SGA Candidates Reveal Platforms
Paige Dickerson | Managing Editor

Candidates for next year’s Student Government Association officer positions debated the issues Tuesday night.
Although he is running unopposed, presidential candidate Will Morefield, a junior international studies major, showed up to present his platform to the student body.
About 20 students watched candidates for vice president Marvyn Boatswain, senior marketing major, and Mark Greer, senior business major, and secretarial candidate Lana Vulpitta, junior mass communication major, as they responded to questions from moderator Michael Fairbanks and the audience. The other candidate for secretary, Crystal Williams, was not able to attend.
Morefield, Greer and Vulpitta are running together on a ticket.
Fairbanks first asked the candidates which one word best described them.
Morefield responded that “dynamic” described him because of his communication and leadership skills.
Greer cited action as his central trait.
 “‘Action’ describes me. I’m also in a committee, the environmental committee, and we haven’t met once. I’ve e-mailed the person who is chair two times, and she has responded twice saying that they are trying to set up times to meet, but we haven’t met yet. We need action. We don’t need committees that do nothing,” Greer said.
Boatswain chose the “three ‘E’s’” to describe himself.
“Energy, enthusiasm and excellence are the traits that describe me. They are reflected in my personality,” Boatswain said.
“Dedication” was the word Vulpitta used to describe herself.
“I am dedicated. Any task that is given to me, I give it my 100 percent,” she said.
Fairbanks then asked the candidates to describe the purpose of the Student Government.
Vulpitta, Greer and Morefield agreed that communication was the key aspect of the government.
“The ultimate purpose is to listen to the concerns of the student body, and communication is the only way of being successful with the Student Government,” Vulpitta said.
“There are more of us than there are administrators. But they can’t hear all of us at once. There must be a mediator that the administration has confidence in and that the student body has confidence in and has the ability to provide that level of communication,” Greer said.
“Communication, of course, is important, but also the connection with the student government and the committees,” Morefield said.
Boatswain said communication was essential, but that the main purpose of the student government was to be the voice of the students.
“The Student Government is the main voice of the student body. They need representatives who are not there by obligation, but because it is a privilege,” Boatswain said. “I believe that communication is not the core problem, but that the senators don’t know why they have been placed in that position.”
Fairbanks also asked the candidates to explain how they would reassure the student body that they would represent all organizations fairly, not just the ones they were involved in.
Involvement in many organizations with a variety of purposes was the best way, Boatswain said.
“I’m involved in organizations that have a lot of diversity. The main goal is to get to know different cultures and different backgrounds,” he said. “Monster Track, one of the biggest online job sites, has just asked me to be on a diversity leadership group. Through the diversity, I have the ability to not only represent groups I belong to but all the others as well.”
“I understand that my organization is just one piece of the Midwestern puzzle. There are more than 70 organizations on campus. We all have to work together because we are all just pieces of the puzzle,” Greer said.
Another prominent topic at the debate was minority organization recognition. Because of the prominence on and off campus, several students in the audience were concerned about the organizations getting recognition for their work.
“Minority organizations provide more services than all of the other organizations combined. Other than promotion and advertising we must promote and let people know about community service, about the fundraisers,” Greer said. “The calendar that the UPB puts out is a perfect example, the minority organizations need the same opportunity as everyone else to put information about their events out there.”
“They really need the equal opportunity. The muli-cultural center is the perfect opportunity. With my job (as a student recruiter) I’m often the first contact that students have with the university. They ask about the diversity here and they need a sense of belonging,” Boatswain said.
Senior Jason Kimbro dropped out of the race after finding out he would graduate in December.
Elections will take place April 18-27. Log on to the Student Government Web site to vote.



Multicultural Sorority seeks Official Status
Iggy Cruz | Staff Reporter

If all pieces fall into place, a new multicultural sorority will be expanding to MSU next spring, bringing the number of Greek organizations to 16.
Kappa Delta Chi, a group dedicated to community service and diversity, will attempt to become a registered Greek sorority within a year. However, the group must first overcome several obstacles to turn the dream into a reality.
Rene Skenadore, sophomore political science major, and Ashley Gulrich, freshman respiratory care major, currently head an interest group of 11 members willing to put forth the time and effort necessary to establish the organization at MSU.
“It’s a yearlong and complicated process,” Skenadore said. “We have to send their (interest members) information in a letter of intent from the student director to national headquarters, along with ratios and percentages of the student and Greek body on campus.”
Skenadore said review from an expansion board; a vote will be taken to determine approval and further continuation of the interest group as a “prospective colony.” If the group were approved, they would begin a “founders’ program” in order to earn a charter, which officially recognizes a colony as a chapter.
“Hopefully that will be around next fall,” Gulrich said.
The founders’ program requires members to achieve a pending amount of service hours along with hosting, fundraising and social events. Active Kappa Delta Chi members from surrounding universities would oversee the history and information aspect of the sisterhood.
According to Skenadore and Gulrich, a lack of “true” diversity among sororities on campus prompted them to search for an organization that offered a great cultural experience for women. It’s segregated. We want to bring a sorority that’s not based on the traditional ways,” Skenadore said.
After researching numerous groups, they came to the conclusion that Kappa Delta Chi would offer the best opportunity to spread unity among women of different backgrounds.
“Kappa Delta Chi is a new sorority. They’re not based on all being one race; it’s multi-cultural,” Skenadore said. “It will add flavor to Greek life.”
Although the organization was founded as a Hispanic sorority 17 years ago at Texas Tech University, Kappa Delta Chi has embraced members of many cultures and colors. The change has been so dramatic that the sisterhood no longer promotes itself as a “Hispanic organization.”
Skenadore and Gulrich believe that bringing in the diverse sorority at MSU will increase Greek recruitment among women.
“It’s a change. Change is always good.” Skenadore said. “It will only interest more girls into joining.”
At the moment, interest club members are finalizing vital information and preparing a letter of intent to organize at MSU. Prospective members understand that setting up the organization will be time-consuming and tiresome, but believe they possess the determination to proceed.
“I would say the main thing is dedication, because it’s going to be a long process,” Gulrich said.
Students interested in forming the sorority meet every Sunday. Students who would like to join may call Ashley Gulrich at 735-1583.