Student body officer electionsBlake Norvell

As part of their application for student body president, vicepresident and secretary, candidates have been allowed to writecommentaries detailing their platforms. Today’s commentaries arewritten by students campaigning for the office of student bodypresident. The Senate election, originally slated to run fromWednesday, Feb. 26 to Thursday, Feb. 27, has been postponed due tothis week’s severe weather, but will be rescheduled. Don’t forgetto vote!

Why should you vote for Blake Norvell for student bodypresident?

He’ll Write you a check for unspent fees

Each year the Student Senate does not spend all of the studentfees it collects, which makes up its $750, 000 annual budget. Iwill sponsor a resolution that will authorize writing you a checkfor unspent student fees.

More reading days before final exams

I’ve checked with several senior faculty members, and they wouldfavor four reading days instead of two. These additional readingdays would allow students to gain a better understanding of thematerial offered in the course during the semester.

A bill of rights for students

Students should have the right to know the standard theprofessor used to grade their work as well as the way the professorarrived at your individual grade.

More graduate fellowships

Graduate students are a very important part of SMU. Actionshould be taken to give more fellowships in order to continue toattract and retain the top graduate students.

Full scholarships based on merit to SMU’s most outstandinglaw students

Law school is both challenging and expensive. Those brightstudents who excel during law school should be rewarded for theirefforts. These scholarships would encourage law students to workhard in order to gain a full scholarship. This policy would thusincrease the marketability of the SMU law student as well as helpretain the best law students.

MBA student organizations at the Cox School of Businessshould receive a fair share of the Student Senate budget

These organizations need adequate funding to operate and achievetheir goals.

My qualifications (both past and present) for Student BodyPresident are as follows: 4.0 cumulative GPA; Hyer Scholar; StudentSenate – Dedman II Senator; SMU Honor Council; Sigma Phi Epsilonfraternity; moderator of “Terror from Now On?”; President’sAdvisory Council on Needs of Persons with Disabilities;Mathematical Association of America -VP of SMU chapter; Golden KeyHonor Society – Top Fifteen Freshmen; Mortar Board Award – Top TenSophomores; Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society-Vice President; PsiChi Honor Society; National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS);Program Council – Chairman, Speakers Committee; Student Foundation;Big Brothers/ Big Sisters and Who’s Who Among Students in AmericanUniversities & Colleges.