Rai, Navendra: Diversity

A  Call  for  Unity  was  a  letter  written  by  eight  clergymen  local  to  Birmingham,  Alabama  and  published  in  the  local  newspaper  about  stopping  the  untimely  and  unwise  demonstrations  performed  by  so  called  (outsiders  referred  to  as  Negroes).  In  this  letter  to  the  demonstrators,  the  eight  white  clergymen  stated  that  the  demonstrations  are  taking  their  peace  away  and  that they  only  lead  to  more  hatred  and  violence.  They  urged  the  Black  community  to  negotiate  with  them  about  the  matter  and  stop  the  demonstrations.  They  also  suggested  that  when  rights  are  not  given,  they  have  to  go  to  court  and  fight  for  them.

Letter  from  Birmingham Jail  was  a  letter  written  by  Martin Luther King  Jr  as a  reply.  In  his  letter  he  talked  about  how  he  and  his  followers  came  to  the  point  of  conducting  non-violent  demonstrations.  He  also  clarified  that  the  Black  community  tried  to  negotiate  many  times  with  the  Whites  but  their  demands  were  repeatedly  denied  or  ignored.  All  they  received  was  the  word  wait.  He  also  mentioned  that  they  have  waited  long  enough  and  that  their  cup  of  patience  was  already  full.  They  no  longer  can  bear  the  difference  in  the  behavior  between  the  Black  and  White,  facilities  provided,  rights  they  were  given,  the  way  they  were  spoken  to.

In  addition,  Martin  Luther  King,  Jr  also  confessed  to  the  Christian  and  Jewish  community  about  his  disappointment  over  the  White  moderates  who  always  preferred  order  instead  of  justice.  The  non-violent  demonstrations  were  performed  to  remove  the  existing  order  and  to  bring  justice  to  the  Black  community.  He  also  mentioned  that  everyone  is  equal  in  the  eye  of  God.  It  is  we  who  see  people  at  different  levels.  So,  the  church  should  not  differentiate  between  Blacks  and  Whites.  In  contrast,  they  were  not  supporting  the  Black  community  and  were  silent.  Moreover,  some  even  refused  to  understand  the  demonstrations.

In  conclusion,  A  Call  for  Unity  and  Letter from  Birmingham  Jail  were  written  by  two  different  communities,  one  supporting  the  racism  another  denying  it.  People  now  are  more  concerned  about  racism  and  try  not  to  be  racist.  However,  in  some  places  racism  still  exists.  We  should  not  support  racism.

Rai, Navendra: President

It  would  be  an  honor  to  be  the  president  of  Southern  Arkansas  University.  If  I  were  given  the  opportunity  to  be  the  president  of  Southern  Arkansas  University,  I  would  make a  few  changes  on  the  physical  and  administrative  aspects  of  the  university.  Let  me  highlight some  of  the  changes  I  would  make.

                  

I  would  like  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  food  this  university  provides  in  the  cafeteria.  As  an  international  student  I  asked  other  international  students  whether  they  like  the  food  that  was  served  in  the  cafeteria  or  not; most  of  them  don’t  like  it.  So  taking  that  into consideration,  I  would  first  investigate  whether  the  staff  working  in  the  cafeteria  know  how  to  cook  or  not.  Then  I  will  try  to  have  a  good  staff  who  can  cook  well.  I  would  also  like  to  increase  the  size  of  the cafeteria.  Since  more  and  more  students  are   joining  this  university  each  year,   the cafeteria  is  quite  small.  Many  students  cannot  find  place  to  sit  between  12pm  and  5pm.

                  

The  bathrooms  in  most  of  the  dormitories  are  not  good.  There  are  only  4  shower  and  2  toilets  per  floor  in  each  of  those  dormitories.  Sometimes  students  don’t  have  much  time  to  wait  for  others  to  complete  their  shower,  and   the  toilet  paper  is  inferior  and  too  small.  I  would  change  it  too.  I  would  plan  to  increase  the  size  of  dormitories  because  the  number  of  the  students  is  increasing.

                  

I  would  like  to  focus  on  The  Honors  College  of  this  university.  I  am  glad  that  I  am  an  honors  student  at  Southern  Arkansas  University.  But  it  seems  like  the  honors  students  don’t  have  many  options.  I  would  like  to  improve  the  Honors  College,  help  honors  students  to  be  creative  in  all  aspects  of  education.  I  would  make  an  honors  courses  for  each  faculty  so  that  students  can  have  more  options.

There  is  no  compulsion  for  Americans  to  attend  college .  They  choose  to  enroll.  In  my  view,  they  have  right  to  join  any  class.  But,  if  they  already know  the  content  of  the  lecture,  they  can  choose  not  to  visit  the  class.  I  would  like  to  change  that  policy  of  dropping  students  if  they  miss  few  classes.  That’s  what  I  would  like  to  do  if  I  were  the  president  of  Southern  Arkansas  University.

Kight, Nicholas: Paglia

Many things that people are told about college are false. Colleges prepare students for their chosen field of expertise, but for nothing else. A student wants to learn how to work on computers? College will teach them how to construct and deconstruct a personal computer within minutes.  However, what happens if we as a civilization suddenly become unable to use electricity for some reason or another? Students who has devoted all of their time and money learning how to fix computers will have nothing left for them. There’s no point in knowing how to fix a computer when no one can use a computer anymore. It’s rare to find someone whose job goal is to do more than type on a computer and fill out paperwork. What ever happened to toiling out in the fields for hours to grow a harvest of crops? Computers have made it so that all that has to be done is press a few buttons to start some machine to harvest your crops for you. No more strenuous than dialing a phone. What happens if we are unable to use electricity? We wouldn’t be able to just press a button to harvest the crops and plant them. Farmers would have to get back outside and tend the fields like their ancestors did. That would be a problem as most of the farmers who know how to tend a field are too old to do so nowadays and the ones who are young enough to do the hard work are so used to technology that they are unable to work without it. We have put too much reliance on technology in recent years, so much that if it were unavailable to us, we would be almost helpless!

Gordon, Chelsie: President

The definition of a president is one who sits in leadership, and to lead, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means to guide, especially by going in advance. In my opinion, in order to be the president of a university, one must first attend a university in order to discern its needs from the eyes of a student. Being a student, I have noticed an area that is severely lacking at Southern Arkansas University. If I were the president of SAU I would work to improve the flow of information to better aid and inform students and incoming freshmen. Information makes the world go around, and without it, people are able to accomplish very little. This certainly applies to students as well as to the rest of the world. While President Rankin does a wonderful job of managing accounts, constructing new buildings, and making himself available, he has paid too little attention making information clear and and accessible at SAU. As an incoming freshman, I struggled and panicked for weeks while trying to figure out what I needed to do in order to be ready for college. Saving my schedule, accessing my e-mail, and understanding what Blackboard and Campus Connect were even for caused me a great deal of stress this past few months because information is not easily accessible and students are not kept as well informed as they should be. As president of Southern Arkansas University are many steps I would take to remedy this problem. 

The first and most important step is to fix the problem of inaccessible information by having every faculty member communicate and work together to be sure they all know what is going on and can answer any student's question. When everyone knows what is going on, information is more accessible. There should also be a link added to the SAU homepage listing in an easy to understand format and with step-by-step instructions everything a freshman needs to know. Finally, faculty should never assume that a student knows anything, but rather explain everything clearly, and they should review all important e-mail notices so that students understand what is being communicated. I have noticed during my time here at SAU that no person on campus seems very informed. This needs to change. 

After meeting President Rankin, I believe that he is doing a magnificent job. Dr. Rankin understands what is needed to create and maintain a good university and he works hard to achieve those things which will cause SAU to stand out among other universities. He is a practical, logical, and intelligent man. If I were president of SAU, I would strive to be much like him and hope to be as likeable and well respected. However, being an organized individual with a need to understand everything, I would make sure that the necessary information is clearly and readily available to all students and incoming freshmen. 

West, Augustus: President

If I were the president of Southern Arkansas University, I would make several changes to benefit the overall quality of the university.  First, I would work to repeal the smoking ban on campus and designate several smoking areas around campus.  The majority of campus would remain smoke free but I would designate several areas away from building entrances and major foot traffic as smoking areas for faculty and staff.  Second, I would start major renovations on the older and outdated resedence halls like Talbot and Bussy.  I would set up the rooms to be like those in Honors North and improve the quality of living for all students.  I would also add at least 100 parking spots around campus to alleviate some of the parking congestion especially around the sports complex and HKR center.  Another priority on my list would be to improve the quality and variety of the cafeteria food.

                

To improve SAU’s competitiveness in sports, I would seek to improve the athletic facilities and locker rooms to give the university an edge in recruiting over our rival schools.  I would also seek to move to NCAA Division III athletics so that our sports teams such as football that have struggled over the years could be more competitive.

                

My final change to SAU would be to try and attract more graduate programs to campus and possibly even gain some professional programs.

                

These are some major changes I would make if I were president of SAU.

Saling, Wesley: Diversity

Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man, and his contributions to American society were great. They stretched far and wide, making vast amounts of difference in society, and even now, his influence remains. The letter he wrote inspired many and caused a ripple effect across American society, making the world a better place.

            

He believed in “civil disobedience,” which was a concept that was first introduced by Gandhi. Even today, Gandhi and King’s influences are affecting the world in a way that keeps people from fighting amongst themselves for racial reasons. If we have to fight, it would be preferable for it to be something less trivial than racial or religious matters. I would prefer us to not have to fight at all, but human nature prevents that.

Throughout history, people have fought over racial issues and segregation, but in the early 1960s, King helped lead a group of activists in civil disobedience in order to gain rights for his people. It was not easy, but he was able to pull through. He did not complain about his task and he approached it with a calm mind and clear head, which allowed him to keep things in perspective and not lose his head over small issues that did not really matter. Despite vandalism and racist actions to try and dissuade him, he was able to persuade a nation that being tolerant was possible.

            

Thanks to his work, and the work of others, the diversity of today’s nation has much meaning. This “melting pot” has never been more diverse than now, and it was thanks to the contributions of these great people made to our society. It’s always good to know that the world can always be influenced by one man, no matter his race, religion, or personal beliefs. 

Kopplin, Hayden: President

As I sat down and began to brainstorm about my given assignment for Honors Seminar, I began to realize just how thought provoking this assignment would be. A rush of ideas infiltrated my brain, but few stood out amongst the rubbish my mind had generated as well. The adjustments I would facilitate for the university include: a twenty-four hour cafeteria, introducing a Starbucks to the campus, the encouragement of intercollegiate academic and performance based competitions, and “tinker” with the possibility of reallocating funds.

            

Often times I find myself getting lost in my work during the day, losing track of hours and eating times. If you don’t catch the cafeteria at its particular operating hours, you’re out of luck. If a student finds himself in need of a midnight energy boost (snack) to help finish out his assignment, he can’t attain it due to the cafeteria closing around 9 P.M. If the cafeteria began operating on a 24-hour time schedule several positive effects and improvements would take place. With students no longer enduring “hungry hours”, morale would increase as well as disposition amongst students living on campus. Grades would also improve due to the change in the students’ disposition and ability to obtain food in the wee hours of the night, when several students either cram for an exam or put the finishing touches on major essays and term papers. Another reason I would find myself working towards creating a 24-hour schedule for the cafeteria would be offering a greater convenience to the students. Although I do realize that creating a cafeteria that operates 24 hours a day may not be extremely cost effective, the university would be implementing a program that benefits the students, not just the pocket book of the university.

           

Howard Schultz said it best when he said, “Starbucks represents something beyond a cup of coffee.” Starbucks represents the beginning of a wonderful day, it represents opportunity, and better yet, makes people want to take and make the most out of the opportunities that come their way. I don’t know how the generations before mine view Starbucks, but I do know how my generation feels – we find Starbucks to be transcendent of the normal coffee shop. When we step up to the barista, we feel at ease. When we sit in the oversized somewhat contrite lounges, we feel at home. When we take that first sip of our tall latte, grande coffee, venti frappuccino or short cappuccino our hearts warm and smiles begin to take place of the dark abyss that used to reside on our faces. And if all of that does still not satisfy those who are doubtful, then consider the following items: caffeine and brand name. The students will pay for it, we could all use the energy and more importantly, we all would find the money to pay for it.

            

My high school career was driven by my desire to excel in various academic and performance based competitions. I achieved good grades and maintained high levels in participation at my high school because I was involved with so many competitive groups and organization, and this isn’t only true for me. Several studies have been released that support the concept; time and time again it’s been shown that those involved in some form of interschool competition consistently do better than their less active and involved counter parts and develop a much larger success rate. If I were the president of SAU, I would be doing my best to encourage the growth and development of intercollegiate academic and performance-based competitions, which would in turn, have a positive impact on my students and university.

            

The last thing I would do as SAU president would be to dabble and possibly reallocate some of the university's funds. It was recently reported in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that Southern Arkansas University derived 40 percent of its athletic budget from tuition and state support, a higher percentage that any other Arkansas, four-year university! Although I respect and adore the athletic programs SAU offers and the successes they bring to our school, I do not fully support such budgetary means and allocations. Southern Arkansas University could use part of this chunk of funding for several other items and programs and give some other students, who may be “talented” in a different way, an opportunity to bring acclaim and success to the university.

            

I realize that being President of any university cannot be an easy job, not with people constantly informing you of all the things you are doing “wrong” and having to make decisions that effect the whole university, but I’d like to think that my ideas hold some weight and offer concepts or ideas that may have been previously untouched or glanced over. Southern Arkansas University has a million opportunities and routes it could utilize to turn the school into a more enjoyable and sought out destination, I just hope it continues to progress and does not shy away form taking chances and creating programs that could benefit the university. 

Wisinger, Amber: Diversity

I have read “A Call for Unity” and Martin Luther King's “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” and I have to say that I both agree and disagree with the writings of both parties. They were on the same side, but where on opposite ends of that side. While both parties had good intentions, they could have gone about it in a better way. A middle ground needed to be met for the best results.

            

While the writers of “A Call to Unity” were rational in their desires for peaceful and calm negotiations, the rights of African-Americans would have taken much longer to acquire, if the rights would have been given at all. Negotiation is a great tool, but it may not always be calm. When fighting for something that is really desired, a person gets passionate about the cause and their argument, which usually isn’t calm. The passion behind an argument makes it so much more effective.

            

Martin Luther King Jr. had passion, but sometimes he could get carried away. Of the two letters, I do lean more towards “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” because King had a valid argument. King just wanted equal rights for African-Americans like himself. Martin Luther King Jr. was a very intelligent, yet intense man. I believe that if he would have calmed down just a little bit, he would have still gotten his point across without ruffling so many feathers. The controversies of his actions such as protests were usually twisted by the media to make him appear to be the bad guy. The saying is that any press is good press, but that is not necessarily true.

           

Both letters express the opinions and ideas of two different types of revolutionaries of the time While they both fight for the rights of African-American citizens, they go upon in it completely different ways. I personally think that if they would have worked together and found a common ground, they would have made much more of a positive impact. 

Thomas, Valerie: Diversity

Both essays are addressing the rights that the African American population should have in Birmingham and in the whole country. King is saying that the people of Birmingham put him in jail for what he believed in, and he’s ok with that because he says he’s standing for what he believes in. Martin Luther King Jr. is also telling the people of Birmingham that he’s making a sacrifice for the cause of human rights and equality of the African American and him being in jail for this is not going to stop him from continuing this cause. King is telling Americans that the people of this country come from many cultures and different backgrounds; in short, he’s celebrating America’s diversity, which makes this United States a great place to live. I think that he’d be ashamed if he saw how we as citizens treat each other today.

                  

The other piece of writing called “A Call For Unity” is an essay that stimulated Martin Luther King Jr.’s essay. The eight Clergy men are telling the people of Birmingham that even though Martin Luther King Jr.’s incarceration is unfair, that they need to unite locally together and show restraint instead of barricading the streets, which makes the police on edge. I believe the clergymen are very sympathetic to King Jr.’s cause and wish to help him, I think they are all tired of the unfair treatment of the African Americans, and soon the whole community will rise up and start a rebellion. The clergymen are saying that even though this process is a slow one that the people shouldn’t give up hope they should stay united, and fight for their natural human rights and that everyone, White and African Americans should stand together and fight for human rights.

Saling, Wesley: Paglia

In my opinion, Camille Paglia is stuck living in the past, believing that her youth was the best time in her life. As such, she believes that today’s economic growth and the structure of today’s collegiate environment is not up to scratch with today’s standards, as she compares them to the standards that she believes were present during her youth. However, as today’s standards are significantly different to the standards of her youth, and our collegiate system works to prepare our young adults for life in the real world by allowing them to form their own opinions and work to accomplish their own goals, without crippling their creativity.

            

Today’s collegiate system is a good thing, as being creative allows people to grow and complete their own goals. It also teaches them to take responsibility for their own actions and do many things that they wouldn’t be able to do without the reasonable amount of preparation that college gives them. Professors teach students to be responsible for their own actions, to being on their own, and to handle money more carefully. Students don’t have a large amount of money or the time to earn much as they would like to spend.

            

Finally, she seems to be extremely opinionated, and it appears that she might just write simply because she likes to read her own writing and wants to try forcing her opinions onto others. That is one thing I don’t really like about her article, because I really believe that our collegiate system is working, and not only is she opinionated, she is also somewhat incorrect. I myself am a criminal justice major, which is a liberal art, which shows that her opinion is kind of messed up. 

Saling, Wesley: President

It is probably not a good idea for anyone to put me in a position of leadership, but, for the sake of the argument, let us say I was put into such a position. Let us just say that some really insane individual had the power and resources to put someone like me into the university president’s seat.

            

First up on my list, I’d work to make parking less of an issue. Sure, there may be plenty of parking over in front of the science building, but what good does that do the good folks in Harrod, Bussey, and Fincher? They would have to hike across campus just to get to or from their cars, and what if they had groceries or furniture to move into their dorms? Do you not believe that it’s a bit extreme to expect these people to hike a miniature refrigerator across campus, even with help? I for one, do not believe this is a fair deal, so I would add a central parking area, somewhere close to the center of the campus so that people wouldn’t have to hike across campus. Second up on the list is an increase to the cafeteria’s budget. Most of the time it seems like they’re really trying to cook up excellent dishes, but it seems like they do not have the funding they require to make the dishes to the best of their ability. It seems like they’re forced to make the dish to the best of their funding, rather than their ability. It is my own personal belief that the cafeteria workers are quite excellent at what they’re paid to do, and I for one would like to see them able to use that ability. Finally, I would get things set up for the renovations that are needed to be done for some of the residence halls and other buildings that need to be fixed up.

Miloshova, Evgenia: President

If I were president of SAU I would improve the living conditions in some of the dormitories. If I had the financial resources I would start with reconstructing the halls. It would be more pragmatic and convenient if each room wherever had its own bathroom. In the case where students from five or six different rooms use the same bathroom, they have no other option but wait in line to take a shower. Besides, sometimes hot water is not available. I have heard that in most of the residence halls the heaters are not on until after some particular time, which is also not ideal because otherwise whenever you feel cold you could just turn it on. As far as living in the halls is concerned these are the things I would work on toward improvement.

      

Another thing that I would do if I were the president of SAU is propose changes to the general education requirements at SAU. General education courses are meant to prepare students academically, and to give a broad range of knowledge that would help them in their everyday experiences. Not all courses of the core curriculum necessarily fulfill the purpose of general education: providing a well – rounded education. Two courses that, in my opinion, are redundant and too specifically oriented are University Chemistry and University Physics. These classes are in-depth studies of physics and chemistry that venture into fairly advanced areas of their respective fields. In contrast to these two, College Chemistry and College Physics provide a general understanding of the two sciences that might be helpful to students of all majors rather than just science majors. Because the courses are not focused on circumscribed areas, they contribute to students’ comprehensive understanding of many other issues. However, unless a student is planning on a science-based major, he or she will have no use for the knowledge of laboratory qualitative and quantitative analyses or stoichiometry or any number of other things taught in these classes. This is why I think University Chemistry and University Physics should be removed from the general education requirements.

      

The last thing I would address being the president of SAU regarding academics is the addition of the study of Latin. Although it is considered a dead language Latin is the foundation of many modern languages and having a good knowledge of it is highly beneficial.

Dunn, Jeffrey: President

The President of a university is put through a severe amount of stress and is looked upon to solve the majority of everyday problems at the university, as well as maintain the university’s academic prestige. The President is ultimately the person who looks extremely good when things are going well, but also becomes the fall guy when things run off course. Though this job has its many faults, I would love to one day become president of Southern Arkansas University. This job could be very rewarding if a person is successful. I would love this job, because it would give me the opportunity to make a name for myself at the place that started my higher education. If I became president at SAU, there are a few interesting and unique ideas I would pursue in order to improve SAU in my eyes.

            

First of all, I would bring a broader spectrum of opportunities for students to study abroad. With so many international students present on the SAU campus, it is only fair to provide a wide range of study abroad opportunities for the American students on campus. With this goal accomplished, many students could better understand the struggles and strife that some smaller and poorer countries face, and therefore many students will mature and gain a much larger respect for their education. This accomplishment would also help students to grow academically. As SAU President I would also strive to expand many organizations, such as the Honors College. Academic organizations need to be expanded to include more people. Academic organizations should also have the ability to access whatever technology they need to broaden their academic perceptions. Also as SAU president, I wish to provide many more opportunities for SAU faculty and students to represent the university by traveling nationally to present our greatest academic endeavors. SAU deserves to show its progress, and it is my belief that SAU can compete with much larger universities academically when given the chance. It is my job as President of the University to let the stars of SAU shine to their fullest potential.

            

All of these ideas are things that I would work into reality in my tenure as president of Southern Arkansas University. After my days as President are long over, I wish to be remembered for accomplishing these things. In my opinion, the results of implementing these ideas into reality could lead to results that SAU has yet to imagine. Graduation rates and successful stories of leaders studying abroad or competing nationally would increase in staggering numbers, and would definitely make Southern Arkansas University a household name in many academic and political circles. Moving forward, it is my wish to propel SAU to new heights by challenging the unknown, engaging in intellectual debate, and establishing SAU as a true academic powerhouse.  

Dunn, Jeffrey: Diversity

After reading the two very different letters, it is fairly easy for one to develop the idea that without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, the diversity seen in the United States today would be non-existent. Dr. King used the power of protest and the concept of “civil disobedience” to battle the ongoing prejudices showed against African Americans. It was through this nonviolent form of activism that rights for African Americans were gained. Martin Luther King responded to the letter A Call for Unity with his Letter from Birmingham Jail. Eight Caucasian clergymen argued that the battle for civil rights should be waged in the courtroom, and not in the form of protests and civil disobedience. Dr. King argued that without his nonviolent activism, equal rights would never be established. Dr. King’s argument also stated that “everyone has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws” and that “an injustice wherever it is, is a threat to justice everywhere”. These ideas formed the basis of the Civil Rights Movement, and laid the foundation for America to become a more diverse and equal opportunity nation.

            

Dr. King’s philosophy was the building block for the society we live in today. His superb use of the nonviolent method allowed African Americans everywhere to gain equal rights. Even after his death, the battle waged on in his honor. Dr. King’s ideas and sincerity while presenting those ideas paved the way for the diverse society we live in today. Dr. King challenged an unjust government and an unfair society in a civil way, and proved that violence is not necessary to get a point across. What good is a government that does not serve its entire people equally? The answer is that it is an unproductive government that is too set in its own ways to see the ever-changing world evolving around it. It probably would have remained this way if it was not for the work of Martin Luther King and other hard working believers in the Civil Rights Movement.

            

No one will soon for forget the strides made by Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement for diversity. Without the hard work of a dedicated group, our nation would not be the diverse, free society it is today. It is truly a blessing that the doors were opened for diversity and equality. The crowning achievement of the whole movement is the fact that Dr. King’s dream was finally realized: The United States of America has become a nation that solely believes that all men are created equal.

Carnes, Heather: President

Being the president of Southern Arkansas University must be a strenuous and exhausting job. There are so many large issues that must be addressed. It has to be difficult to assess and conduct business on these topics and still keep track of all the requests for minor improvements that arrive. If I were the president of Southern Arkansas University I would make several minor changes, including: incentive parking, a smoking area, awnings, a truck and trailer for the rodeo team, and extended cafeteria hours.

Those who work hard deserve reward. I would issue parking permits for students who obtain a 3.8 GPA or higher after being enrolled for two consecutive years. I would allow these students to pick the parking spot they would like and post signs so no other people may use these spots. Because many students and faculty at Southern Arkansas University do choose to smoke, I would create a smoking area. The placement of this smoking area would be far away from any buildings but still within a short walking distance from anywhere on campus. The campus at Southern Arkansas University is not too large to walk to all of your classes; however, when it is raining the distance is great enough to get you and your books drenched. For this reason I would place awnings over selected pathways to each building. Many SAU families whose students rodeo only have one trailer. When those children who live more than an hour or so away move away to college, they cannot leave their family's livestock without a trailer. So, I would purchase a truck and trailer solely for the use of students who wish to rodeo but have no other transportation for their stock. On weekdays, the cafeteria closes at 9p.m. On the weekends, the cafeteria closes at 7p.m. Students who stay on campus usually stay up much later. I would keep the cafeteria open until 10p.m. all week long.

If I were the president of Southern Arkansas University, I would make several minor changes to our campus while still conducting business at the current high level.

Pinson, Zachary: President

I would never consider the possibility of being the president of a university. However seeing as this title has been placed on me for the purposes of this essay I guess I should figure out what I would do.

            

First of all, I would do as much renovation to the housing as possible. I know we can’t give everyone an apartment to live in but we could drastically improve what we already have. Honors South and Fincher Hall, being the newest buildings, are quite nice but others such as Talbot and Talley and Greene are quite old and have several issues that need taken care of.

            

Another thing that I would do is to add an engineering degree. We already have several engineering classes and we have the math and science that would be needed but now we need to start adding the courses that would offer a focused engineering degree such as mechanical, electrical, computer, or civil. This would benefit students like me who are getting a general engineering education and then having to go to graduate school just to narrow it down and specialize in a particular field. I’m sure there are other majors that are the same way but engineering is the only one I’m familiar with.

            

Finally, even though I know everyone has complained about this, I would have to fix the parking. Yes there is a vast amount of parking in front of the new science building but it is also the furthest building from any of the residential halls. Granted the campus is not huge and walking really doesn’t hurt us that much, but when your carrying large quantities of books and clothes and food and anything else you buy at Wal-Mart or bring from home over the weekend you really don’t want to have to carry it a mile and a half to the front door and then continue up several flights of stairs just to get to your room.

            

As I said I would be nowhere near prepared to be the president of anything so none of this would probably happen and I’d just sit back enjoy the title and let my advisors and the people under me make all the important decisions. That way I could accept the credit and pass the blame like a true leader would.

Pinson, Zachary: Diversity

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an important leader in American history. He stood firmly for the rights of all citizens and fought to gain equality for the African Americans in the United States, but he did so through a nonviolent and peaceful course of action. When the clergy of the White churches wrote saying that his actions were ‘unwise and untimely’ Dr. King wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” from his cell to explain to them why they were wrong and why his actions and his timing were justified. He explained to them in a way that they, as educated men and men of the church, would be able to understand clearly. He used the allusion of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refusing to bow before the idol of Nebuchadnezzar to show them that just because something is a law does not make it right if it goes against the will of. The African Americans in the United States and especially in Birmingham during this time needed to stand up for their rights, but also to do so in a way that was peaceful. They didn’t riot and attack officials, damage property, or anything like that. They simply refused to obey the laws that were unjust and oppressing them, and they accepted the consequences of their actions without struggle. Dr. King went peacefully to jail because he knew that he had broken the law, whether it was a just law or not, and he would have to accept his punishment. Evil laws are used for evil purposes and Dr. King’s example of Hitler’s law stating that anyone helping the Jews would be punished by death showed this clearly. The law was clear and it was a law made by the leader of that country, but the Hungarian Freedom Fighters knew that it was and unjust law and they disobeyed it because they knew it was the right thing to do. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was right in his actions and it was his leadership that made the Civil Rights movement progress as swiftly as it did.

James Stone Wins National FFA Poultry Evaluation Event

James Stone, SAU Honors College student poses with his awards

James Stone attended the 83rd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis recently. He's an agricultural education major at SAU and an honors student. He and three others represented the Delight (AR) High School FFA team. James tied for first place in individual poultry judging but lost a random tie breaker and was awarded the second place prize. Still, that prize yielded him a $1500 scholarship.

The judging required contestants to evaluate or grade carcasses, live birds, and cut up parts. They also had to justify their grading orally, complete a written exam, and participate in team activities. Stone attributes his success to his teacher, Mr. Reggie Lamb, and to the support he received from people in Delight and Magnolia.

Thomas, Valerie: President

Being president of an university is hard from what I heard from Dr. Rankin, but the things I would do for this University are quite differently from what he is doing. There are a couple things I would do that he has not.

First I would renovate the old dorms that are on campus already. Yes, Rankin did fix Harrod’s roof but the inside is still crummy. I would tear down the old walls inside the rooms of Harrod to get rid of the mold that makes the rooms smell.  Then fix the old heat and air systems because some still have some sort of black mildew coming from them. Not to mention new carpeting, that is a must, I would replace all old carpeting and put in tile instead because tile doesn’t smell if something is spilled and left on it. I have not been in all the other dorms but what I have heard from the other students, besides Bussey, Honors, and Fincher, the other remaining dorms need renovating.

Another thing I would do for this school is to increase the parking for the students, I know Rankin said he would add 60 more spots around the new MAC building, but he has blocked off a considerable amount for the baseball building that they are building now. You can’t take away 60 spots then add 60 spots, that’s not helping at all. I would take out the many 10-minute spots in some of these parking lots as well.

I would also move the dairy cow farm away from the school because they smell really bad, I would use the space out by the horse ranch for the cows. The smell probably would not drift through campus from there. And, I think there should not just be cows and horses, but chickens and pigs as well. I think that would open many opportunities for the ranch/farm veterinarians.

These are the things I would like to accomplish if I were the President of the University. I would think that the students would be more happy and content if these things were to be happening. I think the University would be in better shape.  

Bower, Leigan: President

You ask me what I would do if I were president of Southern Arkansas University. Well, I ask you if it would be in the best interest of Southern Arkansas University for me to be president. I’m not the kind of person who believes in stifling the free will of students when they pay thousands of dollars to attend my school.

            

I would lift a lot of the rules that most schools put on their students: no drinking in the rooms, no smoking on campus, and no co-ed rooming. If you’re the legal drinking age, then go ahead and drink on campus. If you’re under the legal drinking age, then you might want to stay away from it or learn how to hide it really well. I would fight the no smoking on campus rule because I feel that people have the right to smoke if they want to. I would at least designate a small place or build a smokers “shack.” I definitely do not agree with no co-ed rooming. But, if a couple who has been together for a certain time period wants to live together, then I say why not. I would more than likely place an added fee for such a thing; I wouldn’t make it so they can’t be with each other. Everyone knows that for most people who go to college, that’s where they find their future spouses.

           

I would do some good things for the school as well. I would definitely expand the programs so that you can get your Ph.D. while you’re here. I find it completely tedious that you have to go to one college and get so far only to have to go through the hassle of transferring to another school to go any further. I would make it so that students on campus had first shot at on-campus jobs, not people off the campus; also, students who lived on campus would have first pick of classes starting with Honors students, then freshmen, then seniors, then juniors, and finally sophomores.

            

I do not think I would be a very good president for Southern Arkansas University because the bad I would do would severely outweigh the good. I would end up running Southern Arkansas University into the ground.

Lee, Gloria: President

Campus presidents are responsible for a lot of jobs such as planning the development of University programs, facilities, organizing meetings, making decisions, and representing the University in public as well as in the community. Presidents of Universities need to plan for the future and must uphold the good reputation of their Universities.

If I were the president of SAU, the first thing I would do is to expand the scholarship programs to attract students with excellent academic standings and leadership abilities. Students are the major component of a university. Without good students, a university would lose its reputation and its credibility. Students who do well in high schools tend to continue to do well in universities and after graduation. Therefore, admitting students based on high admission standards would mean more highly motivated students attend SAU. They, in turn, would make stronger alumni who would give back more funds to the University. During times of economic recession, it is easier to attract students with high potential because they would select universities based upon the scholarships available. Also, I would give more funds to the athletic programs to improve the facilities and their faculty members. Especially, SAU needs better good football players. Football is one of America’s favorite sports and having a good football team would return good reputation to the university. In order to attract good football players and coaches, the university must possess good athletic facilities in which players would train. Having strong athletic teams are important because they are among the representatives of SAU in the community. Lastly, I would provide more funding to advertise the university itself. Before I came to SAU, I had no idea about what the university was like and what were the strong majors here. If students have never heard of this university, how could they choose to come here? Were the university more widely known, it would be easier to attract good students as well as better professors. Students and professors interact together to make the university more prestigious.

To keep a university in a good standing, the president of a university is responsible for many jobs. Several of the important jobs which I rank as the top priorities are recruiting students, improving faculties, and building strong programs. These three components constitute the university and determine whether the university is seen in high regard. I would consider all three factors to improve Southern Arkansas University so that in the future, SAU would become one of the highly ranked national universities.