Morgan McDowell said this year’s administration will be a tough act to follow but every president brings something different to the table and, if elected, hopes to cultivate the new programs started by the Student Association.
“Hopefully, the relationships I will build will bring as much to the table as Rhett (Hobart)’s programming aspect. This is going to be a building year for the Student Association with all the new programs Rhett has implemented,” he said.
The programs he said he hopes to continue are the Cowbell Yell, the Respect the Bell campaign and the new third party book sell back website that is currently in development.
“There’s no reason to lose all that progress we’ve already made,” he said. “Cowbell Yell is on my platform. Rhett started this last year; there’s no reason we can’t fill up at least the visitor’s side of the stadium. That was one of the greatest traditions Rhett has started here.”
One of the biggest needs on campus, he said, was the student relief fund. He said he wants to create an account in which students could donate their unused block meals. This account would be used to provide block meals to students in need. He said he has already met with Tabor Mullen, assistant dean of students, to discuss the program.
McDowell also said he wants to continue to improve the relationship between MSU and the city of Starkville.
“I’m a big believer in that Mississippi State would not be here without Starkville, and Starkville would not be the town it is without Mississippi State,” he said. “It’s extremely important to keep that relationship with Mayor Wiseman and the Board of Alderman because we collaborate with the city on so many events, especially Bulldog Bash.”
A way McDowell said he believes could help increase relationships between students and businesses is a program he has been working on for the past year called the Bulldog Business Bureau. He said if the students participating wear maroon apparel on Maroon Friday and go into a business in the program, they will receive 15 percent off. He said some businesses already participate in a similar program that gives 10 percent off maroon and white apparel, but he wants to make it more formal.
“(The businesses) are seeing rewards fromstudents coming into their stores, and we’re seeing rewards by getting a discount when we go in,” he said. “It makes it so much easier for the business owner and student to interact.”
He said another relationship he hopes to continue to build is that between MSU and the legislators in Jackson.
“That’s our funding. That’s where grants and scholarship money is coming from,” he said. “We need to keep Mississippi State students on their minds.”
He said MSU was looking to take a 15 percent budget cut, but it has been cut down to either 5 or 8 percent because of students lobbying to keep that money at the university.
He said it is important for all students to vote and encourages students to learn about the platforms of all the candidates.
“Everything is going to make the university better,” he said. “This is an exciting job. It’s for no other purpose but to serve the students. No one should get into it unless they are there to strictly serve the students. It’s not a resume builder.”