By Tealy Dippel staff reporter Two uncontested positions were filled after election polls closed Wednesday while candidates for three other officer positions will compete in runoffs Friday. Voters elected Meredith Killgore as vice president for Programming Council and Stine Lunden for Student Government Association treasurer while the positions of student body president, House vice president and House secretary remain undecided.
The runoff for House vice president will be between Sara Donaldson, a sophomore premed/neuroscience major with 651 votes (35 percent), and Kenny Oubre, a junior economics major with 623 votes (33 percent). For House secretary, Ben Rebstock, a sophomore radio-TV-film major, with 832 votes (44 percent), and Kyle Turner, a sophomore premajor, with 563 votes (30 percent), will compete in Friday's race. Nearly 1,900 students cast their vote, a 63 percent increase over voter turnout last year. This year's number of votes surpassed last year's figure of 1,178 at 4 p.m. Wednesday. There were 83 students who showed their TCU ID's and opted to vote by paper by placing their votes in an envelope at the Information Desk. "We passed the number of votes received last year; who knows we might be going for an all-time record," SGA President Ben Alexander said. Jenkins said he is happy with the number of people who voted. "It makes me feel people believe in my campaign, and what I want to do for the student body and SGA," Jenkins said. Moody could not be reached for comment. Donaldson said she is happy there are people who knew she is the best qualified candidate for vice president. She said she will emphasize her participation in leadership in House before Friday's runoff. "I need to make sure people know I'm part of House, I've never left House and I'll stay part of House," Donaldson said. Oubre said he is excited about the runoff and said he appreciates all of the support he has already received. "In the next two days I am going to prove I have the necessary House experience coupled with the necessary outside experience needed to show that I am the overall best candidate for vice president," Oubre said. Alexander said there is even the possibility that TCU students studying in Washington D.C., Arizona and London could have voted online in the election. Candidates will be able to spend an additional $50 on their campaigns between now and Friday. Voting procedures will remain the same for the runoffs when voting polls will be open from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Friday. For those who are unable to vote online, the Information Desk in the Student Center will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday.
Tealy Dippel
By Tealy Dippel staff reporter Each year Holiday Express displays its posters offering group trips to places such as Acapulco and Cancún, but after about 15 years of service at TCU, some students said they want the company's privilege to advertise on campus taken away. More than 100 students from TCU and other regional universities signed up in March 1999 for a spring break package that included a five-day, four-night stay in Cancún. Instead of spending the first day on the beach, students said they spent the first full day of their trip at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Sara Donaldson, a sophomore premed/ neuroscience major, said she and other students spent about 30 hours waiting at the D/FW airport because Duewy Estelle, a sales and marketing representative from Holiday Express, repeatedly told them their flight had been delayed. "Each hour there was a new story on why our plane was late," Donaldson said. "Part of the time there was no representative around, so we were basically stranded in the airport." Stuart Schultz, a senior finance major, said the company's representative was not helpful, and the situation at the airport could have run more smoothly. "Finally the (American Management Resources) lady at the airport took charge and got everyone in order," Schultz said. Mike Hays, president and owner of Holiday Express, said students were only at the airport for 27 hours. A representative from the company was at the airport the entire time, he said, making Holiday Express one of the only spring break companies in Texas that has a representative at the airport for spring break trips. Hays said his company is not at fault because they don't fly the aircrafts used for their trips. He said it is unfortunate the flight was late, but the airline business is a fiasco. "When a plane is late, we all lose," Hays said. Students, however, did sign the company's Charter Participate Agreement, stating Holiday Express is responsible to the participant for making arrangements for all tour services but is not responsible for delays or changes in air transportation. Donaldson said she thinks Holiday Express is at fault because it was not a delayed flight, it was fraud. "I went with an airline official to check on the flight number and time, and there was no scheduled flight out of D/FW to Cancún that day," she said. Donaldson said Estelle was no help to students because he kept calling himself "the little guy" because he was just there to check people in and get students on the plane. Donaldson said she told Estelle she was upset, and he responded that initially the fault was with his company. Donaldson said she then challenged him to sign his name on her meal voucher to prove what he said. "He signed the back of my meal voucher underneath the words 'I guess initially the fault is with us,'" Donaldson said. Donaldson said she drafted a contract stating that because of poor planning, she would receive a full refund of $487.95. Donaldson said Estelle and a witness signed the contract. But Hays said Estelle does not recall signing the piece of paper. "They put us through hell," Donaldson said. "Any company with integrity would give all of us a full refund." Hays said Holiday Express contracted with Global Airlines Services, an airline broker, to charter the aircraft used for the spring break trip to Cancún. Hays said PanAm was the airline used, and they have hired an attorney to proceed with a federal court process because of the flight delays. "They (PanAm) don't have much of an excuse for their lateness," Hays said. "We want to go to court on behalf of our TCU students and our other customers." Hays said it is AMR, a travel company conglomerate, that takes care of the chartered flights because AMR takes care of the bags and posting flight times. Hays said his company is not at fault for airline delays, and Donaldson is mistaken. "I was young once and, no offense, but having chartered flights up in lights in the airport is just not the case," he said. Donaldson said students were given meal vouchers at the airport, and, later that night, they were given hotel rooms for the evening."We did not leave for Cancún until 10:30 a.m. the next day," Donaldson said. Donaldson said she and other students missed one day and one night of their trip, and she believes Holiday Express kept the money. "Everything that came out of their mouths was a lie, so everything they're denying is a lie, too," Donaldson said. Wes Warnock, a senior broadcast journalism major, said he is demanding a refund from Holiday Express and has already sent the company a certified letter. Warnock said once he and the other students arrived in Cancún, they didn't trust the company. "The way we were treated is the worst part about it," Warnock said. "No customer should be treated like that." Hays said he wanted to send a voucher to the students involved, but his attorney, Cheryl Smith, advised against it. "My attorney said it may hinder the proceedings against PanAm," Hays said. Diana Barthel, a complaint coordinator at the Better Business Bureau in Fort Worth, said a folder on Holiday Express was originally established in July 1997, but there is no report prepared on the company. "There have been three complaints on Holiday Express in a three-year period, two complaints have been resolved, and one has not," Barthel said. Barthel said the three complaints included customer service, agreement on service and delivery of service. Donaldson said she doesn't want to see Holiday Express flyers on campus anymore. "I don't want others to fall for the trap that we did," Donaldson said. Mike Russel, associate dean of campus life, said he thinks some companies have legitimate programs, and others don't because starting up a business is fairly easy to do. "Maybe there should be some kind of student education on companies," Russel said. "The more communication there is, the better consumers we become because we are not just falling for an offer that seems too good to be true." Don Mills, vice chancellor for student affairs, said the university would not enter a dispute with students, but if the company was not producing what they promised, they would then consider taking down their flyers. "I am very interested and would like to know more information about the situation," Mills said. "We want to do well by our students because they are our primary issues."
Tealy Dippel
By Steven Baker staff reporter Although Thursday evening's ecumenical exchange is designed to start conversation between students of different faiths, some said people don't care enough to show up. Phil Padgett, a senior psychology major, said the idea is good because so many people at TCU are concerned with their own religion, but most will not attend. "I think the only people that are going to go are religion majors, or maybe certain people that have been frustrated with religion at TCU," he said. All students are invited to the free ecumenical exchange, "Peace in the Global Village," at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Reed Hall's Faculty Center Lounge. A panel of speakers composed of TCU professors and one representative from Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, Bernard Kern, will discuss the different aspects of faith and peace in the global community between religious faiths and denominations. Students will have a chance to pose questions to the panel after its discussion. Kevin Libick, faith education task force chairman for Uniting Campus Ministries, said the primary purpose of the meeting is to discuss peace, but people need to come simply so they can talk with one another. "There is not real communication between different denominations and faiths," he said. "All those organizations are trying to grab students' attention. They are not working to build a strong community for TCU students. If they work together, they can probably help the campus a lot more." The meeting is sponsored by UCM and TCU Peace Action, and free food and drinks will be available for students who attend. UCM President Kelly Connelly said communication between different faiths and denominations does not happen enough on campus. "UCM is probably the only Christian organization that communicates with non-Christian organizations," she said. "Some Christian organizations don't find it important to have a relationship with non-Christian organizations. It is a difficult situation." Wyatt Harris, a freshman music education major, said although most students may not be interested, it would help them to attend. "I totally agree with the ecumenical exchange, but I probably won't take part in it because of my other activities," he said. Connelly, a ballet and modern dance major, said the acceptance of people of different faiths is one of the reasons to have events like the ecumenical exchange. "This is an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge outside the classroom, verbalize their opinions but also to listen to others," she said. "Hopefully, it facilitates discussions between people with alternate views and backgrounds."
Steven Baker
By Jessica Schambach staff reporter As two students argued about the Main X-Change Wednesday, one got up to prove his point. He casually ventured out of his realm of friends and into an unfamiliar domain, where he quickly began chatting among people of both different and similar interests. The Main X-Change - sponsored by the Campus Communications Committee, a recently created committee to advance communication in the TCU community - is an effort to motivate students to move outside their group of friends and associate with others in their immediate surroundings, beginning in The Main. "There is a lot of student concern that there's a lack of community at TCU and that at The Main, specifically, it's very cliquish," said Mandy Mahan, CCC chairwoman. "People say they are tired of this, but whether they are willing to act on it, well, we'll find out. I'm giving them the opportunity." Mahan said there was no obvious change in The Main due to the program. "(There was) no drastic change from how it usually is, but I didn't expect a drastic change the first time," she said. "A lot of people said they thought it was a good idea, but it will take some time for them to get used to it. If it's around long enough, people will get more comfortable with the idea." Tamara Taylor, a junior business management major, said she participated in the Main X-Change and met three students. "It gets people to interact with other people that they wouldn't normally interact with," she said. Kaliah Sami, a junior elementary education major, said the event is a good way to meet people in similar majors and learn tips from them. Sarah Hebeler, a senior elementary education major, said the Main X-Change is a good idea, but she was unaware of it prior to seeing an advertisement on the table. Mahan said a campus-wide e-mail message was supposed to be sent out, but it never was. Signs were hung and coasters were passed out instead, she said. Danny Dukes, a senior history major, said he saw people hanging signs yesterday morning, so he does not think people were aware of the event. However, he said it will not work regardless of the amount of advertising. "I just don't think it's a concept that will ever work," he said. "Having a meal with someone that you don't even know is pretty awkward." Some people are reclusive and don't talk to anyone other than their friends, said John Turtine, a sophomore premajor. "I think the mingle program is a good idea because there are too many cliques," he said. "If you're mingling, you meet some more people and experience college." Mahan said Wednesday's event was an experiment to find out students' responses. She said it will occur next week, and if it is a success, it could become a weekly event. Extra activities to help students meet new people are being planned for Wednesday, she said. Mahan said she hopes the Main X-Change will encourage people to step outside their comfort zones and experience something new. "If there's one person that's affected by it, then I think it's worth every minute I put into it," she said. "People should feel comfortable and have an environment that feels comfortable for them to meet new people. Up until right now, it hasn't been that way."
Jessica Schambach |
Ben Jenkins, a junior international finance major, who garnered
881 votes (47 percent), and Walker Moody, a junior psychology and Spanish
major, who received 672 votes (36 percent), will face each other in a runoff
for SGA president Friday.| The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |