Though it started with only 80 students, the University of Mississippi quickly grew into a campus full of scholars. With an expanding student population came various ideas, interests and goals. The university needed an outlet to accommodate all those student voices.
The formation of the Associated Student Body was the solution. Since 1917, the organization has been viewed as the voice of the students and has worked to facilitate conversation and change.
Senior Mason Greenwald, a political science and economics major and vice president of ASB, believes that throughout ASB’s progression, connecting with students has always been the goal.
“I believe it is really important to acknowledge that as we evolve, we seek to be better in touch with the student body and to have students’ trust that we have their backs and can make change,” Greenwald said.
ASB’s three branches – executive, legislative and judicial – provide an advocacy resource for students on campus. Among accomplishments, they cite expanding first-year programming to facilitate adjustment of new students, expanding safety measures, funding hundreds of registered student organizations, improving infrastructure on campus and reforming the two-strike policy to allow for greater clemency for students.
ASB provided a platform for the entire student body until Oct. 1, 1962, when James Meredith became the first Black student enrolled in the university. This monumental event led to a new diverse student community in need of more representation, which led to the creation of the Black Student Union on March 25, 1969.
Since its arrival, BSU has been one of the main staples representing Black students. The organization hosts public panels of Black empowerment and presents stepping and strolling events that celebrate Black culture at UM.
Sophomore Fatimah Wansley, an international studies major, serves as the vice president’s chief of staff for BSU and credits her numerous opportunities to the organization.
“BSU is where I first felt like I belonged on this campus, and it’s something that I plan on doing for the rest of my tenure here,” Wansley said. “Being involved with BSU put me in connection with mentors, resources, scholarships and a community that I could have never imagined I would have coming to me.”
Though she is not a member of BSU, freshman political science major Tykirah Ivy regularly attends BSU events.
“The events hosted by BSU have been amazing. Every chance I get, I will show up,” Ivy said. “I enjoy being around my people, everybody is like family.”
BSU has also helped her make friends and feel more represented on campus.
“BSU helped me gain friends and meet new people, and it’s just a good vibe when everyone is together. It just makes us feel (that) at school, we have a home away from home,” Ivy said. “I’m so glad that Ole Miss supports the Black community well, and BSU is a great organization here on campus that brings us together.”
Members view it less as an academic organization and more as a family of culture enrichment. Sophomore Razavier Davis, a psychology major, has been a BSU member since his freshman year and was comforted by the organization’s warm welcome.
“I originally joined because I went to a fair for organizations and clubs and a representative spoke to me,” Davis said. “It was almost uncanny to me just how friendly and talkative they were, and I just felt like if I joined, I would feel at home. Not once have I felt out of place since, so I never had a reason to leave.”
Wansley also views the organization as a second family, a belief that fuels her commitment to ensure students feel welcomed on campus.
“This month, ASB, BSU and the Student Activities Association together for Everybody’s Formal, which was really wonderful for all students to have a night out and dress up, but inclusion is a spectrum, and it shouldn’t take drastic things in our political climate for BSU to get the recognition we deserve,” Wansley said.
ASB and BSU are two of the most well-known student body leading functions on campus, and there’s a deep respect between both organizations in their ability and passion to be sound representatives of the student body.
Greenwald expressed his respect towards BSU and believes collaboration can help push and strengthen the potential of both organizations.
“I believe we both promote advocacy for the respective students who represent, and we are certainly open to working with them in the future and strengthening that relationship,” Greenwald said. “ASB commonly collaborates with other organizations in order to better understand how we can optimally represent all students. Our goal is to promote equality among the legislative branch to best represent our diverse student body.”
Davis shared the same mutual respect towards ASB.
“I believe that ASB is doing pretty well right now. I’ve spoken to members a few times, and they seem very self-aware of themselves and the campus situation. They also seem to strive to improve any issues with themselves,” Davis said.
