IUSA Crimson executives sworn into office

Hours after Adam W. Herbert was officially inaugurated as the 17th president of IU, another ceremony welcomed a new president on the Bloomington campus. Senior Tyson Chastain was inaugurated as the new student body president for the IU Student Association Thursday evening in the Oak Room of the Indiana Memorial Union. \nThe ceremony opened with a speech by Stevan Veldkamp, the assistant dean of students, director of student activities and IUSA adviser. He said it was rewarding to advise the administration.\n"For the past eight months, it has been my esteemed honor to work with IUSA and (IUSA President) Casey Cox," he said.\nNext, the keynote speaker, Kirk White, the 1983-84 president and current director of Hoosiers for Higher Education took the rostrum. He offered advice he gained from his year heading IUSA and also spoke on the importance of student leadership both to the students of IU and to the student leaders.\n"You've only got about six months to get things done," he said. "So don't try to change the moon and the stars, just pick a couple of important issues and stick to them."\nWhite also took this opportunity to give certificates of recognition to three students for furthering the cause of high education in government. The recipients were Cox, sophomore Jim Hoff and senior Katie McCauley. Hoff and McCauley are co-directors of legislative relations for IUSA. \nAfter White's remarks, Cox gave a parting speech filled with advice for the new administration. He reminisced about his year in office and the ground his presidency covered. He also offered some stern words for Chastain.\n"Go to class, go to class, go to class, go to class," Cox said. "Don't forget that first you are students and that you still have academics to keep up."\nChief Justice of the Student Body Supreme Court Brian Clifford then said Cox's administration had been an inspiration to work with and he hoped the next administration would be the same. Following that, Clifford asked the new IUSA officers to stand, and he then swore them into office. Finally, he called Chastain, juniors Jesse Laffen and Scott Norman and senior Gwen Hobley to the front of the room. He led them in reciting the IUSA oath of office, officially making them student body president, vice president of administration, vice president of operations and student body treasurer, respectively. \nFollowing his inauguration, Chastain gave a speech on his vision for IUSA in the coming year. He outlined two major issues on which he said he wanted to focus.\nChastain said he planned to reduce the cost of textbooks to students by establishing a book exchange service and to promote the "stability of transit" through $1 cab rides and restructuring the transportation system. \nDean of Students Richard McKaig said he thought the ceremony added credibility to IUSA and to Chastain and his administration.\n"I think it validates IUSA as an organization and gives it formality," he said.\nBut former Fusion IUSA presidential candidate and senior Dan Shapiro was a bit more skeptical.\n"The only thing that will make Crimson more legitimate is 'show me,'" he said. "They are going to have to work hard to prove they belong in office."\n-- Contact staff writer Michael Zennie at mzennie@indiana.edu.