The Standard and Student Body President Jacob Swett

TS: What are the main duties of a student body president?

JS: Although there are many duties specified in the SGA Constitution, my primary duty is to represent students. This means that it is my duty to report to the Board of Governors and administration on behalf of students as well as to maintain correspondence with government officials on matters of student interest. I also work hard to have students’ voices heard on campus. I do this by ensuring student membership on university committees and by being their voice to the different constituents on campus. Along with representing students, I also provide information to students from these different areas.

TS: What major goals do you wish to accomplish while serving as student body president?

JS: The primary goal that I wish to accomplish is to represent students to the best of my ability. If I can do this successfully, then I will be able to call our administration a success.  I would also like to see everything on my and Justin’s campaign platform accomplished. This will require a lot of work, but we are ready for the challenge. Finally, I would like to see more student involvement and support for SGA. Student Government works tirelessly for the students, and we would love to have more individuals involved.

TS: Describe how you are planning on reaching your goals.

JS: The goals mentioned above will be accomplished through hard work by many dedicated individuals. I plan to represent students to the best of my ability by making SGA my first priority and dedicating my time and skills to ensure that I am effectively carrying out my duties. Our campaign platform will be largely accomplished by the Senate and Justin, and I will see this to fruition by working closely alongside them. Finally, I think that if the first two goals are accomplished and if SGA continues to inform students, then the final goal of gaining more student involvement and support for SGA will be achieved as well.

TS: How closely will you be working with Student Body Vice President  Justin Mellish?

JS: Justin and I have been working closely for the past several months, and we will continue to work very closely together. Although Justin and I have different roles within SGA, we both have the same goals, and to accomplish these goals we must work as a team. We are in constant communication with each other about our respective areas. Justin keeps me well informed about the work that Senate is doing, and I inform him about all the information that I receive from administration and outside sources. Justin and I also discuss everything with each other to ensure that we are always making the right decisions. Beyond SGA, Justin and I are also good friends and we even find some time to hang out together.

TS: How much contact will you have with Missouri State’s new university president, James Cofer?

JS: I anticipate having quite a bit of contact with Dr. Cofer. I have already had the pleasure of meeting him several times, and I have scheduled monthly meetings with him for the upcoming semester. He has also expressed an interest in attending some SGA meetings and meeting regularly with student leaders. I would also expect to run into Dr. Cofer and his wife on campus. The Cofers are well known for having a presence among students at their former campus, and I would expect the same to continue at MSU. Finally, Dr. Cofer has also expressed that his door is always open and that he is always open to student input.

TS: What is your opinion of him?

JS: I have great respect for Dr. Cofer, and I am incredibly excited for him to be Missouri State’s president. I had the privilege of serving as the student representative on the Presidential Search Committee, and thus I have had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about his background. Throughout the entire search process, Dr. Cofer remained a top candidate. He is a student-centered president who has the perfect skills to lead Missouri State.

TS: If students want to give you any feedback on your job as student body president, or need to contact you for any other reason, how should they do it?

JS: Students may contact me by any means. I would prefer they talk to me in person. I always love to talk to fellow students and am not opposed to being stopped on campus or having students stop by my office in PSU 123. Another good way to contact me is to email me at StudentBodyPresident@MissouriState.edu. Beyond that students should also feel free to call me at 417-836-6780 or they could even mail letters to SGA office!

TS: How do you want students to view you and SGA after your presidency?

JS: After my presidency, I hope students will view me and SGA as students who work determinedly to improve Missouri State. I hope that students will view SGA as a body that works for and represents them and I would hope that more students would want to join SGA and be a part of the organization.

TS: What are you going to do to make sure students come away with those views?

JS: To ensure that students come away with those views, SGA is going to continue to work very hard and also continue to improve its interaction with students. SGA is already doing great things; we just need to make students more aware of SGA and the opportunities to be involved.

TS: Any advice for the new students this fall?

JS: The best piece of advice I would give new students is to get involved. My decision to become involved at MSU has shaped my entire college experience. Beyond that I would also encourage students to stay focused on their academics and to embrace the college experience. College is a wonderful opportunity to enrich our lives through knowledge, friendships, and the experiences we have.

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The Standard and Student Body Vice President Justin Mellish

TS: What are the main duties of a student body vice president?

JM: The Student Body Vice President oversees the legislative branch of the Student Government Association (SGA) which is the Student Senate and its nine legislative committees. I work with our directors to ensure that student input is considered on any and all projects addressed. Additionally, I work with the Student Body President to ensure that student input is provided to University administration.

TS: What major goals do you wish to accomplish while holding this office?

JM: I have a few:

Obviously the major goal of Jake’s and my administration is to accomplish the platform we campaigned on last year. I hope that the projects on our platform are either completed or well on their way to completion.

I would like for SGA to form a better relationship with students who are not typically involved on campus such as commuter, transfer, and graduate students. Our campus community is extremely diverse, and it is important that a variety of opinions is sought by SGA.

I would like for University administration to become more aware of student opinions. Obviously, this will rely heavily on Jake who represents students to the University. However, it also relies on students. I would like to see students take a more active role in the process, whether that be joining SGA or just letting us know their thoughts through their representatives.

I hope that SGA, Jake, and I foster and promote a more informed student body, especially on issues concerning the budget crisis. The low cost of Missouri State is one of the greatest aspects about being a student here; however, we must be realistic in our expectations of tuition rates and fees. I want students and administration to work closely together to ensure that the quality of our university can be realistically maintained at minimal cost to the students.

TS: Describe how you are planning to reach your goals.

JM: Through hard work! As someone who is passionate about Missouri State and SGA, I have no problem spending most of my day working for SGA and the student body; in fact, I enjoy it! I am confident that through the work SGA does, it can accomplish the goals set.

TS: What do you predict to be your biggest strengths and weaknesses during your tenure?

JM: My two greatest strengths in terms of being Vice President are definitely my work ethic and my ability to provide guidance and feedback. Missouri State and SGA mean a lot to me, and I am driven to better both for current and future students. I truly believe in the ability of students, through SGA, to provide their opinions and work with administration. Additionally, as Vice President, I must guide our directors and provide feedback. I think that my ability to always find improvements allows for productive discussion.

As for my greatest weakness, I tend to be extremely opinionated. As Vice President and Speaker of the Student Senate, I must maintain impartiality during Senate proceedings. It will be a challenge for me to not want to provide my input during Senate meetings!

JM: My relationship with the Student Body President will be very different. I expect it to be extremely productive and one of respect and constant communication. Jake and I get along very well, and we understand our leadership styles. One of the greatest aspects of our relationship is that we seek out criticism and feedback. We want to serve the student body to the best of our abilities, and becoming aware of our weaknesses only allows for improvements to be made.

TS: Do you plan to have a lot of interaction with the student body president? (and why?)

JM: Absolutely! Jake and I are a team, and we realize that our partnership plays a significant role on the effectiveness of SGA. I represent the Student Senate, and Jake represents the entire student body; thus, a strong relationship between the two of us is vital. Additionally, we lead our Cabinet together to ensure that student issues are addressed and that our platform is carried out.

Coincidentally, we are also good friends and have been so for two years. We play tennis together often and share common interests.

TS: If students want to give some feedback about your job performance, what is the best way for them to contact you?

JM: Well I am always seeking out feedback, so any student who may want to comment on my job performance can do so in a few ways:

1. Stop me on campus and let me know of your suggestions and concerns. I can’t express how delighted I am when students bring up SGA and aspects of the University they would like to be improved.
2. Email me at justin777@live.missouristate.edu Emails allow me answer questions thoroughly and do any research if I’m not informed on an issue.
3. Stop by the SGA office in the Plaster Student Union (PSU 123). I am there most of my time, and I certainly encourage students to visit the office. My daily schedule will be posted on the SGA website, so students will know when I am in the office. They can also reach my by calling my office phone at 471.836.6781
4. Catch me at a Senate meeting. Senate meets every Tuesday at 5:30 in the Traywick Parliamentary Room (PSU 123).

TS: After your time serving is all said and done, how do you hope for students to view SGA?

JM: Personally, I find so much value in SGA. It has a wonderful relationship with university administration, and through that relationship it can bring changes that students want to see. SGA has over 100 members, all of whom work very hard to represent students. I hope that after my time as Vice President, students will share with me the appreciation of SGA and its role on campus. I encourage any and all students to become involved with the organization.

TS: What are you going to do to make sure this becomes a reality?

JM: Work hard. I truly believe that if SGA works to the best of its ability, results will become apparent. This will require Jake and me to keep Cabinet and Senate motivated and engaged. There are many talented individuals in SGA; knowing this, I am confident we can accomplish our goals.

TS: Why are both you and the student body president non-voting members of SGA?

JM: Jake and I are both members of the executive branch and must maintain a separation of powers. While we have an agenda to carry out, ultimately the Student Senate is the voice of the student body. We interact with Senate through our Cabinet as well as our reports to the Senate.

Though I lead the Student Senate, I must remain impartial during proceedings. Do note that the Vice President does vote in the event of a tie during Senate.

TS: What is some advice you wish someone would have given you when you first started attending Missouri State?

JM: I’m not sure that there is any specific advice I wish I would have received, but to incoming students, I would just like to say that attending Missouri State is such a wonderful opportunity to grow and explore. We are all very fortunate to be attending college, and I hope that students make the most of it. I encourage all students to become engaged in their classes as well as look to become involved with student life. Whether it is through SGA, the Student Activities Council, the Residence Hall Association, a fraternity or sorority, or one of the many other student organizations on campus, becoming an active member of the university is a great way to give back as well as make friends!

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The Standard and Director of Communications Kinsley Stocum

TS: What is SGA and what is its main purpose?

KS: The Student Government Association is comprised of the student body.  SGA is commonly called “the voice of the student body,” and our mission is to research and implement initiatives and address student concerns.  Essentially, we aim to improve the student experience at Missouri State University.  Of course, our scope on campus fills much more than a single nutshell.

TS: What else does SGA do? Are the elections commission, campus judicial board, and Wyrick commission the only other big things? (and could you explain what the Wyrick commission is?)

KS: The Student Government Association works tirelessly to improve student life on campus through a variety of means—be it through passing resolutions, creating a Relay for Life team, or holding a Campus-Wide Yard Sale.

Legislative committees are concerned with researching projects and student issues addressing every facet of the university experience; specific committees address Academic Affiars, Administrative and Information Services, Civic Advancement, Equity and Diversity, Research and Development, Student Affairs, Sustainability, and University Advancement.

SGA also works through three executive committees (the elections commission, the Wyrick Commission, and the SustainaCommission) to oversee elections and fund student-initiated projects.

The Wyrick Commission gathers and evaluates student proposals for improvements to campus and presents them to the student body during elections.  The Wyrick Fund pays for the proposals the students pass in order of votes received.  There was approximately $180,000 available for funding of the Wyrick Project Proposals for 2010.  Examples of past Wyrick projects include the newest additions to the Taco Bell Fields, weights for the Plaster Sports Complex, and the HD Projector for the Plaster Student Union Theatre.

The Sustaina Commission, which is fairly new, assesses proposals aimed at improving sustainability on campus through the use of the Student Sustainability Fund.  A $2 per semester student fee supports this fund, which amounts to over $100,000 a year for student projects.  Guidelines for students interested in utilizing the Wyrick Fund or making Missouri State more green can be found on our website, sga.missouristate.edu.

Finally, the Campus Judicial Board serves as the appellate board for students and student organizations as well as certifies election results and hands down decisions as requested by the Senate or Student Body President.

TS: Why should organizations send their own senators?

KS: By sending representatives to SGA, groups can

1. ensure their opinions on all issues are being voiced and heard, and

2. secure a first-hand source for issues addressed in Senate.

SGA makes decisions pertinent to every student and student organization on campus – how certain funding is spent, for example – and we try to make the soundest decisions possible.  With at least one senator in SGA, organizations can make sure their needs are not overlooked.  Of course, SGA is also a wonderful opportunity to make friends, gain experience, and make a difference at MSU.

TS: How is being a senator beneficial to students? (like even later in their lives)

KS: Being a senator is beneficial to students because they’ll have the opportunity to not only voice their opinion on how the campus is growing to fit them, but to – most importantly – take action.  SGA has the means and the motivation to positively affect the campus and its community, but it requires the ideas and the passion of student representatives from all over campus to truly make a difference.  SGA helps students develop skills that will be wildly helpful later in life: skills in teamwork, networking, research, proposal development, professionalism, and parliamentary procedure, to name a few.

TS: Every seat is technically up for grabs every year?

KS: Yes, every seat is open.  Students just have to fill out their applications (and collect their signatures, if they’re going to be an at-large representative) to get started.

TS: At large members still need 50 signatures, right? And there still should be around 45 organizations represented next year?

KS: Yes, 50 signatures are still required.  Every organization has the ability to send two representatives, and we anticipate a large number of organizations sending representatives this year.