The presidential hopefuls gathered to debate their plans for the upcoming school year and answer a slew of questions by Collegian editors and reporters.

All four candidates offered interesting  proposals for 2013, but one took a decisive victory in the staff vote.

We at The Collegian believe sophomore Michael Keller fits the bill as the best option for next year’s president.

Keller, a member of Delta Tau Delta, offers the student body several valuable qualities. He is a relatively new member of Student Government Association, so he brings an outsider’s perspective.

But his experience as a member of Finance Board and as treasurer of his class means he is also familiar with the bureaucracy.

In the coming year, Butler University’s student body will need someone who can offer big changes to SGA.

That leader will also need to navigate meetings with President Jim Danko and other top administrators.

We believe Keller has the most potential as both a fresh pair of eyes and someone with the experience and charisma to manage SGA’s affairs.

SGA seems to find itself still adjusting to open meetings, which are new this year.

And only a small percentage of representatives  appear to vote on issues.

Keller seems most ready to combat these and other issues facing both student government and the Butler community as a whole.

For one, he offered the bold promise that he would make himself the most accessible, communicative president in the history of Butler’s student government.

The self-proclaimed student government nerd also brought specific ideas and solutions to some of the issues brought up by students.

Keller plans to better involve independents in student government by engaging them where they live.

His plan involves giving more responsibility and prominence to residence hall governments.

He points out that some students do not know if their dormitory even has a representative, much less who fills that role.

He mirrored this specific approach in his other responses.

Of all the candidates, when asked questions about complex issues, Keller identified what he thought was most at fault and vowed decisive action.

Keller wants to instate a conflict of interest policy for the grants committee while  clearing up some confusion over recent changes.

He also strives to improve the energy and talking points of SGA meetings, keeping the meetings interesting.

He also wants to work with Information Technology to create a smart-phone application with an interactive calendar of SGA events.

If students can have information pushed to their phones, Keller believes more will get involved.

The new president will not just affect this coming year but years to come.

Whoever wins needs to make sure to set a strong precedent of listening to students, addressing their concerns and improving transparency.

The Collegian staff feels Keller will do just that.

For those reading this very editorial, they’re seeing the giant headline that shows that the staff of The Collegian approves of Mike Keller and found him to be the best-suited candidate in the election.

You’ll see that six staff members abstained. I am one of those six.

Abstinence is the way to go with endorsements, especially during a fragile time in media.

Throughout my time practicing journalism at this fine institution, I’ve been told countless times to never let the source or the reader know what I’m thinking unless I’m appearing on an opinion page, and even then, I should know when not to cross any lines.

News outlets seem to just ignore those lines and slap their stamp of approval on a candidate just because it’s election season or because it’s the tradition.

Regardless of the tradition of endorsing a candidate, there’s no place in the newspapers for special treatment of
anyone.

The most that a newspaper endorsement can do is to tell people which candidate they should vote for.

That’s why candidates have press secretaries.

If a candidate wants to get ahead in the race, stop talking to the newspaper and start showing why he or she will be the best SGA president ever.

Credibility with the press is at an all-time low with Americans, according to the annual Pew Research poll on the media. Only 38 percent of Americans view news media outlets as moral.

At this time where all media outlets—The Collegian included—are working to improve their reputation for balanced news coverage, it is a step in the wrong direction to back a candidate.

By putting our staff support toward a candidate, those at The Collegian may have damaged the ability to look fair, balanced and level-minded when covering the remainder of the election and next year’s SGA.

A candidate who didn’t receive The Collegian endorsement could say that any future coverage of him or her was not in a fair
light.

And if Keller wins, we run the risk of him thinking that we’re never going to question any of his
actions.

Endorsing a candidate jeopardizes the credibility and reputation of future coverage in The
Collegian.

Leading this influential student organization is a challenging job—much like the role of Student Government Association president.

Granted, holding government accountable and actually governing are two different things, but learning from this experience has taught me what it takes to be a good leader in any position.

Confidence, experience and enthusiasm are key traits to being successful in a top leadership position.

Kelsa Reynolds exemplifies these traits, which qualifies her as the best candidate in this year’s SGA presidential race.

The Butler Collegian endorsed her opponent, Mike Keller, largely because of Reynolds’ failure to provide specific plans in The Collegian’s debate on Sunday, but her track record speaks for itself.

Reynolds has the most experience and holds the highest leadership role of any of her opponents. She currently serves as the vice president of operations and oversees all the inner workings of SGA. She communicates well  and is a problem-solver.

She also was largely responsible for expanding SGA’s student shuttle program, something I’d consider to be SGA’s biggest recent triumph.

At first, Reynolds turned me off because I thought SGA would stay stagnant under her leadership, but saying whether that is a bad thing or not is impossible.

When I took the reigns of The Collegian in May, a part of me wanted to make big changes, but I realized that vastly improving the quality of the system that we already had in place would be the most effective way to create change.

Good leaders have to be Teflon-skinned, too—a skin I’ve grown into over the past year.

In his role as SGA president this year, Al Carroll had a voice in several  important conversations and experienced the joys of student leadership, but he also had the tough job of dealing with The Collegian each week.

The Collegian has rightly held Carroll accountable for some of this year’s flaws and hiccups, which can be  a tough pill to swallow.

In the end, criticism comes hand in hand with success. I’m a big believer that skeptical journalism is absolutely necessary for a democracy to function at its highest level, but it goes both ways.

I’m confident that Reynolds, given her experience working with Collegian reporters and editors, will be able to handle scrutiny with a thick skin, just like I am expected to do each week.

Reynolds would also break a streak of male SGA presidents at Butler. Of the past 21 SGA presidents, only five have been female, which is a heinous ratio.

Belonging to what some call the fairer sex does not play a role in the capacity to have great leadership skills, and after training under both male and female editors, I’ve learned that collaboration and competence make a great leader, not identifying as a certain gender.

But in a world dominated by men, female leaders get to be trailblazers for those who are disadvantaged because of their gender.

Reynolds can be that trailblazer for Butler’s SGA after years of male presidents.

When she speaks, she commands the attention of the audience and holds the ability to inspire other female leaders at Butler.

Because of the experience she brings to the table and her track record, I’ll be voting for Kelsa Reynolds on Election Day in the hopes that she will unite Butler’s campus and serve as a competent leader for next year’s student body.

Reynolds, regardless of the election’s outcome, I hope you continue to be as forthcoming as you have been this year to The Collegian when reporters come knocking on your door.

Photo courtesy of flickr/Bruno Lucattelli

From Africa to Latin America to Butler University, Playing for Change uses the universal language of music to transcend cultural boundaries and promote peace in a world full of people eager to sing the same song.

The Playing for Change Foundation started a decade ago when documentary filmmakers forged into the poverty stricken areas of the world to capture the lives of street musicians.

The YouTube videos of the Playing for Change musicians inspired Clowes Memorial Hall to request a performance in Indianapolis.

Director of marketing for Clowes Hall Joshua Lingenfelter said it was impossible to ignore the musical group’s strong presence on YouTube, which has more than 39 million views and the positive message that the group conveys to audiences.

Playing for Change will perform on Friday at 8 p.m. at Clowes Memorial Hall.

“Playing for Change doesn’t do it for the money but for the purpose of fundraising to build schools for music,” Lingenfelter said. “It’s the mission that Clowes also adopts to continue arts and music education.”

The Playing for Change mission began as a method to spread the benefits of music to less fortunate people who weren’t afforded the opportunity to learn and understand it.  After the foundation began traveling worldwide, it became obvious that musical education was only one note in the composition that comprised Playing for Change.

Lingenfelter said the effect of Playing for Change is overwhelming when popular songs the majority of people know are played worldwide by people of different cultures and backgrounds using their own native instruments.

Political science Professor Craig Auchter has also found inspiration in the Playing for Change movement.  He began showing the YouTube videos in his political science senior seminar.

Auchter said his class talks in depth about peace and social justice, so the theme of Playing for Change fits perfectly in his curriculum.
Auchter said Playing for Change isn’t solely about the talent of unknown singers and musicians.  The foundation makes more of a social statement than a musical one.

“Just as people walk by musicians on the street, we will figuratively walk by the problems in the world,” Auchter said. “The music helps us to remember to pause and pay attention to the world we live in.”

Auchter said the songs not only inspire people to work for change, but they inspire people to work together.  He said each song is a powerful example of how music can unite the world.

“No one of us can do everything, but everyone of us can do something,” said Auchter.

Senior philosophy major Kinsey Bussell is currently in Auchter’s class in which the topic of Playing for Change was discussed.

Bussell said the class was learning about intercultural dialogue, and Playing for Change did an exemplary job of showing that dialogue through music around the world.

Like Auchter, Bussell said the encouraging message of Playing for Change teaches people to stop and listen to the world around them instead of casually walking by in ignorance.

Lingenfelter said the performance is expected to bring in a very diverse audience featuring many different cultures and ages.  So far the show has sold about 700 tickets, but Lingenfelter said he expects that number to hit 1,000 tickets by the performance date.

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Butler University’s club sports teams have used $4,000 of the $10,000 that the Student Government Association grants committee gave to them this year, said Dan Schramm, SGA’s vice president of finance. Schramm said club sports grants can supplement a team’s regular budget and are useful if the team has to travel.

Schramm said club sports teams should apply for grants soon if they need funding because the grants committee could repurpose some of the money next year if it isn’t used.

“If that’s money they can use and will use, then it should be allocated to them,” Schramm said. “If not, maybe they don’t need it.”

Robert Beckett, treasurer of the Club Sports Council and men’s volleyball team, said this creates a problem because it causes clubs to spend more money than they must. Beckett said that’s something the executive council of the men’s volleyball team has been discussing.

“We don’t want to just go throwing money around for nothing,” Beckett said. “What we’re realizing is if we don’t spend this money, one, our budget’s going to get reduced, and two, we’re not going to live up to our club’s full potential.”

Faith Lindsay, allocation coordinator for the Club Sports Council, said she sees harm in the reduction of club sports grants.

“It would be a problem,” Lindsay said. “I don’t want them (students involved in club sports) to feel like they can’t go to a regional or national championship.”

Lindsay said reduced grant money could put limitations on teams’ accomplishments.

“It’s hard to know if you’re going to make it,” Lindsay said. “Some years are rebuilding years for teams, and other years you just don’t know.”

One club in a rebuilding year is Butler’s Shotokan Karate Club. The Butler University dojo was formed in 2001 but is currently  inactive.

Karate Club president Avery Stearman said the recent loss of two key members has jeopardized the vitality of the club.

While the club could continue to exist in a partnership with an outside group from the Indianapolis area, Stearman said she wanted more Butler students to take ownership of the group.

“Getting the word out is difficult and has been a struggle since I’ve started,” Stearman said. “Typically students interested in karate come find us, not the other way around.”

Stearman said that karate club is not the only club whose advertising has failed to garner student body interest.  Stearman said she thought that several other teams appeared inactive.

“There are too many clubs for the amount of students we have,” Stearman said.

Eric Kammeyer, Butler’s assistant director of recreation, said getting the word out is “the biggest missing piece” within club sports.
Kammeyer said the appearance of certain clubs as inactive is a result of confusion caused by SGA.

“That’s something that needs to be cleared up with SGA,” Kammeyer said. “The PuLSE Office decides who is inactive for club sports. SGA has its own use of inactive status.”

Kammeyer said a club sports representative to SGA who misses three meetings is declared inactive by SGA and cannot apply for a grant.

Kammeyer said the PuLSE Office’s definition of inactive is much more severe and means that operations are suspended until the requirements dictated by the office are met.

Hockey is the only club sport to currently have inactive status from the PuLSE Office.

Kammeyer said the Club Sports Council has done a good job of recognizing which clubs deserve the grants. Kammeyer said that despite the efficiency of the Club Sports Council, the entire budget cannot be covered with grant money.

“We can’t function on the money we receive from SGA alone,” Kammeyer said. “Men’s lacrosse, for example, brings in thousands in donations and competes on the field at a national level.”

Joshua Phelps, vice president of the men’s lacrosse team, said the fact that men’s lacrosse costs more than most other club sports forces them to rely on players, fundraisers and donations for financial support. Phelps said parents primarily provide donations because alumni will not.

“The alumni situation’s unique with lacrosse,” Phelps said. “A lot of people who played lacrosse at Butler don’t have the best relationship since they cut the program, because it was a D-1 program and then they dropped it.”

Maddi Corry, secretary of the Club Sports Council and a member of the women’s lacrosse team, said her team relies on donations too, but could not compete at a high level without SGA grants.

“I feel like it would be a problem for all of the teams, but we actually do apply for them, and we actually need the money,” Corry said.

Beckett said actually applying for a grant has been a rarity for most clubs  recently because people do not want to have to fill out the paperwork. Beckett said he will be presenting a new method for the submission of grants using Google Docs at the first Club Sports Council meeting of the semester on Thursday.

Beckett also said he has plans to discuss his goal of improving the Club Sports Council’s website and posting a copy of the finalized club sports handbook online by the end of the semester.

The student managers for the team put in as many hours as the players themselves do.

“It’s a full-time commitment,” Scott Schmelzer, a junior manager, said. “The only time we’re not there with the players is when they are lifting.”

The team currently has four student managers not including Schmelzer, who is away from his duties this semester interning in Washington, D.C.

Student managers have the responsibility of getting things prepared for players prior to practices and contests.

“We have to be at every practice 45 minutes before it starts and an hour and a half before a game starts to set up,” Mason Dettmer, sophomore manager, said.

As far as the duties a student manager has to undertake, Schmelzer said it is all about making the players and coaches feel more at home.

“We set up all the equipment, make sure [the players] have their laundry and handle the filming duties and serve as a passer or a rebounder during practices or just whenever they need another man on the floor,” Schmelzer said. “We just try to ease the burden on the players and make it so that the coaches don’t have to do as much either.”

While student managers could desire such a job for a number of reasons, Dettmer said a love of the game of basketball was the reason he decided to take the role.

“I’m a huge basketball fan, and I played in high school, so I missed being part of a team, and I thought being a manager would be the next best thing,” Dettmer said.

Freshman manager Jared Todd said being part of the Butler squad now will benefit him in future endeavors.

“I want to be a basketball coach someday, and there are no better people to learn from than coach Stevens and all of his assistants and really from our whole program,” Todd said.

Assistant coach Terry Johnson said the student managers’ positions help prepare them for future coaching positions by being able to observe the Butler coaching staff firsthand.

“[The important things are] being able to see us operate everyday, how we prepare and to know how important their job is,” Johnson said. “It’s a really important task that we don’t have to worry about because they’ve got it taken care of.”

Photo by Taylor Cox

Johnson said the managers are a significant asset to the basketball program that should not be overlooked.

“They are extremely valuable,” Johnson said. “They are really no different from our players, other than the fact they’re not on scholarship.

“We depend on them just as much as we depend on our players to perform on game day.”

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Still, when the time came to enroll, Perry weighed the options, and decided that Butler would provide her with valuable degrees in psychology and Spanish.

When Perry started classes in the fall of 2008, she was one of 37 black students in her class.

Among four-year, private, not-for-profit institutions, black students make up 16.7 percent of the total enrollment.

At Butler, 136 students—less than 4 percent of the total population of full-time students—identify themselves as black.

IPS and Butler

During her first two years of high school at Arsenal Technical High School on the east side of Indianapolis, Perry said she never heard about Butler. The school was never brought up in discussions with friends and she said she never saw admissions counselors visit the predominantly black school.

“I’d lived in Indianapolis for a long enough time that I thought I would have heard about it,” Perry said. “I just never knew.”

During her junior year, Perry moved to Franklin Central High School—a predominantly white high school. Within months, Perry started hearing people talking about Butler.

Throughout its history, the university has not had many students coming in from the predominantly black Indianapolis Public Schools system.

When Tom Weede, vice president for enrollment management, took office in 2007, he collaborated with then-President Bobby Fong to encourage and nurture a relationship with IPS.

Since then, Weede says that university officials visit the seven IPS high schools and find a way to make Butler a financial possibility for students.

“We really take our relationship with the community seriously and this is one of the ways to build that relationship,” Weede said.

Weede said that in the past three years, there has been a significant increase in the number of applicants from the school corporation.

“We’re moving in the right direction,” Weede said. “I’m hopeful that things will get better so there isn’t that stigma out there that we’re not trying. We have been, and we will continue to do so.”

Black Greek Organizations

Butler Student Ambassadors tell the story of seven black women who gathered on a predominantly white campus and created a black sorority.

Sigma Gamma Rho, founded at Butler in 1922, is the only black Greek organization ever created on a predominantly white campus.

Now the organization is struggling to recruit members and earn funding.

A university policy implemented in 2007 requires that an organization must have at least four members to be recognized by the university.

Recognition means that an organization can publish in the Butler Connection, fundraise on campus, apply for Student Government Association grants and vote in SGA assembly.

Right now, there are three members of Sigma Gamma Rho.

Perry, the president of the sorority, said that it’s important for the chapter to exist because of its historical significance.

“Since we’re the first chapter, I feel like a lot of the other chapters look to us to lead,” Perry said. “If we’re not even recognized by our own university, how can we really lead and set an example that is effective?”

Director of Greek life Becky Druetzler said the policy makes sense and has seen the effects it has had on organizations.

“I realize why this could present a problem in some respects, and it has created some issues with more of our organizations geared at diversity,” Druetzler said. “But I don’t see how it could impact the organization’s ability to recruit members.”

Butler’s History

Butler was one of the first universities to allow women and all races to enroll when the university first opened its doors in 1855 as North Western Christian University.

“Butler was extremely radical when it first opened its doors,” Sally Childs-Helton, special collections and rare books librarian, said.

Butler administrators have looked to regain some ground on minority enrollment since troubles in the 1920s seemed to have damaged the community’s perception of the university.

The early 1920s in Indiana marked the fruition of the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, and its powers became evident at the university.

“It didn’t take long for people to realize what kind of control the Klan had on nearly every aspect of the city,” Childs-Helton said.

D.C. Stephenson, who had just been named to the Klan’s highest ranking found a new home in Indianapolis.

His home—modeled after the KKK’s national headquarters in Alabama—could be seen from the campus library.

“Black students were discouraged from coming to Butler,” Childs-Helton said. “It was just too big of a risk.”

In 1923, then-president Robert Aley declined to make an official endorsement of an anti-Klan union. Board minutes do not include conversations, but the public perceived this move as Aley’s—and thus Butler’s—indifference on or support of the Klan.

“There’s no smoking gun to point to why he did or didn’t do it,” Childs-Helton said. “But I’m confident in saying that it made people wonder.”

In 1927, a policy that would only allow 10 black students admittance each year was passed by the Board of Trustees.

“It does sound horrible, but there were other places that were much worse,” Childs-Helton said. “The administration was still trying to live up to the vision the founders had for the university.”

The policy was lifted about 20 years later, though Childs-Helton said that administrators have found it to be difficult to recover the population.

“Damage was already done,” she said. “We lost credibility and it’s been hard to come back from that.”

During the civil rights movements in the late 60s and early 70s, black students enrolled at the university did not face opposition from other students, but rather were ignored, Childs-Helton said.

“No one was being openly hostile,” she said. “On the same note, no one was openly embracing. They were tolerated and ignored.”

Minority relations became a staple in discussions between administrators and a regular topic in the pages of The Collegian in the late 1980s with the administration’s creation of a minority task force.

The Diversity Center

The Diversity Center was one of the results of a 1986 minority task force to increase the university’s relationship with minorities.

At the recommendation of the task force, administrators saw the creation of such a center to attract more students to the university.

For some like Perry,  the diversity center is its own kind of oasis.

“The Diversity Center is the best thing we have on campus,” Perry said. “We’re all like a family there.”

Sierra Marcee, a sophomore communication sciences and disorders major, said the Diversity Center is convenient to use since she commutes to campus, but feels that it’s under-utilized by the campus as a whole.

“People have this misconception that it’s all about African-American students at the center,” Marcee said. “But if anyone took the time to look around and see that there are a lot of organizations down here, it would start to take away from that misconception.”

Looking Ahead

Butler administrators hope to continue to build the relationship with the community and hope to increase the population.

Some students, though, said that the focus should stop being on the students that could come, and move to the students that are at Butler.

“I don’t care if they’re working to foster the growth of the population,” Perry said. “Fix what we have.”

For other students, too many conversations can make the topic bigger than it is and further encourages a separation.

“Don’t talk about it,” sophomore Marcus Harvey said. “Stop having the conversation and stop pushing it.”

Harvey, an arts administration major, said that the conversations and push by administrators to appeal to black students seems to have gone too far.

When he started the admissions process, he was set up with a black admissions counselor. When he discussed his experience with other black students, he said they all had the same black admissions counselor.

“People shouldn’t be put into boxes,” Harvey said. “There are so many attributes to a person and skin color is just one of those things.”

The way the university advertises itself to black students in the community only hinders the relationship, Harvey said.

“Saying ‘We have black kids, we have black kids’ doesn’t do anything for anyone,” Harvey said. “It makes me uncomfortable and it makes you uncomfortable, so it should stop.”

“We don’t want to stop talking about it,” Weede said. “It’s on the forefront of our minds and the discussion should keep going.”

Institutional data released in the fall of 2011 indicates that 61 percent of Butler’s tenured full-time faculty is male and 39 percent is female, but university officials said that may change in coming years.

Typically, professors and associate professors are tenured while assistant professors are un-tenured, interim provost Kathryn Morris said.

Because Butler has more male than female professors and associate professors, the number of tenured men is higher than tenured women.

But at the assistant professor level, there are more female than male faculty members — almost none of whom possess tenure. In other words, a great deal of faculty on track to earn tenure are women, who upon achieving tenure will offset the current imbalance.

Morris said as time passes, the percentage of male and female tenured faculty should balance out.

“My sense is 60 to 40 is not atypical, and in the next five to seven years we’re likely to see that even out even more,” Joel Martin, associate professor of psychology, said.

Institutional research from Creighton University, a private university of comparable size located in Omaha, Neb., shows a wider gap between male and female full-time tenured faculty members—65 percent to 35 percent, respectively.

Creighton also has 33 percent of its total full-time faculty tenured, compared to Butler’s 51 percent.

Margaret Brabant, professor of political science, said what causes the gender imbalance is difficult to determine.

“There are a whole host of variables— social, economic, political variables—that come into play,” she said. “We see this historical shift in the number of women who have gone into the professoriate, into the academy, and with time’s passage we may be seeing that gender imbalance minimally begin to balance.”

Martin said that as times change and senior (tenured) faculty members retire or leave, junior (un-tenured) faculty, of whom women are the majority, are brought up to replace them.

While these statistics highlight male and female tenured faculty, Jason Goldsmith, associate professor of English, said they don’t take into account women who are in positions of power, such as deans, the provost and various chairs of departments and programs.

Brabant said eliminating the tenured gender imbalance may not be a realizable goal for the university.

“You can often have equally desirable but ultimately incompatible moral goals,” she said. “And sometimes you just can’t hit all of your variables and take care of all of the problems all at once. That would be a perfect world.”

To achieve tenure, faculty members must submit tenure dossiers, which is a file of detailed records, to their department or program in the beginning of the fall semester, Morris said. The candidate’s dossier is then reviewed at the departmental or program, college and university levels, and the Board of Trustees chooses whether to give final approval at its meeting on March 1.

According to the academic affairs calendar on Butler’s website, President Jim Danko then will provide written notice on April 1 of the board’s decision to the faculty member being considered for tenure.

Butler’s 2011-12 alumni giving rate is 22 percent, according to US News and World Report, ranking the school 18th out of about 600 comprehensive regional universities.

It takes almost 300 new undergraduate alumni donors in order to raise the rate 1 percent, Lee Vriesman, senior director of annual giving, said

If current students donated, it would start a good pattern for future gifts, Wendy Harlow, executive director of development, said.

“The best time to educate them is when they’re here,” Harlow said. “There is a great opportunity here and we don’t think it is an insurmountable goal.”

A small number of current Butler students donate. Last year, 28 percent of seniors donated to Butler through the senior class gift, while less than 1 percent of other undergraduate students donated.

Recent alumni have low rankings, too. Only 22 percent of 2011 graduates and 9 percent of 2010 graduates donate.

These figures are typical nationwide. The Washington Post reported in July 2010 that eight in 10 young alumni under 35 feel they’ve already given enough to their universities in tuition payments.

Junior Kyle Frantz said he would not donate while he is a student because of how much money he pays to attend Butler.

“But after I graduate,” Frantz said, “I’d be more than happy to help students have a better experience and make it more affordable for them.”

Vriesman said there is a misunderstanding that tuition covers all of a student’s expenses.

Where tuition lacks, Harlow said, donations pick up the slack, like emergency funds for students who face difficult financial situations mid-year, as well as some study abroad and music programs.

Harlow and Vriesman currently are brainstorming campaigns to promote the concept of donating as a student or recent alumnus, such as letting students know that the amount isn’t important to them.

“It’s not about how much they give,” Harlow said. “They can give $5.”

One way to think of it, Harlow said, is that if students are receiving scholarships, deciding to donate means they are essentially paying it forward.

“Every one of those scholarship dollars came from donors,” she said.

But shelling out scholarships doesn’t necessarily translate to future alumni gifts.

Aid recipients are less generous when deciding to donate, according to a Feb. 21 New York Times article about a new study by professors at Texas A&M and Princeton.

It might prompt students to donate if they knew that they could choose where to direct their gift, Harlow said.

Junior Katherine Sheridan, an Ovid Butler Society member, directs hers to the English department. Sheridan said she started donating to Butler as a student because she has previously been interested in philanthropy.

“Ovid Butler Society is a worthwhile endeavor for those who seek to fulfill Butler University’s motto of education, research and service,” Sheridan said.

Even if students or young alumni decide not to donate to the university, Harlow said it does not soften their voice.

“What gives people input is getting involved,” Harlow said. “Money doesn’t buy influence at Butler.”

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On the Bulldogs’ next possession Butcher made a long jump shot.

On the ensuing Flames’ possession, senior guard Ronald Nored stole the ball and went the length of the floor for a score.

Coach Brad Stevens then called a timeout to remove the pair.

That was the way Butler’s two graduating players ended their regular-season home careers.

Tuesday’s game was Senior Night, and the two lone athletic seniors left their mark by helping the Bulldogs (18-12, 11-6) beat the Flames (8-19, 3-13) 69-44.

Butler could return home in the Horizon League tournament in a few different scenarios or through the National Invitational Tournament.

Nored came close to his first-ever double-double, scoring 12 points, dishing out eight assists and capturing seven rebounds.

Butcher recorded four points and two steals in his time on the court.

Though it was a night for  celebrating the seniors, freshman forward Roosevelt Jones led the way for the Bulldogs with his second consecutive double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

“[Jones’] toughness allows you to win at home and on the road,” Stevens said.

Two other Bulldogs also posted double figures in points.

Junior center Andrew Smith and sophomore guard Chrishawn Hopkins scored 10 apiece.

Sophomore forward Khyle Marshall provided nine of the Bulldogs’ 20 bench points.

The Flames were led by junior guard Gary Talton and senior center Darrin Williams, who scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.

When Nored and Butcher left the game with 2:39 to go, Hinkle Fieldhouse erupted and an emotional ceremony shortly followed the game.

Photo by Taylor Cox

Stevens thanked the crowd for their support all season and for future support, because “we’re not done yet.”

Each senior also spoke briefly.

“We couldn’t have a better coaching staff,” Butcher said.

“There’s nothing better than Butler,” Nored said in front of his mother, grandmother and high school basketball coach from Alabama.

In a post-game press conference, Butcher described the night as bittersweet.

“It is a special moment I’ll hold in my heart,” Butcher said.

Butler’s victory coupled with Cleveland State’s loss to Green Bay allowed the Bulldogs to gain sole possession of second place in the Horizon League.

In order to secure the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, the Bulldogs will need to win Friday night against the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Valparaiso and hope for another Cleveland State loss.

On Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs won a non-conference game against Indiana State as part of BracketBuster Saturday.

In front of a sellout crowd at Hinkle, Butler routed their in-state foe 75-54, showing a glimpse of their late-season heroics from the past two seasons.

Smith led the Bulldogs in scoring with 12 points while collecting five rebounds.

Jones, Hopkins and sophomore forward Erik Fromm each scored 11 points in the contest. Jones also had 12 rebounds, recording his third career double-double.

The Bulldogs got 25 points off the bench, with Khyle Marshall chipping in 10 as one of five  players in double figures.

Butler shot 8-for-20 from behind the 3-point line. All nine of junior guard Chase Stigall’s points came from beyond the arc.

Sophomore forward R.J. Mahurin led the Sycamores (16-12) with a career-high 22 points, going 4-for-6 from the 3-point line.

The Bulldogs will hit the road to take on Valparaiso in the regular-season finale at 7 p.m. Friday.

But for the individuals who take on the role of student manager, they call it family.

Little is known about the Butler women’s basketball team’s two managers. They try to operate as stealthily as CIA agents for the U.S. government.

“A good manager will be invisible,” Brian Weitz, a junior first-year manager, said.

While being a team manager is an on-campus job, it is not one that draws people with a large paycheck.

“We get paid what probably comes out to about 25 cents per hour,” Weitz said.

Weitz is a transfer student. His roommate, fellow junior Evan Eichhorn, is also a manager for the team.

Eichhorn is entering his second season as a manager and said he has no regrets so far.

In his first season with the team, Eichhorn worked with 11 athletes over the course of a 34-game season that lasted just over four months.

“It feels like I have four moms in the four coaches sometimes,” Eichhorn said. “It’s the personal interactions that make this worth it. We’ve grown real close to the team.”

Weitz echoed the same sentimental feelings as his managing mentor.

“It’s the people we throw the ball back to that make it all worth it,” Weitz said.

The managers take care of everything behind the scenes.

They get the basketballs out of the locker room.

They sit in on opposing teams’ shootarounds to offer assistance.

They get towels out and wipe up sweat off the floor.

Eichhorn also runs both the shot and game clocks as well as the scoreboard during each practice.

Water bottles are also on the to-do list, as each player has her personal water bottle filled with ice water before practices and games.

A container of Gatorade is also on the checklist.

During games, one of the managers is stuck in solitary confinement filming the game while the other is sitting on the bench with the team.

Eichhorn also has the added responsibility of uploading the game film to the Butler Athletics website for other teams’ usage.

The countless hours spent by the managers doing the behind-the-scenes work to make the team’s operations flow more smoothly do not go unnoticed, however.

“It’s been an exceptional year for our managers,” coach Beth Couture said. “What I like about the managers is the passion for our program. They want to win as much as we do.”

The pay may not be great, the hours may be pressing and the appreciation may, at times, be lacking.

For Eichhorn and Weitz, these factors are of no concern. They are in it together for the team.

A proposed meal plan would allow for unlimited entry into the residential dining halls during the meal blocks. There would be no restriction on the number of swipes during the meal block.

The meal exchange program would also be eliminated under the proposal, and there would be an increase in flex dollars.

Student affairs and the Butler Cuisine Bureau have proposed this new “all-access” meal plan to the Student Government Association and are waiting for responses and opinions before the plan can become official.

Sally Click, dean of student services, who acts as a liaison between student affairs and Aramark, said that in order to make the meal plan official for next year, they must hear back from students.

One of the main issues addressed was student feedback detailing how students want more flexibility when it comes to dining services and meal plans.

The current meal plan, which was established in 2006, offers four different block plans with varying numbers of meals per semester, with increasing numbers of flex dollars as the meal number decreases.

Click said that this change would accommodate students’ needs based on all the feedback that has been given.

“Why wouldn’t we want to give you guys what you want?” Click said.

This new plan would help spread out the traffic during the typical lunch and dinner rushes. It would also allow students to come and go when they want.

Kyle Frantz, chair of the Butler Cuisine Bureau, said they looked at the current meal plan and asked if they should keep it the same or change it.

The Butler Cuisine Bureau traveled to other schools to see what works the best there.

The Butler Cuisine Bureau then took the most common feedback issues and came up with the proposed plan.

“The overall goal [for this change] is convenience for the students,” Frantz said.

Some students have voiced concerns about the proposed plan.

Colleen Quilty, a sophomore gender, women and sexuality studies major, said that she would end up using all her flex dollars.

She said she is also afraid she wouldn’t use all of the meal swipes.

Maggie Rybarczyk, a sophomore communication sciences and disorders major, said she thinks this change is a good idea.

She said it will increase mealtime convenience.

“For students that don’t eat during the lunch rush, like [my roommate] and I, it’s more convenient,” she said. “It will give students more flexibility with what they want to eat.”

But the program’s organizers said the reaction of the students gave more validation to the semester-old endeavor than an award could.

“It didn’t matter to me that we got a piece of paper, and it didn’t matter to me what the award was,” said Doug Manuel, a master’s of fine arts student. “What mattered to me is when we walked up there, I looked out to the crowd and threw up deuces, and everyone in the crowd went crazy.”

Manuel and MFA student Chris Speckman, along with English professor Susan Sutherlin and MFA program director Andy Levy, developed the Writing in the Schools program as a way to connect the MFA program with Shortridge and pilot a class about writing education.

There wasn’t always a crowd on board with the idea.

After struggling to secure background checks and fearing they wouldn’t be able to get in the building, the first Butler mentors began working in the fall with about five to eight students.

Speckman said they needed more students, so he and Manuel also went class to class, introducing themselves and trying to recruit writers.

They created a video with dancing and rap, as well as signs to draw in people.

Through these measures and word of mouth, the program grew to a steady stream of about 34 students who attend their group after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Between the Writing in the Schools class and other volunteers, there are about 20 to 25 mentors. These volunteers have racked up 1,400 service hours and reached one-third of Shortridge’s students.

Speckman said students who come once will come back and that consistency on the part of Butler students and faculty has been integral.

“It’s a school in flux, and it was about carving out a place,” Speckman said.  “They wanted to know that we were there and we were there to stay and we weren’t going to be a flash in the pan.”

Manuel agreed, saying that the group has become one of the most stable programs at Shortridge.

“One thing they can count on is every Tuesday and Thursday Butler people will be there,” he said. “We will have food for our kids, and we will have a lesson plan. That’s what we’re going to do, no matter what.”

Sutherlin said that the Butler mentors have learned  not only how to teach but also how to navigate a school and start up a program.

“I love the fact that we’re operating on so many levels at once and that we’re asking so much of our sudents,” she said.

Shortridge English teacher Christine Muller said the Butler students have helped her students’ confidence as well as their writing.

“They make the student feel like they are in control of their writing, in their voice and their mechanics,” Muller said.

She said she likes how the program includes more informal dialogue about writing and is not as focused on teaching students how to write to pass assessments.

“It’s helping students, but it’s not mandating from above,” she said. “It can get to be somebody else’s program, somebody else’s agenda and a way to get somebody else’s job done otherwise.”

Up next for the group is growing its online publication, Exclusive Ink, and assembling student work in a print publication.

Speckman said they want to reach students who are failing assessments, not just those with talent and passion for writing.

While receiving the Jefferson Award is good for program building, Speckman said it also serves as a reason to keep moving forward.

“When we had trouble, we just put our heads down and kept working without worrying about the outside,” Speckman said. “It says we now have a place at Shortridge. It makes us feel like we’re more a part of the community.”

Of course, not being a member of any official groups outside of the newspaper probably contributes to this feeling.

If independents like myself want to see better representation in leadership positions, we have to better organize ourselves in this SGA election.

Some groups, like Greek houses, do have more natural organization, especially if the members are living together, but no one has reason to cry foul when Greek houses vote for their members.

Instead, independents need to get to know the candidates the old-fashioned way, like watching the Collegian’s debate online.

Some independents perceive discrimination against themselves.

It is beyond the scope of this column to argue either way on that issue.

But one way to improve the representation of independents on campus is for them to simply take part in the campaign and events in general.

Butler University is a small community, and non-Greek students make up a large majority of the student body—as much as 75 percent, according to Butler’s website.

Two of the four current candidates for SGA president specifically placed independent concerns in their platforms.

“As SGA president, I would work relentlessly toward increased communication and cooperation between Greek students and independent students,” sophomore Katie Palmer said.

Junior Kelsa Reynolds agreed.

“I will strongly support Greek philanthropy events and independent students’ sponsored programming,” Reynolds said.

Independents clearly have a stake in this election and candidates have taken notice.

Yet some independents still feel they are underrepresented.

Members of Greek houses hold a lot of leadership positions, but this is a consequence of their natural organization.

Especially for Greek houses, the chapter members frequently live with one another.

That spells out more exposure to potential Greek candidates.

This cuts both ways, of course.

Anyone who knows a candidate outside of his or her political aspirations is just as guilty as any fraternity or sorority member.

To be perfectly honest, I voted for Al Carroll last year because I know him personally.

That is not to say that anyone, Greek or not, picks their candidate based on friendship alone.

But knowing the presidential hopeful personally gives the voter insight into which candidate he or she is choosing.

Attend the SGA meeting on Wednesday, go to the debate and read up on the platforms of the candidates.

The campaign is only just getting started, so we have plenty of opportunities.

The fiscal year 2013 budget proposal reflects this announcement, specifically with college education.

Obama has proposed a 2.5 percent increase in educational spending.

Butler students should understand that the president’s administration is providing an increased support for federal student financial-aid programs.

But Obama struck out—he missed an opportunity to truly help future students pay for college, even with a $1.7 billion increase from fiscal year 2012.

Obama’s budget uses a variety of tools in an attempt to keep post-secondary education within reach for many American families, including increased grant and work-study funding, and expands access to student loans.

But current and future Butler students will unfortunately not gain much help at all—and this is coming from a very pro-Obama voter.

There are four main components in the budget that deal directly with financial aid that Butler students should be aware of.

First, the budget calls for increased funding for the federal work-study program by $150 million.

The Obama administration states that this increase will provide work-study grants for an additional 110,000 students.

However, not that many Butler students are in this program to begin with, and it will not substantially increase if this proposal is enacted.

Melissa Smurdon, director of financial aid, said Butler has a little fewer than 300 students working in this program.

Strike one.

Second, Obama has proposed an increase in the maximum Pell Grant from $5,550 to $5,636.

It is hard to imagine that this will provide dramatic relief for college students. Though the Obama administration says this small increase will ensure access to almost 10 million needy students, it seems like a drop in the bucket when tuition at Butler is north of $30,000.

Strike two.

The third factor in the budget proposal is actually one that is a necessity for Butler students.

With a looming increase of the interest rate on federal Stafford loans occurring on July 1, 2012, Obama has proposed a freeze on the rate hike.

If enacted, Butler students will continue to pay a 3.4 percent interest rate on Stafford loans rather than the 6.8 percent increase as of July 1.

Almost a home run, but the ball went foul at the last second.

The fourth and final component Butler students should be aware of is the federal Perkins loans program.

About 800 students are enrolled in this program at Butler. The Obama administration has proposed an increase for Federal Perkins Loans offered by the Department of Education from $1 billion to $8.5 billion.

However, Judy Renschler, loan coordinator in student accounts, said that no money has been provided by the government for this program and this proposal will increase the interest rate to 6.8 percent.

“I get concerned with the cost of the loans increasing for students,” Smurdon said. “Having more available is more positive but in the end, it will cost more,” Smurdon said.

“Having said that, Butler students do an exceptional job. We have a really low default rate, and our students pay them back and this is a good contribute for Butler.”

Yet, due to the instability of these programs proposed by presidential administrations, and the hike in interest rates for these loans, I am calling strike three on this proposal.

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Today, Butler isn’t a picture of perfection, but it has come a long way.

The Diversity Center and Black Student Union are just a few of the groups that support and bring out the best in the black population on campus, even though Butler is still only 3.4 percent black.

There is definitely more work to be done.

“It’s like being in the real world,” said junior Brittany Staten, who is black.

This is an accurate description of how Butler is.

Butler is a good environment for black students to experience the reality of being a minority before going into the real world. This is also good for many people who don’t have as much experience working with minorities.

Butler is a slightly below par with today’s society in terms of the silenced awkwardness between races. I still notice double-sided comments or actions made by fellow students. I’m not saying anyone at Butler is racist, but there is a certain level of awkwardness that exists between some people.

“There have been a few experiences where people were uncomfortable with me or they would make off-color remarks,” said Staten.

This is a reality that many students brush under the rug. I’m not talking about a simple joke, but a passive aggressive comment that undermines either me or minorities as a whole.

Some of the things said are out of ignorance and lack of exposure to minorities. I’ve had people cut me out of conversations because I was black and didn’t know anything about “white people stuff.”

Just because I’m black doesn’t mean I’m ignorant or uncultured.

These indirect attacks aren’t something that just started—they have been ongoing since the early days of Butler.

Through the years, Butler has been on a moral roller coaster of how to handle the minority population on campus.

In 1887, Gertrude Mahorney was the first African American to be on record of graduating.

Butler was socially ahead of most other universities in the country. One of the most prestigious sororities, Sigma Gamma Rho, was founded at Butler.

Starting in the mid 1920s Butler’s ethics and moral values went down the drain. Butler President, Robert Aley turned spineless when D.C. Stephenson, a Grand Dragon in Ku Klux Klan became Butler’s newest neighbor.

As president of a university founded on equality, the shock of his silence instead of denouncing segregation came as a shock to many.

Instead of being grouped with their peers in the year book, African Americans were being grouped in the back of each section—separated.

In 1927 Aley instituted a quota only allowing ten black students per year to attend Butler. This quota stayed until 1948. The damage of the gutless acts would linger over everyone for generations.

Up until the 1970s, black students weren’t badgered,  simply ignored and tolerated on campus, said Sally Childs-Helton, special collection and rare books librarian.

Throughout that time period, black students formed several groups to try to find an identity on campus and unify themselves. It was better than many universities at the time but, as a school, Butler had regressed and turned its back on its own history.

The national Civil Rights Movement helped smooth things over for the next generations, but the black community had lost a lot of trust in Butler. In 1978, Butler only had 44 black students attending, compared to 74 in 1926.

A task force was started to try to draw in more minorities and restore the Butler name.

Bobby Fong was the first non-Caucasian to hold the office of president at Butler. He was deeply committed to and appreciated the philosophy and history that Butler was founded on. His race was a huge asset in bringing diversity to the school.

Still a lot of the awkwardness comes from a mix in backgrounds. Some Caucasian students who don’t really experience a mixed bag of races and beliefs until college don’t understand the ignorance in some of the things they say.

People need to be more conscious of what they say and how they act. This applies to more than just minorities but to everyone on campus who is not the same as someone else. Instead of undermining, blatantly and awkwardly avoiding someone, or just being flat out ignorant, think through what you’re about to do or say.

Butler’s founding mission has been a near success, but until a more conscious effort by students is made to act normal and not freak out when faced with someone who has a difference of appearance or beliefs, Ovid Butler’s dream can be closer to a reality.

Hudec

For Nicole Hudec, warming up involves an iPod, a Snickers bar, some stretches and a few laps around the track.

Kelly Davidson said she needs music that “pumps me up” and thoughts about “things that make me angry.”

This is how the two Butler freshmen have prepared for each of their track and field events this season in an assault on the record books.

Hudec and Davidson have broken four of Butler’s track and field records during the Bulldogs’ first seven meets.

“They’re great students and both really strong athletes,” coach Matt Roe said. “We’re really excited to have both of them to grow the sprints and jumps sides of our program.”

In the duo’s first collegiate meet, the Blue and Gold Invitational on Dec. 2, Hudec set new school bests in the long jump and triple jump while Davidson topped Butler’s previous mark in the 200-meter dash.

The similarities between the two do not end in Butler’s record books, though.

Hudec and Davidson are roommates in Ross Hall and are both part of the school’s pharmacy program.

The pair said they both came to Butler for the pharmacy program first and that competing on the track and field team came after that.

Both Hudec and Davidson began participating in track during seventh grade.

Hudec said she took up long jump at Ohio’s North Royalton High School at the suggestion of her gymnastics coaches because she could run quickly and use her gymnastics abilities.

Like Hudec, Davidson started participating in track and field because of another sport, although she became more interested in track by her sophomore year at Ursuline Academy in Ohio.

“I was always on the front line in soccer, using my speed to get the ball, so I knew I was fast and went to a sport where I could use my abilities,” Davidson said.

Sophomore sprinter Maddie Cassidy said that Hudec and Davidson have both displayed a positive attitude and enthusiasm—two qualities the squad needed.

“Personally, I think it’s neat to see [them breaking records],” Cassidy said. “To see them work hard in practice and adapting really well, I’m proud to see the hard work pay off.”

Hudec attributes her success to the team’s hard workouts in the fall, something that Roe said he agrees with.

“They just needed a good base of work, which they got this fall, and great competition, which we’ve been able to provide for them,” Roe said. “The combination of hard work and great opportunities creates great outcomes.”

These factors have led Hudec and Davidson to not only break school records, but also break their own records.

Hudec has topped her best distance in the long jump and triple jump twice each while also capturing the school record in the 55-meter dash at the Hoosier Open on Dec. 9.

Davidson also set another new school-best in the 200-meter dash at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 3.

At the Friday Night Special last Friday, Davidson achieved the second-fastest 55-meter dash time in Butler history, behind Hudec.

Davidson

Still, both Hudec and Davidson said that they are looking to improve going into the Horizon League Indoor Championships, the following outdoor season and future seasons.

The indoor championship meet is facing Hudec and Davidson first, though, and the two share a similar goal: scoring points.

“I’m hoping I can go under 26 seconds because I’ve been so close the past two races,” Davidson said.

Hudec and Davidson said they both plan to chase careers in pharmacy, although they would like to stick with track and field through college.

No matter what happens, Roe said he is happy to have them in the program.

“I think they’re well-coached and well-disciplined,” Roe said. “We’re just excited to have them performing well.”

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Despite a few mid-season mishaps, the Bulldogs have been strong recently, winning their penultimate meet and coming in second place at their most recent contest, which was a triangular held at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

With such a young squad—there are no seniors and two juniors on the team of 16—the conference meet will be a new experience for some.

“I think we’re all going to do really well,” sophomore Kathleen Brannen said. “This is the best season we’ve had since we lost the men’s team, and having such a great season has built our confidence up.”

In last year’s version of the league championship meet, Butler placed eighth of eight teams.

The Bulldogs finished 32.5 points behind seventh-place Valparaiso, a team they have defeated twice this season.

“I really think that with the team we have this year, we’re capable of doing a lot better,” sophomore Lauren Lambrecht said. “Since we don’t have divers, that kind of throws us out of the mix.

Photo courtesy of Butler Sports Information

“But we’re definitely going to try and beat Valpo.”

Reigning champion Green Bay is playing host for the meet. Last season, the Phoenix finished 103.5 points ahead of second-place Milwaukee-Wisconsin.

Butler will try to set multiple school records in both individual and relay events, including the 200 relay, 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay.

“Most of us shoot for personal bests and making our seven-month season worth it,” Lambrecht said. “We’re a small team, we’re young, and we’re trying to build up the program.

“Self-improvement shows possible recruits that they’ll improve when they get here.”

Starting tonight, meet coverage will be broadcast live online through horizonleague.com.

Despite Butler’s female majority and large female participation in SGA, the number of past female presidents is low.

There are certain stereotypes female candidates have to overcome in an election, even at the college level, Margaret Brabant, a political science professor, said.

“I think these stereotypes are actually reinforced in the way women run for office,” Brabant said. “Women run into the question of how feminine to appear.”

SGA presidential candidate  Kelsa Reynolds, current vice president of operations, said she doesn’t believe there is a different campaign route for females.

“I think it’s about seeking the proper people who share your platform,” Reynolds said.

Katie Palmer, who is also an SGA presidential candidate, said being elected president would be a huge honor, regardless of gender.

“It would be very impactful for me,” Palmer said. “The gender aspect is not as important to me.”

Reynolds said the lack of female presidents in the past might be due to a lack of exposure of the SGA.

“People haven’t been exposed enough to the SGA and haven’t developed an understanding of its importance,” Reynolds said.

She said it is important to increase SGA exposure, especially for freshmen, and encourage them to become involved.

“Personally, I got involved as a freshman and have continued to become more involved during my time at Butler,” Reynolds said. “I know the importance of getting involved early.”

Both candidates said the fact that two female candidates are running this year would help increase female presidential involvement in the future.

“I think this shows the equal opportunity of SGA,” Reynolds said. “I’m excited for the future.”

Brabant said she has doubts about the impact of having two female candidates on society’s perception of female leaders.

“I don’t think it will change much,” Brabant said. “I think it may have an impact on the way these candidates conduct their elections and articulate their platforms.”

The SGA assembly in general has a very balanced number of males and females, current SGA President Al Carroll said.

“Women aren’t underrepresented in SGA,” Carroll said. “Three of the SGA vice presidents are women, and there’s a good balance on assembly.”

In terms of how gender will affect their potential presidency, Reynolds said it is more about the attitude the president brings to the role.

“It’s just a matter of personality and an energetic outlook,” Reynolds said. “The male or female aspect doesn’t make a difference.”

Palmer said she would have a different perspective as a female president, especially considering her role as a resident assistant.

“I have a different understanding of campus being a female,” Palmer said. “I know what issues are affecting the female population.”

Reynolds said the support team a president builds around him or her is very important to a successful term.

“You have to have a great executive board, male or female,” Reynolds said. “It’s about how you are perceived during your presidency.”

This will be the last chance for students to hear the candidates publicly debate before Monday’s vote.

Last Sunday, The Collegian’s staff members met with the four student politicians and conducted a separate debate.

The candidates each had a turn to answer the following questions:

How do you plan to address the divide between Greeks and independents on campus?

Josh Grant said he would allocate more funds for independent Council, allowing it to host more events.

Michael Keller said giving residence hall government more responsibility is the key to getting Independents more involved on campus.

Keller suggested making the hall governments’ BUmail listservs similar to Greek listservs. Keller also wants to continue to pair up Greek houses and residence halls during homecoming.

“We need to quit thinking this campus is Greek and non-Greek,” he said. “We’re Bulldogs.”

Kelsa Reynolds said she would give Inter-fraternity Council a bigger voice through SGA.

Katie Palmer said that Independent Council should be more involved with the meetings of chapter presidents.

Palmer also said that she plans to reform Spring Sports Spectacular, keeping the traditional teams of  Greek houses while also giving large clubs their own teams.

How do you plan to address the issue of communication within SGA assembly?

Grant said the key to improved communication within SGA is giving the freshman representatives a louder voice.

“We need to encourage the freshmen to speak their minds,” Grant said. “I think that’s the main group of people who aren’t talking.”

Keller said that in order to increase SGA efficiency, SGA representatives need to understand their responsibilities at the beginning of the semester.

He suggested spending the first assembly of each semester explaining what is required of representatives and holding them more accountable throughout the rest of the year.

Reynolds said, “If elected as SGA president, I am going to go back to the vice president of operations and strongly encourage them to make a presentation of what a representative should be.”

Palmer said the best way to improve SGA communication is for SGA organizations to specifically outline what they want their members to do and hold their representatives more accountable.

“SGA is as strong as its members are,” she said.

How can SGA get more students involved on campus?

Grant said that as president, he would make sure more students are going to events.

“If only five people show up to an event, that’s horrible,” he said. “That’s actually happened to me before, and it was a horrible experience. I would never want that to happen to anyone.”

Keller said utilizing new technology is the best way to get students updated on what’s happening on campus.

“When I found out that our IT department was seriously looking into doing a smart phone app, I nearly jumped out of my chair because there is so much potential there, and SGA needs to play a big role in seeing that developed,” he said.

Reynolds said a high number of programs available on campus is the solution to student  involvement.

“For me, it’s very hard to define over-programming as a good thing or a bad thing,” she said.

“One of your main roles is trying to reach out to the most students possible, and in regards to that, you’re going to have over-programming.”

Palmer said, “We can’t solve [event attendance] just by using technology.”

Communication barriers between clubs need to be broken by using programs like the Butler Beat and YouTube, but word of mouth is also an important part of publicizing an event, she said.