J. W. Cady, President
It is the philosophy of Texarkana College to encourage her students to develop and grow academically and physically. In addition to the academic and physical growth of the students, it is the hope of the College that her students will grow in practice and ability to govern themselves and regulate their own affairs.
It has been the philosophy of this administration to seek expanded opportunities for students to serve in the administration of Texarkana College. In recent years, our College students have been placed on regular standing faculty committees of the College to give the students a voice in college decisions and to allow them to express their views to the faculty to make the students’ voice heard in college matters. Texarkana College students are presently serving on the following committees:
- Assembly Committee
- Commencement Committee
- Student Publications Committee
- Scholarships, Loan and Financial Assistance Committee
- Student Activities Committee
The dormitory students at Texarkana College have been asked to form their own dorm council and gain experience in self government by helping to design and administer regulations for their own group living.
Since most of the Texarkana College students do not reside in a dormitory, and commute from home, they have little opportunity to participate in the administration of their own affairs at the College. It is the hope of the College administration to create greater opportunities for service and education in the business affairs of the College may be available.
An expanded role for the Student Senate has been the goal for Texarkana College. In the last four years the amount of money placed at the disposal of the Student Senate of Texarkana College has increased from $200 to $1,000 in the current school year. In an effort to place additional responsibility in the Student Senate, the administration is considering the possibility of turning over to the Senate the administration of all student activity funds received by the College. The question is continually asked: “Where do our student activity funds go?”
Students who are interested in expressing their opinion are urged to make their feelings known to Dean Bill Hughes, Dean of Students at Texarkana College. The Administration of the College earnestly solicits the help and suggestions of the students on the campus in the proper administration of College affairs.
The bulk of the student activity funds are spent for the college annual, the college newspaper, and for the activities of the Student Senate. A breakdown of these expenses for the current college year are as follows:
- College Annual: $7,500
- College Newspaper: $1,850
- Student Senate Activities: $1,000
- Handbooks: $350
TOTAL: $10,700
The question is asked where does the balance of approximately $3,000 not budgeted from the student activity funds go? The answer is that this relatively small amount of money has gone into the building fund of the college. Each year Texarkana College ends her business operation with a surplus, and this surplus is transferred to the building fund to the College to provide for future building expansion. By providing for a building fund for the College, the College is able to appropriate $325,000 as her 25% share of the new $1,300,000 building program beginning in the spring of 1969 to build a new library, a new science and engineering building, and a new physical education building.
Texarkana College is considering the possibility of suggesting to the Student Senate that the Student Senate, beginning in September, 1969, budget and administer all of the student activity funds. The four main categories of expense as outlined above would necessarily have to be budgeted. Any excess of student activities funds over the amounts indicated could be used for the promotion of other student activities on campus. In some colleges all student clubs on the campus propose budgets to the Student Senate which acts as a budgeting agent and allocates certain funds for the activities of each club on the campus during the school year.
The administration of Texarkana College is anxious to know the feelings of the student body regarding this possibility. Does the student body want the Student Senate to take a more active role in the administration of student activity funds? Is the Student Senate willing to take on the added work and responsibility for more interest in the part of the students on the campus and the administration of student affairs on the campus?
Students who are interested in expressing their opinion are urged to make their feelings known to Dean Bill Hughes, Dean of Students at Texarkana College. The Administration of the College earnestly solicits the help and suggestions of the students on the campus in the proper administration of College affairs.