Caleb Brittingham from the co-ed volleyball club at Southeast Missouri State University took the position as the president of the Sports Club Council on Feb. 10.

"[The] Sports Club Council is made up of a representative from every sport club that we have here on campus...," Jennifer Rose, assistant director of Recreation Services, said. "... And those representatives basically come together to talk about anything that's [generally] sport club related: policies, procedures, things we're doing in sports clubs, who's doing what, who's competing where, that kind of information, just kind of a way for all the sports clubs to stay connected."

Only members of the sports clubs could apply to be the president.

Four people applied for the position for the first time within the last four to five years, Rose said.

In the past, a member of one of the clubs would accept the responsibility as an aid to all of the clubs with the option of employment by Recreation Services in a paid office position.

"The president also serves office hours, so they're actually employed by Recreation Services basically because that person manages the sports clubs from a student perspective but keeps in touch with them in terms of what paperwork they're missing, what information they might need to get and stuff like that," Rose said. "So, when you're the Sports Club Council president, you also have the option to work hours in our office to kind of work on that sport club side of things."

Katie Miller former president of the Sports Club Council from the equestrian club, recently graduated and left the position open for Brittingham to fill.

Miller left before hiring of the new president started and had no decision in who succeeded her.

"She was the one who let all the clubs know it was open and an option and all that. The vice president was involved with the process of selecting a new president," Rose said.

The applicants went through an interviewing process, in which Rose and Robert Shanahan, the vice president of the Sports Club Council, shared a role.

Shanahan did not apply for the position since he will graduate after this semester.

Rose said that any changes that may result from a new president of the council will be up to Brittingham.

The president's responsibilities typically include filing paperwork, keeping track of club activities, assisting clubs with fundraiser ideas and assisting clubs with official procedure.

The variety of work depends on the needs of the sports clubs, Rose said.

Rose looked for leadership qualities as well as office skills, particularly with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, during the interviewing process.

Brittingham met these criteria, and he was selected partly because his field of study is sports management.

"We asked a lot about what they saw as a vision, what they thought they could bring, and how they could help support clubs," Rose said. "It was really important that they saw it as an opportunity to help other clubs and what ideas they had to change to improve the program we have."

William Reagan, the president of the fencing club, also applied for the position.

"Pretty much just like a standard job interview..." Reagan said. "They asked me questions about how I would use the position, why they should hire me over anyone else, you know, just basic interview stuff....I think I would have been good for the job, but I mean, they selected the other candidate because they thought he was better. They just selected the better candidate. That's what they do."

The interviewing process brought on by the competition helps a club member understand the reasons behind the rules and policies, Reagan said.

"It's a good thing for the sports club that there are this many people want to contribute to the sport club program and improve it instead of us just begging and having someone step up." Rose said. "We've had amazing presidents. We've been very fortunate that the people who do step up have done a really good job, and that's usually because those people who step up care about it."

[a][b][c]

[a]What is the reason we didn't talk to Brittingham?

[b]He REFUSES to get back in touch with me. The only contact information of his that I was permitted to was his email address, which I assaulted over the course of three days. It's beyond me.

[c]It isn't for want of trying. I seriously spammed the shit out of this guy