Department of Student Communication gets new director
Porscha Kirkwood, who was Legion of Black Collegians vice president last year, accepted the position Thursday night.
Sept. 5, 2008
After two other students turned down the position, Missouri Students Association President Jim Kelley found someone to head the Department of Student Communication.
Senior Porscha Kirkwood will replace Billy Eilbracht in the job, Kelley said Thursday night.
"I think she's just as qualified as the others we offered the position to and I'm confident she'll do a good job," Kelley said. "She'll bring a strength to the position that is deep."
Kirkwood, who was Legion of Black Collegians vice president last year, said her new position is in line with other positions she has held. She serves as secretary of the Big 12 Council on Black Student Government, which involves putting together press kits and working on the group's Web site.
Kirkwood also said her internship this summer at a Chicago radio station's promotions department would help prepare her to run DSC, especially student radio station KCOU/88.1 FM. Although DSC doesn't oversee KCOU, the two are both under the executive branch of MSA.
"I'd like to bring a lot of this to KCOU because a lot of people aren't aware there's a radio station on campus," she said.
In May, Kirkwood said she chose not to run for another term as LBC vice president because she didn't want to be too busy during her senior year. But she said this post will help her in her career after graduation.
Kelley said he and Eilbracht first discussed the possibility of his leaving on Aug. 22, and Kelley began interviewing candidates the following week. Eilbracht had not worked for DSC or gotten paid by MSA all summer because of his internship in St. Louis, Kelley said.
Eilbracht emphasized his good relationship with Kelley and MSA, and said that he resigned because his priorities had shifted.
"I'm working on things that further my career this semester," he said. "If I wasn't able to give 100 percent to MSA, then to go ahead and inform Jim of that is the best choice and most logical and responsible choice for both parties."
Eilbracht is no longer on MSA payroll, he said, but he will help the new director transition into the role.
Kelley first offered the job to senior Steve Oslica, who was unable to accept it because of his position at the Columbia Missourian. Oslica was editor-in-chief of The Maneater last year. MUTV/Channel 23 General Manager Sarah Schultz also turned down the position.
MSA almost saw two departures this week, as Multicultural Issues Committee Chairwoman Jennifer Claxton announced at Tuesday's cabinet meeting she intended to resign because of a scheduling conflict with her committee's meeting time.
But Thursday, she found out that committee meetings could be scheduled at times other than the standard 7 p.m. Tuesday time slot. Claxton had a conflict with this specific time, but another time during the week would work, she said.
She said she would talk to her committee members before deciding on another time for the committee's meetings.
Claxton said the time change might benefit her committee's members who want to attend other MSA committee meetings. She said she sees her committee as an MSA ambassador to other organizations, and that committee members will have better information if they attend other committee meetings.
More Sept. 5, 2008 News Stories
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- Security cameras installed in residence halls, MSA leaders pushing for more — More cameras will be installed as funding becomes available.
- Department of Student Communication gets new director — Porscha Kirkwood, who was Legion of Black Collegians vice president last year, accepted the position Thursday night.
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