Leading and learning
Outgoing MSA President Brian Laoruangroch said he"s looking forward to serving students without the hassles of day-to-day bureaucracy.
Published Dec. 7, 2004
While Missouri Students Association presidential candidates, senators, members of the Department of Greek Life and leaders from 33 other organizations scramble around A022 Brady Commons ' the hub of student life ' MSA President Brian Laoruangroch stands out.
As students and administrators passed his office Wednesday, they had to dodge a rolling ball as Laoruangroch played an impromptu bowling game with Director of Student Communications Nick Trusty in the hallway.
Laoruangroch's term officially ends at the new president's inauguration in late January. He said he's enjoying winding down his tumultuous term and preparing to train a new leader following this week's runoff election.
Laoruangroch's term has been plagued by his legal troubles, MSA's internal problems and the first presidential impeachment since 1981. However, Laoruangroch said his term also led to an improvement with communication to what he calls "average, everyday" students and great strides in completing projects that directly benefit students.
Leading Missouri's largest student body
Laoruangroch said the student body president of Missouri's largest university needs to be open to discussions with other students and needs to work with others to complete projects.
"Early on, I made the mistake of just running with an idea and trying to make others like it," he said. "A good leader doesn't just try to get his specific ideas accomplished. A good leader would stand on the side and tell people a universal idea rather than one person trying to rally support for one idea. Not everybody is going to be as passionate as you are."
Laoruangroch said serving as president took over his life more than he thought it would.
"It consumes your entire week," he said. "You find out really fast that it ends up becoming your first job and school takes second. If you don't get your work done, you end up staying until it is, and sleeping in your office."
Vice President Kara Heppermann said she and Laoruangroch have been able to complete or push discussions on all the issues they originally addressed in their campaign platforms, including improving communication with students, revamping meal plans, adding emergency telephones and working to add "Diversity" to MU's Statement of Values.
"As far as getting specific things accomplished, we've done amazingly well," she said. "I think everything in our platform has at least been discussed and a lot has happened. I was amazed at how little time was spent on platform issues compared to how much more needed to be done on other issues. A lot of attention is focused on platforms during the election, but being the voice of the students is our biggest job."
Senate Clerk Greg Chase said one reason for Laoruangroch's success in office is his charisma.
"I think he communicated very well," he said. "He's somebody who would command attention and when he walked in a room, he could get people to shut up and listen."
Confronting bureaucracy
Laoruangroch said he was most surprised to find out how much time goes into completing projects.
"A lot of student leaders are so optimistic and want to get things done," he said. "I've found, and the new president will find, that nothing happens overnight or even over a 10-year time span. There's so much work and so much bureaucracy. Even if you get nine people to agree with you, there'll be one person standing in your way."
Laoruangroch said one of the most frustrating aspects to being president is the vast number of meetings he was required to attend.
"I still want to be around, working on issues like diversity, and I feel I'll be a lot more effective now that I'm not bogged down by meetings," he said. "When people spend hours in meetings talking about what they're doing, that's five hours they're not working on the stuff they're talking about and the stuff they could do. Cutting down on the bureaucracy that plagues everything on campus will be great."
Laoruangroch said the amount of time MSA Senate spends working on internal problems, specifically bylaw revisions, is another pet peeve.
"Bylaws are the biggest waste of time," he said. "Students don't give a damn. They care about what they can tangibly see, the stuff they can look at and say, 'Thank God we have a student government.' I think the Senate needs to focus on fixing Senate, not fixing the bylaws."
Laoruangroch said he wants to work with Senate next semester to restructure the organization, but he doesn't want to see senators continue to play with the bylaws.
"The revisions that make me the angriest are the ones to clarify things we're already doing just so senators know what we're doing," he said. "The only thing they can't get through their heads is students don't care about bylaws. If, in my last few days, I see a bylaw revision I don't like, I will use my veto to send a message."
Overcoming personal obstacles
Heppermann said it's unfortunate that most students' opinion of Laoruangroch's presidency will be tarnished by his personal and professional problems, including a bevy of court appearances and a presidential impeachment.
Laoruangroch was arrested last August on suspicion of possession of false identification and possession of alcohol by a minor. He was forced to post $300 bond in January for failing to appear in court for charges of failing to comply with restrictions on an intermediate driver's license.
In addition, Laoruangroch was arrested Friday afternoon on suspicion of possession of false identification and tampering with physical evidence.
In April, the MSA Senate impeached Laoruangroch. According to the impeachment petition, Laoruangroch "engaged in inappropriate activities at official functions of the university and association which were disrespectful, unfortunate, shameful and reckless." Laoruangroch admittedly consumed alcohol at the Geyer Awards dinner, an event sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of Missouri and attended by administrators and state legislators.
"I think when people think of Brian, they think of the impeachment," Heppermann said. "A lot of people have seen the negative things Brian has done, but I hope they see the positive things we've done for students."
Laoruangroch said he knew his life would be more closely watched, but he didn't realize the extent.
"It would seem like it's common sense that people would watch what I'm doing, but I didn't realize people would watch everything I do," he said.
Presidential candidate Ben Coen said that from watching Laoruangroch's presidency, he learned the president is under constant scrutiny and is always considered president.
"He got caught up in being a college student," Coen said. "You have to realize there's no such thing as 'off the clock.' You always have to act with the integrity of MSA president."
Laoruangroch said at times it's been hard to distinguish criticism of his job as president and criticisms of him as a person.
"So many times, people only see the mistakes and the things I don't do," he said. "They don't see me going to extra meetings with the Collegiate 100 or the Legion of Black Collegians. They see me walking into Senate 15 minutes late because I was still at those meetings. I had to realize I'm not working as Brian, I'm working as the MSA president."
Onward and upward
Laoruangroch said he looks forward to continuing work for students on issues such as diversity.
"We've worked so long and so hard to get this passed," he said. ' "'™'' "'™&