Meter

Issue date: 10/30/06 Section: Campus News

Stephen Morrison was informed on Friday, Oct. 27 that he will be Mr. TSU 2006-07.(Kenneth Cummings) [Click to enlarge]

Following a meeting with university Student Affairs officials, Stephen Morrison, initial first runner-up to Darrius Brooks for Mr. TSU 2006-07, was notified that he had won the title.

The meeting was called by pageant officials after a recalculation of the votes for the 2006 Mr. TSU pageant, which resulted in the university naming its first white student as winner of the 16-year-old title.

Morrison, a senior health sciences major from Memphis, was notified on Friday, Oct. 27 - three days after the Tuesday, Oct. 24 pageant - during an emergency meeting at 3:45 p.m. that he had won the title of Mr. TSU 2006-07.

Brooks, a senior electrical engineering major from Chattanooga, was initially crowned Mr. TSU 2006-07 at the conclusion of the pageant.

Ivra Warren, chairman of the Mr. TSU pageant, said Brooks and Morrison were joined at the emergency meeting by Dwight Pope, pageant coordinator; Dorothy Lockridge, associate vice president of Students Affairs; and Michael Freeman, vice president of Student Affairs.

Warren said the meeting was called and after a discrepancy was noticed among the five judges' scores following Morrison's request for a recount.

"Due to a mathematical error, we had to call an emergency meeting between the winner and the first runner-up of the Mr. TSU pageant," Warren said. "We were faced with the decision to make the right call and I believe truthfully that that was the right thing to do. I apologize to both parties for the mathematical error."

Brooks said he felt the handling of the situation was "unprofessional" and "unethical" because he was allowed to participate in all the activities throughout the week as Mr. TSU, including the pep rally before thousands, and was then called to meet in the Office of Student Affairs for the emergency meeting.

He said Pope informed him that they recounted the scores and Morrison came out the winner. Brooks said that he was unaware that there was an appeal process because Mr. TSU is not a Student Government Association position and has no official bylaws stating the rules of appealing a decision.

Brooks said there is supposed to more talk about the decision on Monday, Oct. 30.

"I feel that after there was still an issue that there shouldn't have been a king announced at the parade or the game," Brooks said.

He added, "I still plan to represent TSU with the utmost respect. There should be no questions asked about that. This was a problem with administration and has nothing to do with our friendship. It won't hinder our friendship at all."

Morrison - a friend of Brooks since 2004 - said that on Thursday, Oct. 26 he requested to view his scores only.
"I wasn't planning on having anything done but I went into Mr. Pope's office to see my scores and I was given the option to have the scores recounted so I said 'yes,'" Morrison said. "Everybody that was involved with the pageant was present at the recounting of the votes."

The TSU community cries out
During the three days of Brooks' reign as Mr. TSU, several members of the university community expressed displeasure with the pageant's outcome.

For example, Sherman Murdock, a sophomore mass communications major from Chicago, began an unofficial petition by having dozens of TSU students sign a white wig mannequin head in support of Morrison. Likewise, some members of the university community left feedback in support of Brooks winning Mr. TSU.

Morrison said he said that he wants to dispel the rumors, such as he threatened to sue the university, affiliated with the decision.

"That is completely untrue," said Morrison, who first contemplated running for Mr. TSU during his freshman year. "That is like 100 percent a lie."

Morrison: I knew I had to be flawless

Morrison said that he is excited about taking the reign as Mr. TSU, but said that he does not believe that the judges' scores had anything to do with race.

However, he acknowledges the significance of him winning the title and prepared for such prior to the pageant.

"I knew the arena in which I was competing so I knew I had to be flawless," Morrison said. "I'm proud of it that I can go down in history as the first white Mr. TSU. It was waiting for someone to grab. I'm proud that I was the first. I hope that I can represent the crown and TSU well and win those people over."
Morrison said that all four of the contestants did an excellent job of putting on a great show for the university.

"We pulled it off. All of us pulled it off," Morrison said. "I don't know if another group of guys could have done it. Everybody put on a real nice show."

University supportive, Morrison ready to lead
Morrison said the audience for the Mr. TSU pageant and that administration showed its support during the homecoming weekend.

"I can't understate the value of my supporters," Morrison said. "I couldn't have asked for anything more for my crowd. …Those guys were awesome."

Dallyssia Cooper, a freshman medical technology major from Memphis, said she feels that Morrison had the most thorough pageant.

"Honestly, I think Stephen should have won from the start because his presentation throughout the entire show was good," Cooper said. "If they didn't want Stephen to win, why did they let him run?"

Rekieta Jones, a freshman criminal justice major from Memphis, said, "Stephen should have won anyway. It was obvious that Stephen won. It shouldn't matter if he's white. However, they shouldn't have taken they crown from Darrius. They could have just given Stephen another title."

The annual winner of Mr. TSU competes in the spring Mr. HBCU pageant, a competition that past Mr. TSUs have faired well in. In 2005, Mr. TSU 2004-05 Antwan Suttle won Mr. HBCU and, in 2006, Mr. TSU 2005-06 Andre Parson finished first-runner up.
Morrison, who said he wishes to establish more of a presence than just Miss TSU's escort, said he is excited to about the Mr. HBCU problem and does not believe being white will be hamper him.

"I can't wait to get there," Morrison said. "We can bring the title back to TSU where it belongs. I really don't think there will be any kind of problem."

Now, he plans on establishing a legacy for the Mr. TSU position.

"It's relevantly new compared to the Miss TSU (position)," Morrison said. "I think it's a position of untapped power. It's going to be fun."

Staff Reporter Nakeva Williams contributed to this report.•

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools