CAB plans outside scheduled meeting times

Some of the activity plans have been discussed outside the scheduled Campus Activities Board meeting times.

Julie Blackford, director of student activities, said many times, the general meeting, held at 2 p.m. on Mondays, adjourns until reporters from The Chart leave, then members present go into another session.

“Decisions aren’t really made,” Blackford said, “but people feel that’s a safer time to put out ideas.”

Jonathan BeVille, junior mass communications major, thinks CAB’s decision to exclude The Chart is unwise.

“I think the more students that know about CAB, the better,” BeVille said. “You can’t do something about what you don’t know about.”

When asked why more proposals are not put to a vote by the students present, Blackford said she tries to steer away from voting.

“Something could get voted through, and if I don’t feel it’s a good idea, or the people above me don’t feel it’s a good idea, it will get stopped,” she said.

She presented a similar argument for the reason as to why CAB officers are not elected by a majority vote, but rather appointed by herself, two other faculty members and two student Board members.

Blackford also said the selection of officers has been handled in this fashion since before she came here.

Jeremy Sturgell, interim CAB president, thinks the current method is the best.

“In the past, they (CAB) have had very specific chairs,” Sturgell said, “It would be problematic if it were done by election.”

CAB receives its funding from student activity fees, which each student at Missouri Southern is required to pay. While Blackford could not provide exact figures, she estimated the budget surplus to be approximately $8,000.

“We will roll the surplus money over into next year’s budget,” Blackford said. “It will be used for activities and events next year, so none of it is going to waste.”

While Blackford admits there have been some problems, she doesn’t want students to be alarmed and hopes to see more people attend the meetings.

“I want to put a disclaimer with the (CAB) constitution,” she said. “I don’t want to say the rules have gone out the window, but this has obviously been a transition year.”