Alexander Higginbotham was confirmed as the new Campus and Community Relations Committee chairman by the Operations Committee on Oct. 13 and by the full senate on Oct. 21.
The Missouri Students Association senator is currently an advocate for the Wellness Resource Center, a member of the Mizzou College Democrats and vice president of the Tobacco Free Missouri Youth Advisory Board.
Higginbotham began serving as vice chair for CCRC at the beginning of this semester and later served as interim chair when senior Syed Ejaz stepped down as chairman to run for MSA president.
During Ejaz’s time as chairman and vice chair, Ejaz said in an email he passed a resolution pushing for tour team [to visit the basement](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2015/10/2/tour-teams-new-prospective-student-tour-route-incl/) of the Student Center, helped shut down a building permit for a student housing development that would overcharge students, put the counseling center’s number on the back of student IDs, expanded contact with city council, laid the groundwork to set up recycling in Greek Town and pushed to serve on two different committees at the city level.
Higginbotham said CCRC is currently working on seven projects including affordable student housing, East Campus safety, pedestrian safety and Greektown infrastructure and recycling.
He hopes to be a facilitator of discussion as chairman.
“The best kind of committee meeting is when I, as chair, do the least amount of talking,” Higginbotham said. “Those when our committee members are able to really feel that they are leading these projects. They are the ones laying the groundwork and they are the ones making a difference.”
Senate Speaker Kevin Carr said Higginbotham has shown a “vast competency” through his knowledge of East Campus.
“One thing Alex can really bring to the table is his understanding and knowledge of all of the organizations and how they all fit into the model of how we create the city,” Carr said.
Higginbotham said he wants to diversify the committee’s outreach to city groups, including the East Campus Neighborhood Association.
“Our job is to advocate for student interests at every level of government and to make sure that those who are leading this city are actually taking into account the students, and making sure they truly take students seriously because students affect every aspect of life in Columbia,” Higginbotham said. “Every ward is affected by students, so it is absolutely vital that they take into account what students have to say.”
He said committee members will be working to make students’ lives better.
“It is not going to be my duty that we continue to be successful,” Higginbotham said. “It is going to be the fact that the our committee members are the most dedicated members in Senate. These are people who are truly there for the right reasons. They are not there for a title or for self-promotion. They are there to help others and to make this community better. It is 100 percent because of them that we have been so successful.”