Gardner-Webb University H bl^ilot.coni ' \'lr)luiiu“ No. Serving the Gardner-Webb Umversity community for more than 60 years This Edition News Help within REACH Students need only REACH out for more ways to get involved on campus and in the community, and to have a resume meaty with leadership experience. REACH is a new organization on campus whose name stands for “Ready to Equip, Assist, Connect and to give Hope.” “It’s a group of leaders that are trying to connect the community with the Gardner-Webb family,” says advisor Sandy Hammett. They’re looking out to help those who are less fortunate, as well as to make it easier to let stu dents know what volunteer oppor tunities are out in the community. REACH hosts two events a year; each is designed to help a separate organization. This spring’s main event is the Jimmy Wayne concert, which will sup port the Kidney Foundation. See HELP, page 2 Opinion SGA actions cloud election results As a journalist interested in providing the student government every opportunity to be account able and open with the students they represent, I asked SGA Presi dent Anya Huneycutt and Karissa Weir, director of student activities and leadership development, for their permission to observe the elections, from start to finish. I inspected each ballot box to ensure that it was empty before the election, 1 interviewed candidates, and I observed SGA members as they waited with the student body for voting to begin. I and other Pilot representa tives observed voting and ballot counting procedures, and, as a journalist, I am satisfied that the elections on March 7, which re sulted in a run-off between Chris toph Brown and Brandon Beach, were fair. At the end of the day, SGA members told the Pilot that a run-off election would take place March 21, so plans were made for Pilot representatives to cover it too. See SGA, page 2 Weekend Weather photo by Kevin Banks SGA members count ballots during the runoff election between Brandon Beach and Christoph Brown. Brown wins runoff election Could leave top post in December, depending on student teaching plans .. ^ y-i k -,1 ... J-... k.1 r, f-Vl otllH/antC OrtH P.l 1 Amanda Wood Pilot Editor-in-chief Christoph Brown, who was elected Gard ner-Webb University’s student body president Tuesday, may complete his studies in Decem ber, leaving SGA’s top leadership position open for the spring semester of 2007. “I still haven’t made the decision to student teach in the spring,” Brown said. “To be hon est, it’s not likely. Most likely I will be doing my student teaching in the fall, but that’s not 100 percent yet. I felt confident enough about Saturday March 25 55/33 P-Cloudy Sunday March 26 58/34 Sunny Source: NOAA Index Op/Ed.... News pages 3 and 4 Online www.gwupilot.com my abilities to run the SGA without detracting from student teaching or vice versa.” According to Brown, the SGA constitution mandates that Vice President-elect Matt Wal ters would be named president if Brown de cides to leave in December. However, according to Karissa Weir, direc tor of student activities and leadership devel opment, the decision about who would take over as president is not set in stone. “That would be something for the Student Government Association to figure out,” said Weir. “I don’t have a say in that. That needs to be brought before them so they can deal with that among the students and elected officials.” Brown is hopeful that he will be able to make a difference while he is in office, wheth er that time is one or two semesters. “I just look forward to working next year,” he said. “I think we can make a lot of positive changes. Students’ lives are stressful enough between classes and extracurricular activities and jobs. You name it and students have to deal with it. What I see SGA’s main job as being is to try to make their lives easier.” Brown plans to continue working on the one-card system, as well as addressing student complaints about the ginkgo trees on campus. One-card system not set in stone, awaits approvai — .... , 1 j„ii—^ onU ..Iciimc that thev haven’t bean Christie Barlow Pilot managing Editor Gardner-Webb University doesn’t share one mind about the proposed one-card system. Con troversy has erupted on campus about the possible scope of the one-card system. The new system would pro vide GWU students the ability to use their identification card for multiple purposes on campus and perhaps around Boiling Springs. Optimally, students could use their ID as a credit card by adding money to the card for use in the campus store, to do laundry, in the library and at local businesses. “We’re at the point where we’ve made the proposal and we’re waiting on the senior staff for approval,” said Christof Brown, SGA president-elect from Greenville, S.C. “Once they give us the go ahead we will work hand in hand with them to get the whole system put in at once, rather than piece by piece.” According to Brandon Beach, the one-card system has flaws in its design. Beach proposed the original idea for the one-eard sys tem, though on a much smaller scale. “The original idea was just ad ditions to meal plans using your ID card at Hardee’s and Taco Bell,” said Beach. “If it’s $4.75 to eat in the cafeteria for breakfast, then you should be able to use that amount at KFC or Subway,” Beach claims that the introduc tion of this system will cost rough ly half a million dollars to imple ment and that the system would not go into effect until around 2007 or 2008, if it’s approved. Brown has obtained estimates on how much the system would cost to implement and has stated that the system will indeed be “pretty pricey.” However, he believes that the system would, in the long run, pay for itself “It (the card) has the flex dol lar account so students would be able to put money on it. So, all that extra money would most likely be spent on campus,” said Brown. “Initially we will have to pay for the system but it will eventually give back the money put into it.” Beach has been in contact with managers of Hardee’s and KFC and claims that they haven’t heard anything about the new system, and that they would not support it. “It would cost the restaurants at least $10,000 to put in the scan ning system for the one card,” said Beach. “It’s going to cost a whole lot of money to implement this system, tuition would go up and we are going to lose money.” According to Brown, the hesita tion to contact the local businesses comes at the request of the senior staff. When the plan is approved, the proposal to the area businesses will come from the company that GWU will be working with. See One-Card page 3 we re waiting on me senior Stan tionoitnissyswm winwo, J j. SGA 101: Officers must always stay on active duty ferent benefits that are associated with each Accordins to Gardner-Webb Universit Rebecca Clarck Pilot Staff Although most students are aware of the Student Government Association,, the specif ic duties of each officer might not be as well known. The SGA has four executive officers, with each position carrying its own responsibilities. President Anya Huneycutt outlined what is expected of the executive officers and the dif- position. As president, Hunneycutt said that she was responsible for being a liaison between the stu dent body and the administration. The presi dent is expected to attend various committee meetings and present that information to the Senate to discuss. “The president explores new things that can be done,” Huneycutt said. According to Gardner-Webb University’s SGA Constitution, the president is also ex pected to preside over meetings, report activi ties and decisions carried out by the executive council to the Student Senate, represent SGA at functions and appoint an elections commit tee, among other things. See Requirements page 3