Letter to the editor

My fellow Jaguars,
It is my great pleasure and high privilege to welcome you to back to the yard for the 2008 Spring Semester! My administration brought about a great deal of change last semester, and together, we will continue to create positive improvements! I hope all of you have had a wonderful Winter break and I trust that you are ready to continue in the tradition of jaguar pride! Rest well assured, however, that although Student Government Association Elections are rapidly approaching, I am still your President; I remain fully committed to continue moving our institution in the right direction.
Last semester, great progress was made. We successfully negotiated with community businesses to gain discounts on purchases with a valid student ID card, and next, in order to help us perform to the best of our academic abilities, your Student Government partnered with the faculty senate and top administrators to institute a break between the last day of class and final examinations, better known as “Dead Days”. Although all these wonderful things were achieved, this year’s Student Government again made history by becoming the first to create a textbook assistance program for the student body, better known as the “Ivory M. Berry” Textbook Assistance Program, a program through which students can visit the library and check-out the textbooks needed for their courses without any cost to them.
Although all of these were wonderful accomplishments, this SGA Administration worked to better our institution’s image and improve student health by convincing Music Television (MTV) to highlight Southern University through its newest television series, MTV University’s “Student Bodies”, a nationally syndicated program that transforms overweight students into healthy and productive scholars. In addition, your Student Government has worked hard to restore jaguar pride to our campus by creating the new tradition of “I Love SU Friday’s”: mini-events to inspire school spirit that were, and will continue to be, held on random Fridays throughout the year.
My fellow Jaguars, do enjoy the new semester and the new and forthcoming Student Government Association provided amenities! I feel that the new improvements that your Student Government will make will enhance us socially, better us academically, and empower us on the university level. I vow that I will continue to endeavor in Jaguar Pride through sincerity, unity, and dedication, and I challenge each of you to do the same in this new year!
Still moving in the right direction,
Carey L. H. Ash,
66th President
Student Government Association
Southern University and A&M College at Baton Rouge
Chairman, Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents