Two candidates run for external affairs VP

Kendra Key runs for VP of external affairs

Sophomore says she is best candidate

By Paul Thompson

Senior Staff Reporter

Kendra Key, a SGA senator from the College of Arts and Sciences, has announced her candidacy for next year's SGA vice president of External Affairs.

Key, a sophomore majoring in political science, said she has always been involved with the SGA, and found that the majority of her work fell under the department of external affairs.

"As a freshman, I worked as a secretary in the senate and I also became involved with the department of environmental concerns," Key said. "As a sophomore, I have served as a senator from the College of Arts and Sciences. I have helped to create and implement the recycling program that the SGA is currently focusing on."

Key said she thinks she is a strong candidate for vice president of External Affairs because of her relationships with important local figures.

"I am a member of the Chamber of Commerce's environmental task force," Key said. "I'm also a Tuscaloosa native, so I know how things work with local government. I also have developed working relationships with the mayor and members of the city council."

Among things she wishes to accomplish, Key said the most important one to her is the creation of a department of foreign affairs.

"If elected, I would try to create a department of foreign affairs," Key said. "This department would help to educate students about the global issues that face them and the University.

"It would also facilitate the adjustments of foreign students visiting the Capstone by pairing them with a student studying their native language at the 300 or 400 level."

Key also said these pairings would be beneficial for everyone involved.

"I think that this is a program that would not only help UA foreign language students," Key said. "It would also help the foreign students we have in their transition to life here at the Capstone."

Another program Key said she would implement is an awareness campaign about the Tuscaloosa Trolley.

"Many students don't realize that the Trolley can take them places off campus," Key said. "This would be great for students who don't want to drive or don't have cars on campus."

Key also said she would work with the trolley system to get more stops on the edges of campus, and more stops where students want and need to go.

"Currently, there is only one [trolley] stop on campus, and it's in front of Denny Chimes," Key said. "I would try to expand that to include more places on campus. My real focus, though, would be to add stops at places that students need to go, like Midtown Village and University Mall."

Key said she also plans on continuing some current programs and initiatives if elected.

"I want to make sure that students are represented off campus at city government meetings, for instance," Key said. "I also plan on continuing the recycling campaign and getting more and more students on board with the movement to end sales tax on college textbooks."

Mike Dodson in running for VP of External Affairs

C&BA senator runs opposite Kendra Key

By Martha Gravlee

Senior Staff Reporter

Mike Dodson, currently a Student Government Association senator from the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration, is running for the position of vice president of External Affairs, opposite arts and sciences senator Kendra Key.

Dodson said he is running on a platform focusing on HOME, an acronym that stands for History, Oneness, Membership and Exchange.

"I feel that as a student of the University and a resident of Tuscaloosa, that the student body feels like this isn't their hometown," Dodson said. "I want to help open up the city to them."

Dodson, a Birmingham native, said the "History" component of his campaign involves giving UA students the ability to learn more about Tuscaloosa by working with historical sites in the area to make tours more student-oriented and by cutting or eliminating entrance fees for students.

"Oneness," Dodson said, refers to the hope that students will be more involved in community service in Tuscaloosa.

"I really want to focus on philanthropy," he said. "I want to create a philanthropy database on the SGA Web site so students can see what they can get involved in."

His third platform point, "Membership," expresses his hope to get students even more deeply involved in Tuscaloosa life.

He said he has plans for a Tuscaloosa Get on Board Day, to bring information on businesses, restaurants, employment opportunities and philanthropic opportunities to campus.

Dodson said "Exchange" was a plan to start annual meetings with student governments across the SEC, starting at Alabama and rotating among the member schools.

"These would be roundtable discussions and troubleshooting sessions," he said.

Dodson said he is also running on a continuation platform, and said he applauds current vice president of external affairs Britney Mitchell for her work in the office.

"Britney Mitchell has really made a concerted effort to improve," he said. "Her transparency and her efforts are exactly what we need in that position. I believe that the current direction of the office of external affairs is excellent."

"There's not necessarily things I want to change, but there are things I want to build on," he said. "I don't feel that there have been any groundbreaking, deal-breaking mistakes. I really, really respect the job that Britney Mitchell has done, and I hope to fill some very big shoes."

Dodson said his opponent is a good candidate, but that, after studying both platforms, he feels his has a further reach.

"Kendra is of course a great candidate and a good person," he said, "but I feel that my platform has more of an outreach."

"I want everybody to realize that I am a very organized, high energy person," he said. "Everything that I do, I take pride in my work."

Dodson is also a member of Delta Chi Fraternity, president-elect of Professional Real Estate Fraternity Rho Epsilon, and said he will soon participate in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program.

If he is not elected, Dodson said he will still work to serve the students of the Capstone.

"Absolutely, whether it be in other capacities, in other student organizations, public service is a passion of mine," he said. "It's what I do."