University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

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Voting and or campaigning is an integral part of the Uni- versity of Mississippi campus a campus renowned as a political training ground where future senators, representa- tives, and governors sit next to each other in class. According to an Ole Miss alumnus, Mississippi politics orig- inated and is perpetuated at the University. In that state- ment he means that the student leaders who surface during their undergraduate and graduate years at Ole Miss will likely be running the state government in their next twenty- five years. The campus comes alive when the Associated Student Body Code calls for an election. Campaign literature in the form of 3 x 5 cards appear pinned on clothes as posters are tacked to bulletin boards. n ,. V r? , Mw ' t : , - K % r 5 3fMi -f ' 4l i,L -ir i -jslfek? 1 S, . . . in a setting not unlike the outside world. However, the 1977 spring ASB elections were relatively quiet, proba- bly because of the lack of interest in the president ' s race. Before Christmas, the bout over that top position indicated excitement. Sub- sequently, however, one candidate decided to switch from the presi- dent ' s race to that of editor of the OLE MISS, relieving the pressure theretofore evident in the presidential contest. Later, another candi- date, who was not taken seriously, surfaced to make the president ' s race opposed. The selection of ASB vice-president was the most intriguing in that for the first time in two years the race for that office was opposed. In fact, three students (one male and two female) sought the position. In the contest, the apparent frontrunner lost in a run-off. The secre- tary ' s race, which many predicted to be close, was indeed that. Again, the favored candidate lost this time by 1 00 votes. The elections for ASB treasurer, editor of the DAILY MISSISSIPPI AN, and editor of the OLE MISS were unopposed either because the can- didates were too well qualified to attract competition or because no one else was interested in seeking those positions. Actually, the race for ASB treasurer was contested in that, on the day of the election, a group of not-too-serious students sponsored a well-known account- ing professor in a write-in campaign. A new dimension was added to the ASB elections of 1977 when a politically-timed vacancy occurred in the ASB Judicial Council Chair- man ' s office. Here was the third instance of the loss of a predicted winner. The fall brought Campus Senate elections with the ever-present law school slate. Unlike the year before, no fraternity undergraduate slate was presented, and the election of fifty-one senators was com- paratively quiet. 26 Campus Politics

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Loyalty for the Rebels is maintained at Ole Miss . . . Page 24, Top Enthusi- astic Ole Miss fans at the Notre Dame football game which marked the only defeat for the Number One Irish; Page 24, Left Jokes concerning and rivalry with Mississippi State College will never cease; Bottom Middle The Rebels burst onto the field of Hemingway Sta- dium prior to their Home- coming defeat of Vander- bilt; Page 25, Top Reb- els in a defensive huddle; Page 25, Bottom Right Cheerleader Renee Wind- sor on the sidelines. Traditional Spirit 25

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Soon after the fall senate elections, rumors concerning the Homecoming Queen election began. A darkhorse candi- date, associated with Army ROTC as well as her sorority, was crowned Homecoming Queen. She defeated another junior who had previously been a Campus Favorite and was serving her second year as a varsity cheerleader. But the winner was forced into a run-off with a senior who had been Greek Goddess and had served on the 1976 Homecoming Court. In November there was another opportunity for sorority block-voting and joke write-ins as the election for Miss Ole Miss took place. Before the race began, there was uncertainty as to who would actually oppose the cheerleader candidate who eventually won the honor. Again, the Army ROTC decided to play politics but in this instance sup- ported an unsuccessful candidate. In the Colonel Rebel contest, held simultaneously with that of Miss Ole Miss, tradition was back as two football players vied for the semi-equivalent of Mr. Ole Miss. The campus overwhelmingly voted for a defensive-end sponsored by the M Club instead of a quarterback sponsored by Vaught Hall. Of course, ten Campus Favorites were cho- sen along with Colonel Rebel and Miss Ole Miss. As is customary, rumors and innuendos concern- ing the upcoming 1978 ASB spring elections were circulated as early as October of 1977. Actually, the rumors never cease because politics is in the heart of Ole Miss and in the blood of its students. Page 26, Top Dennis Miller was a candidate for ASB Vice President; Page 27, Top Left Students vote for New Dorm senators in the fall cam- pus senate elections; Page 27, Top Right Supporters of Becky Jones sing her praises during the Miss Ole Miss election; Bottom, Center May May Primos, Gayle Newman, and Susan Noble cut-up after the Colonel Rebel campaign rally held in the Union for George Plasketes. Campus Politics 27