DIGEST THE SOUTHERN
The Sentinel of the Elightened Student Body since 1926
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
New Division Seeks to Spark Enrollment & Recruitment Marchandea Seals Staff Writer
Volume 63 Issue 1
www.southerndigest.com
Spivey Among Ebony Queens
BOARD DENIES MASON
Lauren Johnson Managing Editor
In effort to increase the student enrollment and recruiting rates at Southern University the Student Affairs and Enrollment Management collaborated to form a new structure titled “New Division.” The Division of Student affairs includes Housing, Student Union, Student Media, Career Services, Student Health Center, Intramural Center, University Counseling Center, Office of the Dean of Students, Student Life, Greek Life, and Freshman Orientation. The Division of Enrollment Management includes Financial Aid, Registrars Office, and Center for Student Success, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, and early college program such as Dual Enrollment, Trio, and Upward Bound etc. Brandon Dumas, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management is over the New Division structure. “The New Division is free of SU Media Relations charge, no additional cost, On Saturday August 23, 2014, the SU Board of Supervisors voted against the extension of President Mason’s contract. just operating under a new His last official day in office will by July 1, 2015. structure,” said Dumas. In 2013, Southern University Meagan L. Wiliams in confidence that Mason would given us a clear plan in order for was able to stabilize Editor in Chief do the university well if his the university to move forward; recruitment, for the first time. Before last year, Southern had A recent decision made by the contract was extended, instead, he gives concepts, but not traditionally lost about 400 Board of Supervisors (BOS) the Southern community voiced complete plans,” Tolbert said. students each academic year. at Southern University could opinions such as, “an extremely Towards the end of the board Dumas said that they are working have a big impact on the Fall long nightmare of Mason’s meeting, Tolbert stated that he aggressively to make sure that 2014-Spring 2015 school year Presidency needs to be brought met with Mason and another for both Southern University’s to an end.” After addressing other board member in January they stabilize recruitment. flagship campus, and its sister items on the agenda, the board 2014 where Mason questioned “We will, in a more successful campuses. President Ronald deliberated for over an hour in whether or not the board planned way, lure students to Southern Mason, who’s been in office an end result of a 9-4 vote not to on extending his contract by University through recruitment, since July 1, 2010 will be extend the President’s contract. 18 months. He further stated because I believe there are no completing his term without a “If the President and Board that other universities were greater recruiters for Southern one-year contract extension. His leadership are not on the same interested [in hiring him]. University than our current term will end in July of 2015. page, then it time for a change,” Board member Myran K. students who are satisfied As the Southern University Mason said via email on Monday. Lawson put the item on the with their experiences that we community continues to One thing that the President and agenda; Tolbert co-sponsored it. have provided to them inside recover from the loss of former BOS could agree on was “change.” As various members of the and outside of the classroom,” Chancellor, James Llorens, the Rev. Samuel Tolbert, Jr. a community agreed with the Dumas ended. Student campus must soon begin its member of the BOS for over three board’s decision, some went Government Association search for the two most powerful years was one of nine members a step further to suggest positions on campus; Chancellor who voted “no.” “I voted no for and President. When the board a number of reasons. I think see No Extension on P.3 see New Division on P.3 allowed for comments from the that one of the biggest reasons audience, no one stepped forward was that President Mason hasn’t
Ebony magazine holds its annual Historical Black College University Campus Queens competition, which is online and allows for persons to vote unlimited for their favorite Campus queen. With support from students, faculty, alumni and fellow HBCU students, Former Miss Southern, Ayanna Spivey, Senior BIS College
No contract extension for SU System President
Inside this Issue:
Campus Briefs...............................................Page 2 News ..............................................................Page 3 Sports .............................................................Page 4 Photos of the Week......................................Page 6
Chancellor’s Letter ...................................... Page 7 Arts & Entertainment ................................. Page 9 Commentary ................................................ Page 11 Advertisement ............................................ Page 12
of Education from Moreno valley California placed in the top 10. Spivey is proud of her accomplishment and happy to put SU “back on the map.” With the competition being a little over 5 years old, within those years only the eightieth Miss Southern, Kenya Warren, attempted to run, but wasn’t so successful due to the lack of ability to get the information out. “In the beginning of my term my platform wasn’t as clear, but I knew that doing this competition was something I wanted to do,” said Spivey. Feeling that SU needed to be known nationally, Spivey thought this was a great opportunity. “Ebony Magazine is national, and even if we wouldn’t have placed we would have still been on their website for a year,” said Spivey. “I also feel that this win is a great recruitment tool because it will at least encourage interested or future students to look us up on the internet, especially out if state students,” finished Spivey. Using strategies to ensure support Spivey hosted voting parties, used social media and posted flyers. “It felt like campaign week all over again,” said Spivey. She ended by saying that it was a blessing for her to know that she actually made an impact on the SUpporters, because if the students don’t like you they won’t rock with you,” finished Spivey.
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA