The News Argus, April, 1981, Page 5
SGA: Not Another Social Organization
By Von Corbett
Is the Student Government Associa
tion (SGA) just another social
organization? Some students seem to
have this opinion of the SGA because
they fail to see how the organization
benefits the student body and they
basically are unaware of the SGA’s
functions.
[vary Bailey, president of the SGA,
said, on behalf of the organization, “I
strongly disagree. Social events have
been the SGA’s lowest priority this
semester; our primary concern is to
stress academics.” According to
Bailey, the SGA serves as a com
munication link between the student
body, faculty and administration. It
also transmits the concerns of the
students to the faculty and those of the
faculty back to the students.
Some SGA activities of the year in
cluded the Big Brother, Big Sister Pro
gram, an organization of students
which involves underprivileged
neighborhood children with arts and
crafts, sports and one-to-one rap ses
sions; “Operation Survival,” a joint
effort by the SGA and the Alumni
Association to provide job oppor
tunities for students, preparation for
the job world, and tips on preparing
good resumes and conducting suc
cessful interviews; and the sponsoring
of buses for students to off-campus
football and basketball games. The
SGA is presently co-sponsoring, along
with the Political Science Club,
“Children of Atlanta,” a campaign to
alert students of the seriousness of the
Atlanta, Georgia crisis.
Nevertheless, some students com
plain and say that they know nothing
of when the SGA holds its meetings. In
response to this, Bailey said that the
SGA does have call meetings that are
for the cabinet only, but they also have
had a few meetings that were open to
all students. Bailey further added that
these meetings, which were advertised
with posters and fliers around the cam
pus, were proposed to be held every 2-3
weeks, but they have not been suc
cessful in fulfilling these plans.
Bailey does think that there is room
for improvement in the SGA and
basically, the SGA needs more student
involvement. Unfortunately, Bailey
has no quick solutions to this problem
and said, “I’m open to suggestions
because the methods we’ve used and
the tactics of the past have not turned
out a major clientele of success.”
Bailey feels that we as students need
to place current events higher on our
priority list. “Students should get more
involved with everything from what the
SGA does to ordinances passed by city
councils and budget cuts. They fail to
notice things until they hit them direct
ly.”
Student Election
Rules Change
By Renee Wilkins
The Student Election Committee, in
an effort to organize the upcoming
Student Government Association
(SGA) elections, has found it necessary
to change the election procedures
outlined in the SGA Constitution.
The committee, which is comprised
of students, administrators, and staff,
changed the 1981 election date from
the first Tuesday in April - as stated in
Article VI Section I of the Constitution
- to April 23. According to committee
member, Mrs. Manderline Scales, who
lis also WSSU director of student ac-
Uivities, the original date conflicted
'ivith spring break which begins April 8
and with the changes made in the
university calendar for this year. She
stated that the committee feared that
most of the students will leave early to
go home before voting. When asked
jibout an earlier date, Mrs. Scales
1 responded that the Greek lines were
j jetting underway and that there would
l3e too many activities.
The committee approved certain
criteria for the selection of Miss
'WSSU, which also applied to the other
czandidates. The criteria included
'Character, reputation, personality, the
ability to be effective in oral and writ-
t en expression and a 2.0 cumulative
iirade point average. Each candidate is
also asked to write in 50 words or less
>vhy they decided to run, and what they
plan to contribute to the student body.
According to Mrs. Scales, the stu
dent should be academically able to
handle the activity involved with that
office.
Mrs. Scales and Bobbie Brown, SGA
director of social affairs, stated that
the GPA’s for these positions should
be higher and the committee will be
r eviewing it in the future.
See Page 9
President Reviews Year
By Von Corbett
How does a small town boy from
Erwin, North Carolina, adapt to the
nerve-racking pressures placed on a
college Student Government Associa
tion (SGA) president? Ivary Bailey, a
22-year-old senior, said, baing from a
small high school and small town made
the adjustment somewhat difficult, but
his newly acquired friends eased any
pressures he may have had. “Many a
day, I thought about dropping out and
going back home,” he said.
Born on January 29, under the
astrological sign of Aquarius, Ivary
comes from a family of one brother,, six
sisters and two parents. During high
school, he participated in the student
government, was senior class treasu
rer, played basketball for three years,
ran track two years and was a bus
driver. His hobbies include outdoor
sports, reading, horseback riding, and
listening to music, all, things he said
he never has ,any time to do.
His college choices were North
Carolina State University, UNC-Cha-
pel Hill and A&T State University, but
he chose Winston-Salem State Univer
sity because he was impressed by the
students’ attitudes and the administra
tors’ concern for the students’
education. Upon entering WSSU,
Ivary selected, as his major, mathema
tics, because he said it was his favorite
subject through grade school, as well
as in high school.
Ivary credits most of his leadership
ability to the backing from his fellow
classmates and to, he said, “a
dynamic and inspiring advisor, Mrs.
Manderline Scales,” director of Stu
dent Activities.
As SGA president, Ivary said he
constantly carries a heavy load. His
biggest problem in running the SGA,
he said, is finding enough time
between studying and classes to fulfill
the duties of the office. “The officers
of may cabinet make my job much
Ivary Bailey
easier for me,” he commented. He
said he has very few problems because
“after the SGA and the administration
are on one accordance to what is
feasible to the students and the
University, things are able to flow
smoothly.” When asked his most
frustrating encounter as SGA presi
dent, he failed to elaborate, but
commented that one should look out
for bad business and make sure that a
party under contract follows through
on their part of the agreement.
Nevertheless, Ivary liked leading the
SGA. Although it is hard work, it is a
good experience, he said. “My being a
full-time student and having the
responsibilities of the office gives me
the opportunity to watch myself work
under pressure and in tight situa
tions.”
Ivary’s goal in life is “to help other
people to try to better themselves,
because so many have provided assist
ance to me.” As of now, he has set no
specific goals as far as his career is
concerned.
When asked what advice he would
give to the next SGA president, Ivary
said, “Stay here over the summer and
plan out the year’s activities, begin to
get orientated with the various proce
dures concerning fiscal affairs, student
activities, etc, try to create ideas to get
students actively involved in the SGA,
and display an image that students
and the entire Ram family, in general,
might be proud of.”