Bryant, Alexandrea: President

If I was president of Southern Arkansas University I would make a few changes to improve the University.  First I would invest in the College of Education, second I would set the standards to the Honors College to higher, next I would increase the number of study rooms, and finally I would increase the number of parking spaces.

We need to invest in the College of Education.  The College of Science and Technology recently finished their new facilities and the College of Business has modern facilities.  Where does that leave the College of Education?  The Early Childhood Education department is in the basement of the library, far away from their dean and other staff members of the College of Education who are located in Cross Hall.  It would be more convenient for both the students and the staff of the College of Education to have their own modern facilities.  It is great that the Honors College is growing but I believe that its standards of admissions are lower than the more established and recognized Honors Colleges in the state.  If I was the president of Southern Arkansas University I would ensure that the admission to the honors college was somewhat stricter.  I would also require honors students to be involved in an activity or organization on campus.  I feel that it is very important to set high standards for honors college students because they are supposed to be the best of the best.  I would also like to see more quiet study areas for students.  There are study areas for students in Magale Library but traveling to the library every time you need to study may not be convenient for some students.  If I were president of Southern Arkansas University I would ensure that there was a small computer lab and at least two small study rooms in every building on campus.  Parking is a nightmare for both students and staff on campus.  Those who live off campus and commute to school every day must search for a decent spot; sometimes that search is incredibly to long, and may cause people to be late for class or for work.  To fix this problem I would increase parking and assign parking spots. If there were assigned parking spots for everyone, there would be no need to worry about finding or being late for class or work.   

If I were the president of Southern Arkansas University I would ensure that these few changes would be made.  By investing in the College of Education, setting the Honors College to higher standards, increasing study rooms, and increasing parking I would improve this University.

Hughes, Deana: President

Being a University President is a goal that has never cross my mind, but if given the chance I would restructure the Freshman Seminar course campus wide into a more efficient vehicle for retention and graduation by creating specialized sections of the course to help students who have declared a major find the facilities and tools on campus to help them in their academic career.

So far this year we have had lessons on The History of Academe, Diversity, Sexual Health, and Stress/Time Management. While this may be pertinent information it is not what we expected from Honors Seminar. During the course we had a brief overview of BlackBoard, the campus e-mail, CampusConnect, and We Are SAU. But there needs to be extensive instruction on how to use them beyond just telling us to look at the online tutorials. They are essential tools that we use every day in classes. We also need a better understanding of Student Support Services, the Tutoring Center, Writing Center, and other locations on campus that exist for our benefit. The Freshman Seminar course should teach us exactly what these facilities do and not just mention that they exist. There should be excursions to these areas to better understand their activities. Perhaps the only aspect of this class that has lived up to expectations is learning about SAU’s different colleges.

As an entering freshman who has already declared a major in Biology, I had expected to be able to work closely with the College of Science and Engineering from the start, but instead I was put into the Academic Advising Center and put on hold which means I could not officially get an advisor from my area of study. Right now, there are two Seminar classes which are the regular Freshman Seminar and the Honors Seminar. As president I would propose that Freshman Seminar be split into five subcategories. There would be a class for undeclared majors which would cover the generalized areas described above and four other seminar classes designed by each college. Each college requires different academic standards, has different facilities, and offers membership in different organizations specialized to their area of study. We student have all been asked to join student organizations, but how do we find an organization that fits our needs? The Science and Engineering Freshman Seminar, for example, would discuss all the other colleges its main focus would be how the classes and organizations offered by itself the other colleges help someone in the scientific field.

Restructuring the course would be a pain, but the benefits outweigh the deficits. Students and instructors alike have complained about finalizing degree plans near graduation. The majority of incoming traditional freshman do not know how to plan for the future. High school students take life one year at a time. College is different; students must plan ahead for all four years. The new Freshman Seminar would help degree planning become less of a hassle and create a cascade effect on retention and graduation rates.

Shrestha, Nishan; President

There is no single harder job to fulfill than that of being president of a university. I am not a professional pundit. I don’t think I have final say in decisions about what is right and wrong. However, I do believe the few changes I list below to the way our college operates could help our college gain a higher place among the universities in USA.

If I were a president I would add an Engineering Department. In today’s world and due to the economic crisis, many students are interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) courses because people majoring in STEM fields have been able to find jobs more easily. Also, the United States has a pressing need for STEM graduates compared to those in other fields. Second, I would add scholarships for continuing students. We have lots of scholarships for incoming students but very few or no scholarships for continuing students. I  believe that that’s one of the reasons many good students transfer to other universities because even though they have good grades at SAU they do not receive any scholarship funds. Hence, the number of graduating students is less. Next, I would add separate funds for undergraduate research. I believe that any prospective students would not only look for a physical infrastructure of the university but also look at research opportunities in their fields. I would increase the number of guest speakers coming to the university. Right now we have only two or three guest speakers per semester. I think students need more than just classroom education. If more guest speakers come and share their experiences then students will learn a lot from them. I would let honors students live in the Honors Hall at the same cost as living in the other halls. I think it is a privilege given to the Honors students; they have earned it so they must not be made to pay extra to live in the Honors Hall.

I would increase the budget set for the Honors College. I think Honors College has a great responsibility in recruiting academically as well as professionally qualified students to the University. These students play a vital role in raising the standard of SAU compared to other universities. Hence, the university must not overlook Honors College and it should try to help the Honors College in different ways like allocating more money for Honors Research and educational tours. 

Kasper, Kody: President

If I were president of SAU, I would permanently light not only our campus, but our bell tower. Lighting the bell tower with a new 2010 color scheme of blue could be used as a spirit booster for all the games, because it is unfeasible to keep the power on at all times. It could only raise our school spirit and awareness. PLUS, it would act like a beacon for those other schools traveling to SAU. Lighting on campus is not very good at all. There are lots of darks areas that bad people that may want to harm students could immerse themselves. Animal captivity is not kosher. Free the cows! Free the ducks! New desks for Wilson! No more columns! A kitchen in the Honors Hall, a community kitchen that everyone can use would be ideal. Building this kitchen could help with the community outside of Honors. Our Honors College Association could help to sponsor soup kitchens and meals for the hungry with the Community Activities Chair. The entire neighborhood could benefit from something as simple as the kitchen. It would make the dorm more like a residence hall because the residents could have the choice of cooking inside the building instead of having to leave for the cafeteria or other exterior sources.

Cooley, Kiefer: President

The President of Southern Arkansas University has a very big job to do.  He takes care of the budget, is completely responsible for publicity, and has a large hand in the recruitment of students.  This is not a job most would take willingly, but I believe I have a few ideas about how I would lead if I were President.

With less than 40% of the required funding provided by the state of Arkansas, obviously we would need another source of revenue.  I would continue with Dr. Rankin’s ideas of expand and improve.  Expanding costs money up front, but this is the prime opportunity to incorporate more energy efficient complexes that in a relatively short time will pay for their selves.  Making the campus a new series of high tech complexes would not only benefit existing students and faculty; it would be a huge asset for those looking to attend the university.

The president is responsible for any mistakes the university may make.  He is the one who approves it all; therefore he is who the media comes to when something goes awry.  This is the tough part of the job, but it must be handled with care.  If I were president, I would encourage all of our decisions to be made publicly, that way we could get feedback from the community, and I believe the university and community must have a close bond to coexist peacefully.

The main source of income in the university is from the students, so obviously ‘the more the merrier.’ I recently watched the new Harry Potter movie in Texarkana and was sitting in the theatre watching the annoying local commercials. Lo and behold, a loud and obnoxious sound caught my ears.  When I looked at the screen to discover the source of the awful noise, I saw an SAU commercial.  While this was not the best commercial I had ever saw, it served its purpose perfectly.  It stuck with me.  I believe Dr. Rankin is doing a fine job recruiting students, seeing as this year we had the largest freshmen class in SAU history.  I would carry on his fine methods, because the old cliché proves true (if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it).

Obviously I am a fan of what the current President of SAU is doing.  Dr. Rankin is doing a great job of maintaining this university.  I believe that he is going about recruitment and renovations in the right way.  He may spend require a large budget during his tenure here, but when he leaves SAU will truly be a much better place.  

Gurung, Anu: President

When I first came to Southern Arkansas University (SAU), everything was new for me. I took a tour around all the buildings, went to every corner of the university, tried to be friendly to everyone, but still I felt like an alien in this secluded, remote place. Everything looked good enough for me to stay here for next four years of my life, and it still does. After three months at SAU, if I were given chance to be the president of SAU and do whatever I want to do to, I would make few changes.

            

I would change the cafeteria menu. Instead of serving same food every day I would serve different varieties which can appeal to everyone ranging from vegetarians to international gourmands. It is getting really cold here, so, I would open the cafeteria even late at night so that students can have a sip of hot coffee while working on their assignments. I hate the smell of the farm when I step out of my dorm in fresh mood; I would do something to fix the problem. There is not any transportation service from the university to different places in Magnolia. Being an International freshman I wish to see different places; if I were president I would provide transportation facilities to the students.

            

I have found that a lot of students are not in open or friendly terms with their teachers. I would make student-teacher lounges and organize various events so that both of them get chance to know each other better. This will help to upgrade the academic level as, personally, I do better in classes of the teachers I like. I live on-campus, so I do wish for some improvements; most of the computers in dorm do not function well, vending machines are in bad shape, and it is really cold without a heater. I love fresh wind blowing through window, so, I would change out the windows of the buildings.

             

I would open library for 24 hours a day, so that students can get access to  library materials whenever they want. I love reading fiction, but the library does not have a good collection of new volumes. Therefore, I would make a new larger section of recently published novels. I still am not able to figure out much about my major, therefore, I would assign advisors to the students in their first semester which will help them to be more serious about their studies

After making these minor changes, there would not be much to be done. SAU already has a good learning environment and many extra activities. These changes will help to enhance the living experience of students on campus, while unloading minor restrictions present in their daily schedule. 

Long, Alyssa: President

Presidents of universities or colleges have many responsibilities and challenges. They also have the opportunity to improve their college institutions by many means. If I were president of SAU, I would increase parking, add additional graduate study programs, and increase the recruitment of high school students to Southern Arkansas University.

            

Parking at SAU is awful. The Reynolds Campus and Community Center parking lot adds tons of parking to the campus, but around dorms parking is scarce. Students constantly search for parking spaces, and there is honestly not enough; it is very frustrating. If parking spaces were added around the dorms at SAU, students would be ecstatic at the prospect of not walking half a mile to their dorm. With happier students along with SAU’s reputation as a great place for living on campus, more students may be encouraged to leave home and stay on campus. With more students, more revenue for the university would be available for scholarships and other necessities for running a university.

            

As president of Southern Arkansas University, I would also add a greater variety of graduate degrees. Many undergraduate students live around this area and would love to stay here for graduate school. If SAU offered graduate programs in their chosen fields, students would be more inclined to further their education at SAU; thus, SAU would raise the level of higher education in the area, benefiting the local communities and its own prestige as well.

A university is nothing without students to attend it. So as president, I would increase the recruiting of high school students. To recruit students, I would implement days that current students of the university could travel to local high schools to share their educational experiences with high school students and try to get them enrolled at SAU. An example of this would be sending some Honors College students to share their experiences with high school students. These university students would help the high school students to see aspects of the university’s various societies and programs. Another aspect of recruiting new students would be making it known to high school students which credits would transfer from AP and concurrent courses. Making those credits known would help students to prepare for college and which colleges would offer them the most credit for their hard work in high school.

            

In conclusion, as president of Southern Arkansas University I would increase parking, add a greater variety of graduate study programs, and send students to help with the recruiting process.

Zepeda, Dylan: President

I have to admit, I don’t know much when it comes to taking care of a college. I am sure that there are many rules and aspects of it that I am not aware of, but I do have a few ideas about what I would do if I could make decisions concerning what happened at my school. I would spend the time and energy necessary to organize students into classes by their learning style as well as performance in class. I would explore alternative sports to be held at the school such as fencing, martial arts, and weight lifting. The humanities would have more emphasis put on them and students would be encouraged to be individuals. Drug and drinking rules would be strictly enforced and bullying would not be tolerated at all. The nurse’s office would be available on the weekends and there would be a strong support group for students who need help with depression or other mental health issues, as well as tutoring in all subjects. Professors would also be treated well. All facilities open to students would be open to them, as well. They would have a say in how they taught and what their classes were like. Respect would be paid to them by students according to the rules and not doing so would be punishable, the same way bullying is. My school would be more exclusive. The living conditions would be improved and resident halls would be cleaner and painted in more uplifting colors, with the option to paint dorms how students wanted. There would be a strong student influence in the decisions made at the school. In the end, I would do my best to make sure my school was prestigious and looked upon as a desirable school. 

Winters, Clint: President

“The King is dead! Long live the King!” President Rankin is in some way unable to continue as SAU president, and the school needs a new head. Being the obvious choice for the position, I throw my hat into the ring. A few board meetings and ceremonies later and I'm the president! But will I be a paragon of hope and education for miles around? Or will I bring the school crashing down alongside my career? Only time and my plans will tell.

  

My main goal as SAU president will be to continue the pattern of growth and development started by Dr. Rankin himself. New buildings and programs everywhere the eye can see. My vision would be a college that rivals the big campuses in facilities and services while keeping the atmosphere and (hopefully) tuition costs of a small college.

“How will you get the funds?” I hear you asking even as I type this. There's no doubt that all of this development will cost money, and lots of it. I plan to cover the costs by increasing enrollment by various admission incentives (the brand new facilities being one of them) and by improving our already impressive tours and preview days. Another way will be in some of the buildings themselves. The new buildings will include more campus stores and restaurants, which if successful should bring in a fair amount of revenue. A program that will cost a large sum initially but that would pay for itself within a few years would be to make the new buildings more energy efficient and also retrofitting some of the old buildings with the same environmentally and wallet-friendly technology, much like OU has just finished doing. On the academics side. I'd like to have SAU offer even more majors and minors, and possibly expand its graduate program. Having doctorates come out of SAU would be a great thing to see, and be a pretty big plus when potential students look at the campus for all their higher education needs.  Part of this would be to expand (or start, I'm not really sure) SAU's research programs and agendas. Letting the next Nikolai Tesla do research in Magnolia would be a pretty cool thing. Last, but most certainly not the least, I would like to expand the Honors College, and I'm not saying that because of who's reading this. It would help with admission rates, expanding our graduate program, and almost every other goal I have in mind. Plus, having a building full of the smartest people in the area would be pretty awesome (albeit catastrophic in the event of a fire).

My reign as president will hopefully be a fruitful and prosperous one, and if successful, our little campus may just become a household name like the big name colleges that people get tattoos of. On that note, maybe a campus tattoo parlor would be a great idea... 

Stone, James: President

The President of any university has many responsibilities. He or She is the face of the university and with that comes the power to make or break a school. If I were to become the President of Southern Arkansas University, I would make a few changes. However, some things that are already happening at SAU should be kept untouched. 

My first order of business as the President of SAU would be to increase the number of parking spaces. I have felt the crunch this year of the parking crisis at SAU. It has coined the phrase “move it and lose it” around the school. Many times students have decided how and when to leave campus based on the amount of parking spots available upon their return. I would try to make more parking available in and around campus, particularly next to the Rider Rink and the HKR building. The second thing I would do would be add more lighting along Farm Road. Currently, Farm Road is lit in certain areas while in others it is quite dark. A good thing about the lack of lights is that you can see the starry sky above you. That can be relaxing. However, the danger of many students walking along the nearly deserted Farm Road at night presents several safety issues. For example, there are several places along the road where strangers could lie in wait for passersby to rob or to sexually assault them. The added lights could prevent such dangers by increasing visibility. It would be a great safety improvement and would well serve the students of SAU. My final act as SAU President would be to have an exercise building open 24/7. Being a member of the Fit Club here, I have been working out since the beginning of the semester. Like many other students, I have been frustrated with the limited hours the HKR building is open. If it would be opened all the time, then students who have an unusual schedule or weird work hours could work out when it was convenient for them. Having the HKR building open all day would also give those students who make excuses about losing weight or getting fit less reason to avoid working out and getting in shape. 

Were I ever to become the president of Southern Arkansas University, I would want to do so much. I would add parking, add lights around the Farm Road, and open the HKR building for workouts all the time. With these changes, the school would be a little safer and a more accessible to the students. Maybe these changes could make a positive difference in somebody’s day. 

Wynn, Alex: Diversity

Martin Luther King Jr. went through much strife during his life because of how determined he was to abide by the law in all aspects. Despite how much was taken from him including his freedom, he took it all without going outside of the law to do so. After reading how calmly he described all the injustices he had been put through, I was baffled at how he did not lose his head or kill anyone. I hold much different ideas on what is necessary when protecting my rights than Dr. King.

            

I believe that some things are more important than the laws that govern us. If the government does not help the people, then why should the people listen to the government? The rights given to the people by God overpower the rights given to them by man. Sometimes it is necessary to protect yourself and the ones that you love and what you stand for no matter what the law says.

            

What is the purpose of the government anyway? Why should King have had to go through all that he did? The government and the laws had failed him. What is the reasoning that any intellect could use to persuade him that he was morally bound by the very laws being used against him? His rights were denied him, so I believe that he had the right to do whatever is necessary to gain them.

            

Laws exist for a reason. They are to protect people and their rights. If laws are unjust or counterproductive to the well being of humankind then I believe that that is excuse enough to break them. It is very honorable how King handled his situation without breaking the law; however, I don’t think it should have to be that way.

Orsak, Tori: President

“With great power comes great responsibility,” the truth in this statement is very evident in any person in power.  The person at SAU that holds the most power and therefore has the most responsibility is our President Dr.Rankin. The thought of me taking his place is, first of all, a very scary one. Dr. Rankin faces many challenges everyday and I’m not sure if I am capable of handling the stress. Still, if I were faced with the daunting task there are certain changes and additions I would make to the university.

            

The major changes are where I would begin. The layout of the university is one job I would see as a priority. The smallness of our university is nice but the limited parking is not. There are so many areas on campus that could be transformed into parking lots which would make construction easier and the campus more accessible to students and guests. Office space for departments would be another issue that needs to be tackled at SAU. Putting departments together in one building and having locations more ideal for those departments would allow SAU to run much more smoothly.  Another important issue facing the university is the student worker policy. Students are only allowed 20 hours a week at minimum wage with no opportunity for a pay increase. This is hard on student workers if it’s their only job. That is the case for all international students. So, as president a pay increase program is something I would implement. The last issue I want to discuss is that of the no smoking law enforced on campus. Although this is a statewide law, I believe as president I could take measures to allow the freedom of choice to be given back to smokers on campus. A smoker’s area outside on campus grounds would be one option. I believe that the campus police have enough problems to sort out without having to watch for smokers too. Also, I believe this law is stepping on smoker’s rights and should be amended to give them some freedom not just taking their opportunity to smoke away completely. There are many people who live everyday on campus and should be given a place to smoke. 

            

I understand there are a lot of aspects to running a university and I don’t know all that is needed to do the things I have suggested, but I do know that as a student I see some of the flaws in the university, and as president, I would hope to do what I can to fix them. 

Hoffman, Mallory: President

I have been attending Southern Arkansas University (SAU) for about 5 months now and there are some things about the school I have come across that I would change if I were to become the president at SAU. For starters, I would change the rule requiring freshmen and sophomores to live on campus, because I fail to see any positive significance of this rule. If students who have under 60 hours credit feel that they would be better suited living at a different residence and not in a campus dormitory they should not be required to pay for a dorm room. Another thing I would do is to eliminate the visiting hours restriction in the dormitories. Because students pay a good deal of money to live in a dorm room they should not have limit the time period of being able to enjoy company in their rooms. The current visiting hours are mostly during the hours when classes meet and are biased towards those who prefer to be up late. This rule also makes it harder for students to relax in the presence of company because they have to make sure that their guest leaves before the end of visiting hours. This makes it especially difficult to watch movies with guests in cases where the resident of the room and their guest fall asleep or if the movie runs longer than expected. Still another thing I would do if I were president of SAU would be to create an outdoor eating area near the cafeteria. The outside eating area would have an overhang to help shield diners from the sun on hot days and also make it possible for use during rainy weather. This area would give more space for students to sit, helping to alleviate some of the crowding and chaos of the cafeteria. I would also put a small store on campus where students could buy necessities such as toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and cleaning supplies. This would make it easier on students who live on campus and would keep them from wasting gas going to Walmart as often.

Although there would be other things I would change if I were president of SAU the dorm requirement, visitation hours policy, and adding a store would be the top of my list.

Green, Tamara: President

If I were president of SAU, I would make just a few changes. I would make it possible for students to change their meal plan throughout the semester, with a limit of course. The next change I would make would be to make the campus smell better. The last change that would be made would be to add more parking.

            

My first change would be to make it possible for students to change their meal plans after 11 days of classes. With the current rule, students just have 11 days to decide whether their meal plan fits their on campus life. Being a freshman, I made the mistake of choosing the meal plan with 10 meals per week and a $75 declining balance. I didn’t factor in the three meals per day and that I would sometimes be staying on campus over the weekend. A few days after realizing this, I was told that I couldn’t change my meal plan because of the time limit. My declining balance is gone and now I have the added stress of coming up with enough money for a third daily meal. Students shouldn’t have to deal with this.

            

My next change would be to make the campus a more enjoyable place to be by eliminating the smell of cow manure. This odor can be overwhelming at times. No one wants to smell that while trying to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the outdoors. It’s like a stench that stings the nose hairs; it’s so potent.

My next and final change would be to increase the number of parking spots. Not only do the parking spots need to be increased, but also they need to be placed in more convenient areas. The parking next to the Honors Hall is scarce. We also have to share that space with some students from Greene Hall. It’s no secret that parking a decent distance from your residence hall is nearly impossible. Something needs to be done about the parking.

Collins, Aerriel: President

There are numerous changes that would be made on campus if I were the President of SAU. There is always room for improvement, and our small campus needs a few adjustments. Parking, security, and space are some areas in desperate need for improvement. Student organizations are poorly funded while others give an abundance of scholarships.

                  

The first thing I would do as president would be to increase the number of parking spots for the residences of Honors Hall, Talbot Hall, Green Hall, and Talley Hall. This would greatly decrease the number of tickets and reduce the students’ stress. Next, I would install more lighting around campus, and more security cameras in the parking lots. This would reduce crime on campus and raise the sense of safety by the students. Also, I would hire a dean for the Honors College. There is no sense in half-assing an Honors College. If a college is going to have residence halls set aside for its members, it should go the extra mile and hire a dean.

Another major change made would be to set aside a room solely for the cheerleaders in the MAC center.  The cheerleaders currently hold their practices across town in basically a shack with a tumble mat that’s too small for a competition routine. The cheer facility has no air conditioner, water fountains, or first aid stations. The Cheer Room in the MAT would be a great improvement. Cheerleading, as a sport, annually has as many injuries as any other sport. Therefore, it makes no sense for the squad to practice without trainers present. At least they wouldn’t be far if practices were in the MAC. In order to make funds for this, I would increase the restrictions on being a Mulerider cheerleader. This year, the two squads totaled over 50 cheerleaders with almost all receiving scholarship money. Instead, I would only give scholarships to those on the competition team. Anyone can wave pompoms on the sideline of a football or basketball game. Competition cheerleading is the genre that can accurately be described as a sport. The competition squad practices more hours, cheers for a longer period of time throughout the year, and must pay additional fees for travel and competitions. Therefore, these squad members need the extra scholarships more than do the noncompetitive cheerleaders.

Minor campus changes and major changes to the cheer program would be made if I were president of SAU. We would have a fully accredited Honors College, expanded parking lots, and more lighting put up around campus. SAU would take cheerleading a little more seriously, because the squads’ priorities would be in proper order. Also, the safety of the athletes would increase by the fact that they would practice closer to the trainers. There is always room for improvement, and our campus has a few areas that it needs to work on improving.

Dison, Michaela: President

If I were the president of SAU, and could do anything I wanted, I would build an Honors College building. It would be able to house all of the honors courses that are required of a member of the Honors College. It would be a great addition to the SAU campus and would show just how important the Honors College is to SAU. All of the other colleges have a building that is specifically used for them, so why should the Honors College be excluded from that just on the basis of not being around for very long? It would create an even better sense of community to have a whole building in which to conduct honors classes and be able to study as a group in a place that is quiet. If there was a building for the Honors College it could help increase the number of honors courses available, so that students can find classes that they are interested in finding more about in an honors capacity. An Honors College building would add to SAU’s charm and give visitors one more example of why they should choose to attend SAU instead of some other college. Most people don’t realize that SAU has an Honors College, based on the fact that there is not a building that can be pointed to and said that “that is the Honors College.” I didn’t realize that SAU had an Honors College until I was trying to compare it to other schools and had to find out if they had an Honors College to compare to my other college choice. When I realized that there was an Honors College at SAU it was easy to make the choice of which college to attend, but I was specifically looking for an Honors College and not everyone is going to look for one. They want to know that there is one and that they do not have to search it out. That is why I would build a building for the Honors College if I were president of SAU.

Jones, Daveante: President

            After the time that I’ve spent here at Southern Arkansas University I have noted a couple of things that I would change if I were president. One thing I would improve is the school sponsored activities. To begin, I would try to schedule them on the weekends. Next I would try to pick entertainment more suitable to the student population. On the weekends most of the students go home because of the lack of activities on the weekends. More opportunities for fun would lead to more students staying on the weekends. Those students, in turn, would invite kids from surrounding areas to come to campus as well, hopefully helping to attract future college students. Another thing that I would change would be to extend the cafeteria’s hours. A lot of students would like for the hours to be extended so it would help them save money. Many students get hungry after 9 p.m. and an opportunity to eat in the cafeteria would help them save money. Another thing I would improve would be the wireless Internet access. At certain places on campus the Internet signal is wonderfully strong but on other parts of campus the signal is atrociously weak. Improving the Internet signal strength to where it could be received on all parts of the campus would benefit students tremendously with school work and also online entertainment. The last thing that I would improve would be to allow more lenient visiting hours in the dormitories. A lot of students complain about being harassed for visiting too long. Many students have friends who live in other dormitories or off campus. Allowing more lenient visiting hours would improve students’ happiness with the housing part of the college life. With these changes and improvements I believe the school would be better and would also attract more future students which would improve the school in that aspect as well. That’s why if I were president they would be the main priorities on my list.

Hultberg, Joshua: President

Many people think of all the problems they encounter on a day to day basis and say to themselves something along the lines of, “well, if I were president, I would (insert action here).“ Most people fail to realize there is a difference between wanting to do something and having the means to do so. Most projects are limited by money, or lack thereof. As far as this university is concerned, there are only minor changes I would make if I were in charge.

First, I would pave the parking lots on the east side of campus. These parking lots have been either worn down or never paved at all. They are riddled with bumps and holes, and their lines have become faded and practically nonexistent. The police force seems to be the only ones to know where these invisible lines are, for they plaster countless windshields with pink tickets for parking over them. Along with that, the current space does not meet demand for the growing number of students. To make things harder, several dozen spots have been absorbed to make room for projects and to house construction equipment, making students quite unhappy in the process.

Second, I would make extended hours for the Mulerider Cafeteria. Now, while having a full cafeteria open later would cost a sizeable amount of money, I would plan to have a small consolidated version open from nine to midnight and would provide snacks or small meal items like pizza. At that time only one line and a small portion of the seating area would be open allowing those with odd schedules a chance to eat without having to go into town to find food. This would be a relatively low cost solution to the frequent problem of students walking over to Reynolds to find that the cafeteria is closed already.

Third, I would try to improve the variety of classes offered on campus. While the current spread is good I would be constantly looking for new classes to broaden student’s educational horizons. I would also like to see elective vocational courses become available in areas such as metal, electronics, and automotive. While this isn’t a technical college, it is good to offer courses that get off the path of just “brain smarts” and to have a little experience in hands on work. It would also help to develop majors and certification courses in these fields to attract a larger base of students to SAU.

Fourth, I would do a few little things such as improving the Internet. While the Internet available is better than it was several years ago, there is still not enough equipment to meet demand. While the Library and Reynolds house the necessary equipment, the dorms and outlying buildings do not have enough equipment to keep up with the number of students. Having one little router among a building with hundreds of students is not going to cut it. It is difficult working on projects and homework on Blackboard when the pages take time to load. I would plan on spending a relatively small amount of money to upgrade each building‘s equipment so that it may host more students without getting weighted down.

Last, I would have the physical plant add a little curve to the top of the water tower during the Festival of Lights. Then it would look like a candle, instead of a pencil.

Lamb, Allie: President

Sometimes people do not have respect for the president of their university, but I honestly think that Dr. Rankin is doing a good job. I admire his ability to see the school as a whole and find what exactly the next project needs to be. So, if I were president of SAU, I would put my hard hat on and keep on building.

I think wherever there is an opening for expansion or improvement, as president, I would try to capitalize on it. If Nelson needed remodeling, then I would want to upgrade it. If there is a need for more campus dormitories, I would build them.

Another thing I would do as SAU president is cut back on some of the BAM 2 activities. I think two and a half days of orientation is a little excessive. We could definitely fit all of the necessary sessions into one full, productive day. This may not be my main goal, but it is absolutely something I would want to take care of as president.

Something I would really like to accomplish for the university is adding an engineering program. After graduating from high school, my older brother was left with only two options for earning an engineering degree, the University of Arkansas and Louisiana Tech University. He really wanted to stay close to home, so he chose Louisiana Tech. If SAU had an engineering program, that would probably attract students in similar situations as my brother. As a small university, we would probably have to focus on one or two specific engineering degrees, such as industrial or mechanical. We could branch off either the math or science programs. As a university president, I would want to see the admissions increase year by year. Adding an engineering program would definitely be a great start.

I think most university presidents probably look for improvements, and I would be no different. I would start with a few small projects like the continuation of building projects or altering orientation. Then, I would work on adding new programs to really improve the university. I would basically try to be the younger, female version of Dr. Rankin.

Vaughn, Tia: President

I thought a lot about what I would do if I were the president of SAU and for a while I couldn’t come up with anything but I eventually I did.  If I were the president of SAU I would improve Family Day by adding some more activities for families to enjoy.  I would have more activities like UCA’s Family Day with more carnival-type activities like a caricaturist, small carnival rides, and face painting.  By adding these activities families would have more things to do and more ways to have fun.  If I were the president of SAU I would also add more parking lots for students because it is a pain trying to find a place to park on campus.  The parking issue could also be resolved to some extent by insisting that the building equipment being used in the new construction sites be moved out of the parking spots and up against fences to open the now unusable parking places around the construction sites.   I would also put an oven in the Honors Hall for the students who live there to use and I would also find a good place to put the Honors College office.  It would be conveniently located so honors students could go there easily if they had questions.  Finally if I were president of SAU I would find some way for Magnolia to be more interesting to college students. Not only would this give students more things to do in their free time but they wouldn’t have to drive a long way to have fun; they could just stay in Magnolia and not risk the possibility of getting into a car accident.  Also if Magnolia was more interesting, getting students to stay at SAU until they graduated would be easier and recruiting new students would also be easier if Magnolia had more for students to do. 

Kue, Alexander: President

To be the president of anything, an organization, university, or a country, is a daunting position filled with numerous responsibilities, decisions, and, undoubtedly, tremendous stress (although I am positive that the fat paycheck received at the end of the week is a large benefit that would make all the “trouble” worth the time and effort). I must first point out that I could not fill Dr. Rankin’s shoes.  What he does every day, what he has done to this day, and what he continues to do deserves praise of the highest magnitude. However, given the powers that come with being the president of a university such as Southern Arkansas University (SAU), I would usher in a new era on campus lifestyle, particularly in the health department.

As president of SAU, given my background and understanding of the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, my first order of business would be to make school lunch plans optional. The reason being that I understand certain students want to be independent with their meal choices, be that preparing their own meals or eating off-campus. Additionally, I would offer healthier alternatives to the foods served in the cafeteria such as: healthy pizza (made from whole-wheat and lean meat products), lean burgers, grilled (not fried) chicken, and low-sodium baked french fries. Next on my agenda would be to encourage physical fitness by designing a system of rewarding students and faculty based on their physical activity levels (of course, this would be optional). Furthermore, I would make the Wellness Center (soon to be the Mulerider Activity Center) open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week because I understand, from personal experience, that the hours of the Wellness Center do not always correspond with the free time of students, staff,  and faculty. Third on the list would be to build new parking lots across campus (especially outside of the Honors College). Currently, it is near impossible to find a parking spot during the weekdays and the traffic can get very hectic. Therefore, the most reasonable solution would be to simply organize the construction of a parking lot. My last order of business would be to change quiet hours from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. because personally, it is impossible to try and sleep at 9:00 p.m. (even with ear plugs in) when someone is practicing on a saxophone in the neighboring dorm room.

As I implied earlier, I would make a terrible president – the great responsibility that comes with the president’s great power would be simply overwhelming – but given the past and present hardships I had to endure, the simple changes that I would make as president of SAU would, perhaps, make campus life more enjoyable.

Willis, Rob: President

Students were recently asked, “If you were president of Southern Arkansas University, what changes would you make?”  In some ways, I have been a part of the university system for my entire life.  My father taught history and political science; my mother taught chemistry.  Through their experiences, and later, through my own I have seen many things I like and dislike about SAU in particular.

However many things I would like to change, my first priority as president would be to increase funding, and thereby academic enrichment provided by the Honors College.  My experiences here have contrasted starkly with my experiences at UCA's Honors College.  Both programs offer students of higher academic standing a better opportunity to study advanced concepts, perform professional-level studies, and form lasting bonds with their professors and peers.  The advantage I experienced at UCA was that the Honors College was a separate entity and had the ability to define targeted curriculum for its students.  I would very much like to see a program instituted at SAU which includes a fundamental “Core” of studies for the aspiring Honors student.

This core curriculum would be composed of at least entry-level studies of philosophy and the humanities.  My experience upon beginning college was to be immediately exposed to existential philosophy and how that relates to the big questions we all ask at one point or another in life.  Having come from a liberal, scholarly background, this exposure was not as shocking to me as it could have been.  However, I believe that for many students, myself included, this study provides the foundation for independent thinking.  To remain closed-minded, to only study those things which align with one's own personal beliefs promotes a particular antipathy about others that I find particularly disturbing.  The study of other cultures, even if one does not accept their beliefs and practices, promotes an open-minded world-view that is vitally important to success in our ever-more globalized society.

Setting this as a goal, the question then becomes how to achieve it.  I believe that this curriculum would require the hiring of additional faculty to facilitate the establishment of the Honors College as a separate entity, in much the same way that the College of Liberal and Performing Arts is separate within the institution.  This, of course, would require the allocation of additional funds.  I propose that perhaps some budget cuts, or at least reallocation of athletic funds could be utilized for this purpose.  While I understand the financial importance of the athletic program to the university, I question the contribution it makes to the furtherance of SAU's stated goal of, “[educating] students for productive and fulfilling lives in a global environment by providing opportunities for intellectual growth, individual enrichment, skill development, and meaningful career preparation.”  Perhaps this is an unrealistic view, but I think that the millions of dollars being used to finance the various athletic embarkations of this university could be put to much better use by providing students with the intellectual tools they will need to be successful as opposed to financing purely momentary forays into a career that so few will ever pursue, much less be successful at.

In summary, what would I do if I were president of SAU?  I would refocus the curriculum to provide a strong foundation in philosophy and the humanities to incoming students because of the importance I believe this study plays in the formation of inquisitive, worldly minds.  To accomplish this goal, I would reallocate funds from programs at SAU, such as the athletic department, which provide little academic value to those who participate.

Hollensworth, Lilli: President

If I were president of SAU, I would make a few changes. The first project I would work on would be to renovate some of the residence halls. Most of the residence halls are in pretty bad condition. They are too small and have problems such as leaky roofs. I would work to make the halls more appealing and comfortable to live in. Another thing I would add is lighting. The walking trail that circles the campus is almost completely dark at night, so I would have lights put on the farm road and around the Village area. I would also add lights to other areas of campus, such as the area around Talley and Honors halls for example. This area is dark at night, especially for people walking from the science building to these residence halls. One last thing that I would add would be more security. There are a few emergency phones around the Reynold’s parking lot but I would put more around the other areas of campus. This would increase the security on campus and make the students feel safer.

Another important thing that I would do as President of SAU would be to get rid of tenure, or at least change it’s policies. I don’t know from personal experience but I have heard of professors taking advantage of tenure. Some professors may not teach to their full abilities because they no longer have to impress anyone. I don’t think tenure is a bad idea, but I would watch the professors with tenure closely, and I would change the policy so that I could revoke a professor’s tenure if I felt it was necessary. Most importantly as president, I would keep an open door policy and would help students and faculty in the best way that I could. I would want the people in the university to feel that I was approachable and not be scared to come to me with their problems. 

Nash, Brandy: President

If I were president of SAU, I have no idea what I would do. Most people have a lot of complaints and ideas about how to change or fix things here at SAU. I can think of a few things; however, none of those things are drastic changes that could be made. The little things that I can think of are creating more parking area, upgrading computer software, and more study areas. These minor problems may or may not be easily solved, but I would choose to eliminate as many of the minor problems as possible.

            

Parking has become a very frustrating problem here at Southern Arkansas University. Honors Hall had little to no problems with parking a short while ago; however, Honors College has increased in size, and the parking is no longer sufficient for its residents. One way to fix this problem would be for a special parking permit to park in the Honors parking lot, or an Honors ONLY parking lot could be created. Either way, something has to be done. Finding a parking space is very time consuming and extremely annoying.

            

Upgrading computer software is another minor change that could be made to the SAU campus. Software such as Microsoft Word is widely used by students, and the newest versions of the software should be kept at hand for student and faculty use. Often, the newer software has a faster and easier way of doing things. That is the point of an upgrade. Improving the speed and ease of work makes for a friendly environment and attracts potential students.

            

Studying can be very difficult for students. Even more difficult than studying is a study friendly environment. The library has study areas on campus, and there are many nooks and crannies that students find on campus to use for studying. However, as the population here at Southern Arkansas University has increased, the spaces to use for studying have decreased. If there could be a building built or secured for only studying, then students grades would likely improve. Why? Some students have a very difficult time studying with noise or other people around. I know that for me, it is very frustrating and tedious to study with other people nearby. I cannot even have another person in the room while I study because it distracts me. Space designated for only studying would be a huge advantage to students and more over the university.

            

Although many people could find a lot to complain about, I generally love everything about SAU. If I were president, the only things I would really want to do are those listed above. More important than those concerns are the students that I would be held responsible for. I would make it my mission to always have an open door and open ears. That is what makes a president great. Any president can handle tasks, but it takes a great president to care about the people he or she is providing a service to.

Van Camp, Courtney: President

There are many qualities that a good college should have: capable faculty, student involvement, clubs to keep students engaged, and many others. There are, however, a few things that need to be changed at the wonderful Southern Arkansas University, namely being the cafeteria food and lighting on campus.

            

Everyday, students walk to the cafeteria in hopes of getting a warm, delicious meal to whet their appetites. This happens on some days, but most days are filled with unappetizing and unappealing messes. The food needs to appeal to the masses, but most days the masses scrunch their noses in disgust. One change needs to be the temperature of the food. No one wants to consume cold pasta or chilly potatoes. There are warmers underneath the food for a reason and they need to be hotter so the food doesn’t spoil while on the bar. One other thing that the cafeteria needs to consider changing is some of the menu items. On some days the food is just downright inedible. Take the chicken and rice for example; I decided to get a plate of it one day because it looked good, but when I took that first bite I nearly gagged. It was horrible! Many other people who had it on their plates did the same thing. There needs to be change!

            

One last change that needs to take place is the lighting on campus. I have to walk from one dorm to the Honors dorm on a regular basis at night, and sometimes I get chills thinking of what or who might be lurking out there. There needs to be more lamp posts and more street lights scattered around campus to at least provide adequate lighting for the students that do have to be out late. Less lighting just means that there is a higher chance of someone being taken advantage of or hurt.

            

Lighting and changes in the cafeteria would be my main goals if I were the president of SAU. Student life revolves around them. Cafeteria food keeps us full and happy and lighting keeps us safe. So it would be my duty to provide both of these to my students and fellow faculty members. 

Ruminer, Kelsey: President

To be president of a university is probably a very difficult responsibility. Although there are probably a huge list of plans and changes that the president must decide upon, my top priorities would most likely be to change a few things with the attendance policy, create more parking, and fix some of the issues with the cafeteria.

One of the first things I would change would be the attendance policy. Although many classes don’t require you to be there for every lecture, some will drop your grade a letter grade and then eventually cause you to fail the course. I understand that there has to be some type of attendance policy to weed out the people that aren’t meant to be there, but this policy causes some people who may have had an A or a B in a course to fail it. I think six days would be a better number to give people. Whether or not a person is keeping up in a course should be determined by their grade and not their attendance.

Another major thing on my list would be to try to fix our parking issues. I know that we are currently working on this problem, but I’m not sure if 60 spots would be enough for all the cars of Honors and Talley.  I would add at least 100 new spots in front of Honors and Talley and try to pave any unused land around the residence halls for parking.  We could also use a little more light around the parking lots and surveillance cameras.

My last thing that I would want to fix would be the cafeteria. Most universities offer a lot more options for student’s to choose from. I would add more buffets and selections or even a few small fast food outlets. I would also extend the cafeteria’s hours to stay open all day and stay open later at night. 

Rives, Tyler: President

If I became president of Southern Arkansas University, the first change I would put into motion would be the addition of a Fall break.  There is a very long stretch of school days between Labor Day and Thanksgiving break, and I have seen students, including myself, slowly becoming burnt out in their courses. If the addition of a Fall break was unattainable, I believe a happy medium would be to extend Thanksgiving break by two days making the break an entire week long. These extra days could be compensated for during finals week, except I would classify these days as review days where no new material is covered.  The addition of two days to Thanksgiving Break would allow students to get plenty of rest, and makes out-of-state students travel back home more feasible especially for those students that live far away.  

                  

As for my second and final motion as President, I believe a cafeteria food revamp is much needed.  During my first semester here at Southern Arkansas University, I can count the number of times I have been to the cafeteria on one hand.  While high school students are given little choice on what they eat, that is luxury that is soon gained in college.  The choices are clearly not the problem, on any given day you have multiple meal options in the cafeteria. The problem is that those options do not taste good. Honestly, I don’t think they know what the words seasoning or healthy means. The times that I have been to the cafeteria the entrée bar usually consisted of some meat lying in a pan full off its own grease and some pasta dish that clearly came from a box.  Upon seeing this I immediately resorted to the salad bar for something a little fresher, only to be disappointed by wilted greens and poor quality dressings.  As a solution, I would place more incentive on the cooking staff to produce a better quality product and increase the food budget to allow for fresher, better quality ingredients that would subsequently improve the quality of the food. 

Mosley, Lora: President

A university President has a lot of responsibilities.  He or she has to make sure the university is running smoothly, teachers are happy, and students are happy.  It’s hard to please everyone; making anyone happy is a hard job.  If I were a university President, I would pay for students’ textbooks, remodel all classrooms in Overstreet and Wilson Halls, and allow residents to control their own room temperature.

            

As everyone knows, SAU just approved a $6.5 million new Agricultural Center and Rodeo Arena.  That’s great, but wouldn’t it be better to pay for students’ textbooks?  I spent almost five hundred dollars on textbooks this semester.  If SAU would pay for textbooks, it’s less money out of a student’s pocket and more that they have to spend.  It unreal for textbooks to be over a hundred dollars.  If SAU can spend $6.5 million on a building, surely it can spend money on its students.  Next, I would renovate all the classrooms in Overstreet and Wilson and make them more technologically advanced.  Whiteboards instead of chalkboards, projectors in every room, and laptops for every teacher.  Any school should be up to date with the most recent technology.  It is very obvious that Wilson and Overstreet classrooms are not up to date.  With up to date technology, students learn more.  They can learn how to use the technology and can sometimes find it more interesting to learn with that technology.  Lastly, I would find a way for students in certain residence halls to control their own air and heat.  Students in residence halls such as Bussey and Greene can’t control their own heat.  I know that in Greene Hall their heat won’t get turned on until after Thanksgiving break.  That’s not fair to those students.  They should be able to control their own heat or air.  They shouldn’t freeze in their own rooms when they’re trying to sleep or do homework.

            

A university President has many responsibilities.  Other than making students happy, he or she has to make parents and teachers happy and that is a hard job.  I would do that job by paying for students’ textbooks, remodeling the classrooms in Overstreet and Wilson Halls, and figuring out a way for residents in certain residence halls control their own air or heat.

Zepeda, Dylan: Diversity

The first difference a discerning reader would notice between the two letters is that the perspective of the writers differs greatly. Dr. King’s letter takes a methodical and calm approach. He tries very hard to come across as nonviolent, serene, eloquent, and peaceful. While the White clergymen take an apparently calm attitude, they weren’t actually pushing for reform in how the Blacks were being treated.
            

In A Call for Unity, the White clergymen write that they believe the only righteous path to equality between the races is for the Blacks to stop their protesting and boycotting and instead to use the United States judicial system to achieve equality with Whites. The clergymen even go so far as to say “We further strongly urge our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations.” While it appears that the authors of a Call for Unity are trying to help the cause of equality, it is obvious that they are not; they don’t have a personal stake in the outcome.
            

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent many days in Birmingham jail and had much time to organize his thoughts. In his letter Dr. King cites numerous examples of injustice from the Bible which reflect the struggle for fair and just treatment of people of all skin colors. He writes about how it is imperative that justice be brought as quickly as possible and that he considers the best way to do that is to continue the protests and other things that had advanced the cause thus far. My favorite line from the letter is, "justice too long delayed is justice denied.” It shows exactly how Dr. King felt.
            

In conclusion, the greatest similarity between Dr. King and the White clergymen is their religious background. The two groups don’t seem to have the same goal in mind; they have differing opinions on how the goal of racial equality should be reached. The group of clergymen and Dr. King are as different as their writings.

Wisinger, Amber: President

 If I were president of Southern Arkansas University, I would make a few changes. There would only be a few small changes, but I would make one big change. The small changes would be mostly administrative changes. There would be more faculty members, maybe even a special committee, who would focus on transfer students. As a transfer student, I have encountered many problems with transcripts and financial aid. I would hope that having a group of people who are only focused on the needs of transfer students would improve or eliminate problems like those that I have had this semester. Another small change would be longer breaks between classes. There is not always enough time to get from class to class, especially if your classes are across campus from one another. Just an extra five minutes would make a huge difference. I would also do my best to accommodate those students who commute. As a student who commutes approximately 50 miles one way, I have found it difficult to attend most organization meetings and other events. Some meetings are required and some allow students to earn bonus points, but if the meeting is at 5:00 pm and my last class of the day ended at 10:50 am, I wouldn’t want to stay around campus for that long; and driving home only to drive back to school would be extremely wasteful of time, energy, and gas.

            

The big change I would make is I would convert the entire University into a “green” school. All of the energy used would be created by wind and solar power. Everything would be recycled; there would be receptacles for aluminum, plastic, and paper readily available to all students. Food would not be wasted either; all food waste would go into compost bins. The compost would then be used to fertilize organic school gardens. The vegetables grown would then be cooked in the meals served at school. There are many other ways to make the school green, and I would try to use many of them. Being a green school would not only make our little spot on the planet a better place, but would also bring more students and more money for the university. 

Wu, Xi: Diversity

Discrimination has been and will continue to be an important and sensitive social issue not only in United States, but around the world. It often appears in different forms and shapes.

Back in the 1960s, discrimination was an extremely serious civil rights issue for Black people. “A Call for Unity,” “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” and Dr. King’s famous speech “I Have a Dream” were written during that time and under a sensitive social environment for Black and White people. Dr. King, as a Baptist minister, put his faith in God. The Church, a symbol of Christianity, has played an important role in the racial discrimination issue. Christianity itself restricts those Christians from falling into racism.   However, Dr. King also understood God won’t send free checks to mailboxes monthly. Those checks must be earned. So, he and his followers expressed their expectations of achieving civil rights through a peaceful way: by publishing letters and making public speeches. Thanks to their great efforts, Mr. Obama became first Black president in United States history.

Nowadays, new types of discrimination keep popping up: gender discrimination, age discrimination, and others. Women are still having trouble finding jobs in some fields. Students bully other students and social groups try to exclude others.

In science fields, discrimination exists between races and genders. However, science is a field that involves fewer social issues than others. Whoever gets a great idea first is who survives in the scientific field. Whoever makes a great achievement is who gets most the most respect. As a science student and as someone who will work continuously in scientific field, I feel somewhat removed from those discrimination issues. Dr. King wrote in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and “Justice too long delayed is justice denied.” Look at this world, if you still can find discrimination that means the world is still denying justice. As Christians say, God leads it to be what it means to be. Let’s just focus on doing our jobs. I believe if we try our best in doing our own jobs, we will get a reward at some point.