In the fall Rich Ramos will be the advisor for yet anotherstudent organization on campus: the Student GovernmentAssociation.

Ramos, the assistant dean of students, is already advisor forCAB and the New Voters Project. The decision to make Ramos theadvisor of SGA is notable because part of CAB’s budget comes fromSGA.

“Several years ago I would have said it was a conflict ofinterest for me to advise both groups,” said Ramos. “But CAB is tothe point that they can really run themselves. The students havetaken on that leadership role, which is the way it should be.”

First semester this year, SGA gave $97,853 to CAB. This semesterthe group received an additional $5,000.

CAB member Nicole Molt, a junior, said Ramos will not have tomake any decisions about next year’s budget for CAB.

“The budget committee in the student senate ultimately decideshow the money is allocated,” said Molt. “Rich really has no bearingon the finances whatsoever.”

As advisor for SGA, Ramos may attend budget committee meetings,but he said he would not control those discussions.

“It’s not my roll to dictate to them how they spend their moneyor what they do as an organization,” said Ramos.

Ramos said he would be advising SGA next year due to “shiftingof responsibilities in Student Development.”

SGA’s current advisor, Stephanie Krauth, associate dean ofstudents, will be taking over the new-student fall orientation andparents’ programs next year. Ramos organized those eventspreviously.

Krauth said she’ll be too busy to continue as advisor for SGAnext year, a position she has held for two years.

“I’m really bummed about giving it up, but I understand thethought process behind the decision,” said Krauth. “I know I justcan’t do it all.”

Ramos said it was important to recognize that the switch was notmade because anyone was failing in their previous position.

“It’s not that Stephanie was doing a terrible job in StudentGovernment Association or that I was doing a terrible job inorientation,” said Ramos. “Everything has to change eventually.Whether it’s for good or bad I don’t know. You never know until youdo it.”

Junior Michael Schrodt said Krauth has done an excellent job asadvisor to SGA and added that he was looking forward to workingwith Ramos as the new advisor.

“An SGA advisor should be someone the senators and anyone elsecan talk to openly about any concerns they have in studentgovernment,” said Schrodt. “They should

also be able to smooth out any conflicts between theorganization and the

administration.”

Ramos said he will focus on being a resource and a liaison forthe organization.

“I’m purely there to act as a liaison for them and theinstitution and to help them continue to build on what they’vestarted,” said Ramos.

Ramos added that he’ll be making sure that policies are dealtwith appropriately and that the group is conducted fairly. He’llalso be doing a lot of paperwork for SGA.

“I am not a good paper pusher,” said Ramos. “That’s just thehonest truth.”

Molt doesn’t think Ramos will have any difficulty balancing CABand SGA.

“He’s very supportive but he isn’t overbearing and he doesn’ttry to run the organizations,” said Molt.

Ramos has advised CAB for almost 15 years, but he said theorganization has improved a lot over the past two years.

“Having a good group of students clearly makes my job as adviserso much easier,” said Ramos.

In addition to advising the New Voters Project and CAB, Ramosoversees Nicole Darling who deals with KSTM and intramural sports,as well as Nicole Stumo, who advises the Greek organizations oncampus.

Stumo will be Ramos’ co-advisor for SGA.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity,” said Stumo. “I’mlooking forward to working with Rich on this and learning moreabout SGA.”

Ramos is also hopeful about the changes.

“If everybody goes into this with an open mind I think it’llwork out just fine,” he said. “I encourage anyone to come talk tome and express their opinions and their concerns.”