OUR VIEW: She will serve the students

AT ISSUE: Sarah Atkinson does not need experience in student government to sit on presidential search committee

Sarah Atkinson, a junior, has been selected by the Ball StateUniversity Board of Trustees President Tom DeWeese to represent thestudent body on the presidential search committee. She'll reviewresumes and conduct interviews to find Ball State's nextpresident.

But some students have complained that she should not be on thecommittee because she is not involved in the Student GovernmentAssociation or with the University Senate. They have said shecannot possibly understand the issues that affect our campusbecause she is not plugged into the governmental processes.

But she shouldn't have to be. The SGA is a significant body onthis campus, but it's not the only way students can activelyparticipate in shaping the university.

Atkinson was recommended personally to DeWeese by Doug McConkey,vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.McConkey would not have expressed his faith in her competencywithout good reason.

Tony Edmonds, professor of history, also has confidence in hercapability to lead.

She already has plans to create an e-mail account so studentscan write to her with suggestions. She also said she wants to holdan open forum -- maybe two. With this kind of initiative, she'sproving she has Ball State students' concerns in mind and theintuitiveness to react to those concerns.

Atkinson's selection to the committee proves that students donot have to be involved with SGA or the University Senate to make adifference.

Students do not need to have legislative experience to know whatthis campus needs. They do not need to have the power to changeuniversity policy to know what needs changing.


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