OXFORD,
Miss. – Students elected to serve as the 2009-10 Associated Student
Body officers at the University of Mississippi were inaugurated Tuesday
(March 31) in a ceremony in the historic Lyceum.
They are Artair
Rogers, a junior public policy leadership major from Guntown,
president; Richard McKay, a junior accountancy major from Philadelphia,
vice president; Martin Fisher, a sophomore public policy leadership
major from Greenwood, secretary; Charles Gautier, a junior accountancy
major from Long Beach, treasurer; Bill Rosenblatt, a sophomore history
major from Jackson, judicial council chair; and Jordan Sudduth, a
senior economics major from Brandon, attorney general.
Chancellor Robert Khayat attended the inauguration and said farewell to the members of the 2008-09 ASB council.
“This group of ASB students was unyielding, untiring and relentless in their efforts in making Ole Miss a better place,” he said.
Graham Purcell, outgoing president, administered the oath of office and gave words of advice to the incoming administration. He challenged them to never forget who they were elected to serve and never forget the university’s vision, and to always “ensure that the smallest voices are heard.”
In his acceptance speech, Rogers said, “I am deeply moved and humbled to be in this position today.”
He also spoke about the success that the university experienced last year as host of the presidential debate. “We will never forget the defining moment that occurred at this university on Sept. 26, 2008,” he said. “This debate placed our campus on a national stage, and Ole Miss was ready for the challenge. We as an institution united and rose to a new level of greatness.”
Post-debate, the university must focus on maintaining national attention, Rogers said. “We must strive to continue to be at this national stage, which is where we belong. We have the resources, we have the ability. Now it’s time to move. It’s time for moving from being simply great, to being the greatest.”
For more information on the ASB, visit http://www.dosolemiss.com/page.php?page?id=107709/ .