Click here to watch the entire debate from Tuesday night
ASUO executive candidates pulled no punches in what may have been the only debate of the spring election season in the LLC Performance Hall Tuesday night.
Drew Cattermole, who calls himself “Thunderlove,” drew the most laughs and applause from the audience throughout the debate.
However, when asked what his single most important platform issue was, Cattermole said, “There needs to be a change on campus and if you want that change, vote for Sam Dotters-Katz and Johnny Delashaw.”
Dotters-Katz and Delashaw, who are running with the Oregon Action Team, portrayed themselves as outsiders who would “do things that other students are interested in, not just the 20 percent who vote,” as Delashaw said.
“We share a lot of things in common,” Dotters-Katz said. “We all want to work to improve the student voice here on campus, but I think we have a very different opinion on how our student government should run.”
Delashaw said they developed their platform by speaking to students all over campus.
Kari Herinckx, running for president on the Rock the Yellow slate, replied that she and running mate Jesse Hough had done the same. Hough said an issue that needs attention is the future of McArthur Court.
“(The University administration) kind of went over our heads and got the arena in here,” he said, but he and Herinckx want to make sure students have a say in what happens to Mac Court.
Dotters-Katz and Delashaw portrayed Herinckx and Hough as representatives of “special interests” and the ASUO status quo.
“We need to recognize that this ticket represents special interests,” Delashaw said, “Jesse was (co-director) of OSPIRG up until a couple of months ago.”
Dotters-Katz and Delashaw have made cutting funds to OSPIRG a focal point of their campaign. Delashaw said it is “very disconcerting” that “student dollars are being directed off campus,” which seemed to be a description of OSPIRG’s contract with the ASUO.
OSPIRG pays off-campus professional activists to assist students in creating political campaigns.
When Dotters-Katz said he wanted to increase funding to student groups like the Sustainability Coalition, Hough said it was “another way my opponents show how they don’t know how things work.”
Hough said the Sustainability Coalition isn’t funded directly, but is a coalition of groups that individually receive student funds.
Hough said that OSPIRG is a member of the coalition, and used the opportunity to mention his proposal for an online sustainability newsletter and his support for a bike loan program through the Outdoor Program.
It was not the only time Rock the Yellow candidates highlighted their experience. When Dotters-Katz talked about his recent attempt to introduce a Senate bill to make ethnic studies a University department, he mentioned Vice Provost Linda Brady’s involvement in talks with students.
“It’s funny you mention Vice Provost Brady,” Herinckx replied, “because the last time we spoke I’m pretty sure you didn’t know who she was until I told you we were working with her on the departmentalization of ethnic studies.”
Herinckx’ final pitch for her campaign was that while all candidates have plans, “we’re already doing these things.”
A question from an audience member about a recent proposal for a Student Senate committee on committees drew criticism from Delashaw.
He said it was a joke by Sen. Nate Gulley. He called the Senate a “circus” and the proposal “a completely worthless idea.”
“The fact that people are sitting around making jokes and calling each other names is ridiculous,” Delashaw said.
Cattermole said the one thing he would change about the ASUO was campaigning, because “you guys try to hand me stuff I don’t want. I’m on my way to class. I already voted.”
After the debate, Senate President Athan Papailiou endorsed Dotters-Katz and Delashaw. “In my over three years in student government I have never been more excited about people who bring a tangible vision to the University,” he said.
Senate Vice President Patrick Boye is campaigning on behalf of Rock the Yellow.
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Executive candidates defend platforms
Daily Emerald
April 10, 2008
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