ESU and Flint Hills Technical College, another KBOR supported institution. It estimates the impact to be $192 million to Lyon County.
Charlie Heptas
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Posted on 31 March 2011.

Paper cranes were made over Spring Break by ESU students as part of continued relief activities for Japan. Jon Coffey/ The Bulletin
While most Emporia State students enjoyed their Spring Break, Japanese relief activities continued in the Memorial Union.
Aki Notomi, sophomore athletic training major and president of JA Sakura, said just one Japanese student at ESU came from Sendai, which was the most seriously damaged city by the earthquake.
“She could just talk to her family two or three days ago, and she felt relieved that her family is fine,” Notomi said.
Notomi said 44 Japanese students volunteered to make about 300 cranes during break and that the crane-making activity will continue through April 8.
As of Monday, the money raised to support Japanese relief efforts totaled $3,128, including $334 donated by Emporia community members during the Spring Break week, Notomi said.
The JA Sakura choir, together with the A Capella Chamber and Community Chamber, will perform at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the First United Methodist Church. Part of the money collected will go toward Japanese relief funds and the rest will be used to build houses for the homeless, Notomi said.
In April, JA Sakura will hold three or four concerts to raise money, and the first concert is scheduled for April 5 at the Beach Hall on campus, the time is to be determined. Three Japanese music majors and the JA Sakura choir will perform traditional Japanese songs and there will be a reception with free Japanese food after the concert, Notomi said.
The choir will also perform at the University of Kansas and in Osage City to raise money in April, Notomi said.
“I read a Japanese news article, and it said many people send money to Red Cross, but volunteer groups don’t have money. I think both of them are important,” Notomi said. “In case of bad people stealing the money, Red Cross is the safest way to send money.”
ESU students raised about $3,000 in the week before Spring Break, but Casa Ramos at 201 Commercial St. alone donated $1,000.
“I saw the news and tsunami images – that just changed my day… it’s hard to imagine that kind of thing would happen to my own country (Columbia) and I’m far away,” said Jenny Losada, sophomore nursing major who works at the restaurant.
Carlos Ramos, manager of Casa Ramos, said Losada wanted to donate her paycheck to relief efforts, but instead the staff decided to donate 15-percent of their sales during March 15-16.
“On Monday (March 14), I printed off flyers after school and I went all down Commercial (Street) and posted them in different businesses…I talked to some people on the radio and they said they would help to get the word out,” Losada said. “We are very glad to contribute – you’ll be amazed how much a little town can come together and contribute.”
Ramos said they also plan to use some of the cranes from Memorial Union so people eating at the restaurant could donate money by buying the cranes.
“We have to think about how many pennies, quarters and dimes we spend a day on unnecessary things and just to know any little bit can help somebody that really needs it,” Losada said.
Huibing Lu
Posted in Coverage, NewsComments (0)
Posted on 31 March 2011.

Students purchase lunch in the newly remodeled Hornet Express Tuesday afternoon in the Memorial Union. Megan Gartner/ The Bulletin
The new Hornet Express reopened this week in the Memorial Union alongside the new bookstore. During the renovation process The Hornet Express was in an area of only 728 sq. ft., according to a news release from ESU Marketing and Media Relations. The new location is more than 1,000 ft. larger at 1,764 sq. ft.
“(The Hornet Express) is much more elegant, it’s more roomy (and) we can spread out and add new things – it looks great,” said Donna Randall, one of the Hornet Express’ employees.
The new facility now offers three different sections with different food options available from each. Zeppz, the new deli, offers fresh made sandwiches. These sandwiches can be toasted or not at the buyers discretion. The deli will also offer paninis. The name stems from an Early East Coast name for submarine sandwiches “zeppelins,” said Randall.
The name is also a nod to the band Led Zeppelin, said Jeff McCullough, general manager for Sodexo at Emporia State.
Fruz offers fruit smoothies and has added some new choices with the new location as well as changed some of the existing smoothies. They also now offer soft serve ice cream. Stephanie Russell, senior art major focusing on graphic design, hopes that the new setup lets the specialties shine individually.
Russell said she feels that the new design allows for a more personal experience and gives them the chance to really help the customer.
“With (Fruz) we’re going kind of organic, healthy stuff and still having dessert type stuff, I think the move really adds to the atmosphere,” Russell said.
The burrito bar has remained from the old Hornet Express and is now called the Ochorito. They offer two different burritos, the Ocho and the Quatro. The Ocho has the option of eight different fillings while the Quatro has four. Saikat Patwary, Sodexo executive chef, said they even make their own tortillas. Other options at the Ochorito include quesadillas and nachos.
The Hornet Express will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the beginning weeks which may change depending on demand, McCullough said.
The bookstore also opened up with a new, more spacious look. The area was redecorated by Barnes and Noble corporate employees, according to ESU’s website.
“It’s friendly and inviting, a fun place to be around and it merchandises our items in a positive manner – we’re really excited about it,” said Leslie Green, a bookstore employee.
Green said she felt that the design was very well done and thought that the new look was an exciting improvement for the store. The bookstore is open until 4 p.m.
Charlie Heptas
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Posted on 31 March 2011.

ASG president Jonathan Rivers discusses the upcoming elections Tuesday afternoon in the Memorial Union. Chris Franklin/ The Bulletin
Jonathan Rivers, president of Associate Student Government, announced upcoming events of the for the ASG elections at the ASG Open Forum, which was held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday in the PKP Room of the Memorial Union.
Rivers said applications for the executive positions are due tomorrow, and on April 4, senators’ petitions are due. The actual election starts on April 12 and ends at 3 p.m. April 13, Rivers said.
Three candidates also came to the forum. They talked about their goals, plans and involvements.
“Throughout the year, I’ve already begun on a plan to reform Corky’s Cab…students deserved to feel safe,” said Laura Bosiljevac, sophomore political science major and current legislative director for ASG.
Bosiljevac, together with Michael Stauffer, are running for ASG president and vice president respectively.
“Our platform can be summed up in three words – connect, communicate and accomplish…we can be the helping hand to help people connect to (ASG),” Bosiljevac said. “We know we are not all powerful, but we are the Associated Student Government – if we don’t know, we can at least send you to somebody who does know. It may take us three minutes to do that, but it will save you 3 weeks in looking for something.”
Ashley Vogts, junior integrated studies and pre-occupational therapy major, and Jennifer Cheray, junior marketing major, are also running for president and vice president of ASG. Vogts and Cheray’s current positions are fiscal affairs chair and business school senator, respectively.
“I think the main goal is that students are able to be heard,” Vogts said. “I work really closely with the leadership department and I am really educated on different leadership styles, different leadership roles and how to work with different types of leadership style, (which helps me) to become a liaison between student body and administration.”
Cheray said another goal is to build the interaction between senators and student organizations on campus. Vogts said their long-term focus is to do more cross-programming, which means to “make an event bigger and more impactful by having more organizations involved in that event.”
“For ESU to be a big part of someone’s college career, it is a lot to do with the events…and organizations they get involved with, so if we can make these events bigger, more successful, more impactful, then that college experience will be greater,” Vogts said.
In order to improve the interaction between students and ASG, both Bosiljevac and Cheray agreed that face-to-face communication between RSOs and senators is important.
“I feel like sometimes student voices are lost when it comes to the faculty and administration,” Vogts said. “We want to bridge those voices, so that people hear their concerns, complaints (and) the positive things going on.”
Cheray said improving the relationship between students and ASG should start with defining the role of each position in ASG and developing the structure ASG already has.
“I never thought (being ASG president) would be easy…no matter how much experience I had – I know it’s going to be a challenge, but I think it is a challenge worth pursuing,” Bosiljevac said.
Huibing Lu
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