McCorkle runs again

Student Government Association President Justin McCorkle will be seeking reelection for the 2006-2007 academic year. McCorkle, who will be the first SGA President to seek reelection, said for him it’s not about making history, it’s about continuing the fight.
“The fight is not over,” McCorkle said. “There are a lot of issues left hanging in the balance this year and if those things are not handled with special care and precision they will go down the drain. If someone else comes in with a new agenda and does not handle what needs to be done all the work of SGA will have gone to waste.”
He said despite the catastrophic events of Hurricanes’ Katrina and Rita, the mission of the SGA has not faltered.
“The purpose of SGA is to represent the interest of the student body at all times. To provide a central agency through which any student may voice their opinions on any and all matters that are of concern to them. This administration has done that,” McCorkle said.
McCorkle said he regretted the hurricanes’ caused the SGA, as well as the university as whole, to reprioritize causing some student concerns to be moved down on the agenda. But even in the wake of disaster and reprioritizing the SGA has remained dedicated to productivity.
“This year we finally got a proposed day on the opening of a recreation center for students. We’ve been given demolition dates for the dormitories slated to be torn down and replaced. We have made moves on the underground piping system, introduced to Southern University the first State of the Black Student Symposium. We have rallied and fought for SUNO, our sister school and for our own campus in the midst of budget crisis,” McCorkle said. “I have taken SGA from being a social organization to one that lives up to its purpose which is overall to promote the general welfare of the student body at all times. I have proven that I will stand for my fellow students even when it’s unpopular and every student on this campus should know they can come to my office with any problem and leave with a solution or with direction to one.”
In spring 2005 McCorkle campaigned promising to increase student programs, be a true advocate for the student body and more than anything, take back the yard.
“I didn’t take back the yard, we took back the yard. The respect SGA has now is that of no previous administration.” McCorkle said. “The administration has been cooperative in making moves upon request and that is why we have not had the need to march or protest. Whenever we have brought to the attention of the administration a problem, it has been handled with diligence because they (the administration) knew that if they did not stand up for what is right, there are 10,000 students that would.”
Russell Frazier, SGA advisor, said McCorkle has had a very successful presidency this year and that he was excited to have such a qualified pool of candidates running for president.
“I think Justin did a very good job this year,” Frazier said. “He got a lot of issues addressed for the students, primarily housing issues, he has brought political awareness to the forefront, been instrumental in communicating with the students on what’s going on, on campus and off campus. He has brought a lot of programming that has addressed the whole student body and not just the social aspect of college life. He has been a great president.”
Alessia Wheeler, a senior mechanical engineering major from Baton Rouge, said she was happy to see McCorkle running again and she would gladly support him.
“I think Justin has really proven himself to the student body,” Wheeler said. “He has shown great leadership skills, he has been very personable and he has represented the university as a whole and not as an individual. Not only will he continue to improve, but he will raise the bar for the presidents in the future.”
McCorkle said he will run his upcoming campaign confident that he has proven to the student body what he is not only capable of but what he will do.
“I have shown the students what I will do,” McCorkle said. “There is no room for question of whether I will because I have done and even though I will be campaigning, the office is not closed. I’m still the SGA President and I’m still at work for the students of this university.”