BSA Announces New Leadership

In an election marked by the power of incumbency, the Black Students Association (BSA) named two of its current leaders to the organization's top posts for next year.

President-elect Dionne A. Fraser '99 assumed the BSA vice presidency a year ago, a job which will now be filled by current publicity chair Jason B. Phillips '99.

Fraser and Phillips, announced as the new leaders on Friday, said they hope to increase membership and finances as well as add more panel discussions and new community service project.

According to Phillips, who is also a Crimson editor, the BSA has begun a development plan to "exploit alumnities," coordinating fundraising efforts with the University's Alumni Gift Office.

"[Amassing] funds is part of it, but that's not the whole plan. It's about building a community for both black undergraduates and black alumni," he said, noting that other groups--such as Hillel--have been successful in connecting with graduates.

Last month, Phillips revamped the organization's constitution, emphasizing the Afro-Diasporan community's diversity and the group's outreach efforts.

Phillips said the BSA had violated College policies in the past by officially allowing only black undergraduates to join the group.

"The old constitution (which was drafted in the mid-1980s) emphasized homogeneity, unity and uniformity," Phillips said. The new constitution encourages the "interaction among all members of the Harvard community."

Fraser said she hopes to bring elementary and secondary school students to the College--offering tours of the campus and answering question--to inform Boston youth about the prospect of attending college.

While the balance of the candidates were running uncontested for BSA board positions, Phillips ran against Belinda J. McIntosh '99.

And three undergraduates--Fraser, Felicia D. Bell '00 and Kawaun T. Sankar '99--pursued the presidential seat at last Monday's open Meeting.

Sankar noted the relatively small turnout of about 40 students out of 150 members--and about 500 black students at Harvard--at the election, and said the BSA could take steps to broaden its base.

The election attendees were a "very small representation of the black students at Harvard," Sankar said. "If they're not here, we're obviously not addressing their issues."

Bell--who produced and directed "Eleganza: A Celebration of style" and currently heads Black CAST--said group members should be able to "make their individual dreams come true" through the BSA, supported by organizational resources.

"I think we should all be little presidents of what (we) want to do," Bell told the group. "It's about tangible things."

Fraser emphasized pragmatism during her campaign speech, noting that the BSA has to set long-term priorities when making project decisions.

Events like "ski trips help bond the group, but we constantly need to think of what's going to happen after we leave," Fraser said. "If we don't have the money--which we certainly don't--we just can't afford to have group trips like that."

Fraser said she was proud of the success of recent discussions with Hillel and the College Democrats, helping members "understand that there's a real world outside--with real problems that we need to understand before we leave here."

The BSA will continue developing the forums of dialogue with progressive student groups that began under the current board, Fraser said.

"Dionne has a very good grip on how things work at this school--how to get through a lot of the red tape," said Jason D. Williamson '98, current BSA president. But, he noted, the entire candidate pool was "pretty impressive."

Other board members announced on Friday include treasurer McComma Grayson '00; secretary Alicia E. Johnson '01; publicity chair John A. Burton '01; arts and entertainment chair Tawney B. Pearson '01; publications chair Brandon K. Walston '01; lecture series chair Kamil E. Redmond '00; public service chair Charisa A. Smith '00; online and technology chair Skylar H. Byrd '00, also a Crimson editor; alumni representative Nicole K. Sherwood '00; and senior class representative Dana B. Bennett '99.

The new board will officially assume their posts on the first day of spring reading period.