Kelley to focus on safety

By Allie Blood

Published Oct. 9, 2007

Juniors Jim Kelley and Chelsea Johnson announced their candidacy for the Missouri Students Association presidential election on Thursday via their Facebook.com group page.

Presidential candidate Kelley and vice-presidential candidate Johnson said they believe their experience dealing with students translates into an innovative vision for the future of MSA.

Although they said they believe all their platform positions are equally important, the slate is most excited to work with Residential Life to promote student safety.

"MSA can work with Res. Life to get cameras in all the residence halls," Kelley said. "The deterrence factor is great — professional research shows that."

In accordance with their focus on student safety, Kelley and Johnson hope to implement plans to get more students involved in the STRIPES program. To better understand the program, Kelley and Johnson volunteered one night.

"It's a great program," Johnson said. "It saves lives. But they don't have any kind of GPS system, and you're getting all these calls to pick people up. A lot of things could be done better there."

Also, according to the Facebook group, the slate feels strongly about the status of "Frat Pit."

Because of the elimination of the popular tailgating site, Kelley and Johnson said they feel it is the responsibility of the university to reopen the area or work with a committee of student leaders and Greek members to find an acceptable area for students to responsibly tailgate.

Other important issues on the Kelley-Johnson platform include student financial responsibility, minority involvement and effective crisis communication.

Kelley, a political science and history double major, has been involved with MSA since his freshman year.

He began on the Operations Committee, but joined the Academic Affairs Committee in the second semester of his freshmen year.

He later began the chairman of the committee but had to resign in order to pursue candidacy.

He participated in the Civic Leaders Internship Program his freshman year as well.

Kelley has also been involved outside of MSA.

"I tutor and mentor student athletes," Kelley said. "It's a good way to give back and get to know the people you watch on Saturday."

Johnson, a finance major, belongs to Delta Gamma sorority and has been involved with MSA since her freshman year.

She became the Budget Committee chairwoman in 2006 and then became vice chairwoman of the Student Fee Review Committee.