No matter which candidates win the ASUO bid for next year’s president and vice president positions, the climate of the University looks to be headed for change. Between the five ASUO executive tickets at Tuesday’s elections debate, candidates proposed a wide range of reforms for next year’s student government and general campus climate, including a proposed 9.9 percent decrease in the incidental fee, increasing representation of nontraditional students, reformed student senator appointment processes and changes to the current contract between University Catering and ASUO programs.
In front of about 70 University students, some showing their support of various tickets with colored T-shirts, candidates answered questions about the current state of the Five Year Diversity Plan, the process of appointing student senators and holding them accountable, keeping the incidental fee low and the future – or elimination – of the ASUO’s newly created Recognition Review Committee.
In order of when each ticket filed, the following is a summary of each presidential and vice presidential candidates’ strongest views expressed during the debate.
Daniels-DuFour ticket
Jacob Daniels and Amy DuFour advocated for financial aid reform and revitalization of the EMU and promised to hire a diverse ASUO staff if elected to the executive.
To save money in the future for groups and, in turn, students, Daniels proposed reforming the catering services on campus so that student groups go buy cookies from Safeway instead of having to go through University Catering & Conferences every time they have an event.
Daniels proposed creating a nonexclusive committee composed of diverse student representatives, “not just ASUO insiders,” for the appointment of student senators. The Student Senate traditionally has a high turnover rate, which requires the ASUO Executive to make frequent appointments.
DuFour said she and Daniels applaud the changes to the first revision of the diversity plan and think the ideas presented will positively affect students, faculty and administration. Daniels proposed adding religion, sexuality and gender to the plan. Following a question from College Republicans Chairman Anthony Warren, Daniels said he would support a clause encouraging nonpartisan policies in the ASUO and in the classroom.
Daniels would like to see reforms to three programs that are severely burdening the incidental fee: the Student Recreation Center, the Mentor Program and the Career Center. By holding weekly meetings with University President Dave Frohnmayer, Daniels could discuss transferring some of the expenses over to the administration’s budget, he said. He proposed having “the University of Oregon put their money where their mouth is.”
The Daniels-DuFour campaign promises to oppose the sale of Westmoreland to the end, even going so as far to hold rallies and protests.
Axelrod-Guzman ticket
Jared Axelrod and Juliana Guzman stood behind their goal of advocating for students and increasing representation in the ASUO.
Axelrod said he would continue to keep the incidental fee low for students, allowing a minimal amount of growth similar to that achieved this year during the budget process, where the incidental fee rate came in significantly lower than original projections.
Axelrod said the newly created Recognition Review Committee, which officially recognizes or declines a group depending on the impact of the service, should have more student representation. He proposed adding the ASUO multicultural advocate and students not already involved in student government to the RRC. Whether to continue the group’s services depends on what Axelrod would find – if elected – when reviewing the group. He proposed the possibility of the RRC having a recognition hearing itself, to ensure it is adhering to its own bylaws and mission and goals statements.
The ticket’s three main concerns with campus are the future of the diversity plan, which Guzman said needs more student representation for review and feedback; the academic resource fees, which Axelrod said many students don’t even know they’re paying; and the necessity to protect students’ rights, particularly with the current revisions of the Student Conduct Code. Axelrod said he wants to make sure students’ rights, including the right to legal representation, are protected.
Brown-McLain ticket
Dallas Brown and Emily McLain expressed their discontent with the nature of the debate on Tuesday, saying that it was hardly a debate because the candidates weren’t allowed to ask other candidates questions.
“Half of you are probably bored right now,” Brown said to the crowd. He said that if elected, he would work to enliven campus’ lack of debate, apolitical nature and its apathy toward student government.
Brown also said the senators currently in office lack the passion that he has, and he said they usually succumb to the authoritative views without question. If elected, Brown said he’d appoint student senators based on diversity of race, religion and ideology.
The Brown-McLain platform supports green and sustainable energy. They proposed that the University purchase a wind farm and increase the number of student jobs to allow students to fund their education. Brown proposed giving those who don’t come from a background with “plenty of money to pay for an education” the opportunity to fund their own education with increased jobs.
He said he would work to reform the student program budgeting process by eliminating the current practice of punishing groups that don’t spend all of their money. They should be judged based on the services they provide, he said, and the impact those services have on campus. Brown said he and McLain, if elected, would “make sure they’re earning their money” and reward groups for being fiscally responsible, not punish them.
Mann-Grace ticket
Todd Mann and Jontae Grace advocated for Westmoreland tenants in much of their answer periods, promising to continue the efforts they’ve been involved in “since the beginning,” and they said they’d like to see additional changes to the current draft of the diversity plan.
Following a promise by Mann to continue advocating for University housing on campus if elected to the executive, Grace added that Westmoreland is “the epitome of diversity for the University,” and its sale is not inevitable.
Grace said the diversity plan should require cultural competency in course curriculum. He also called for a timeline, more revision and more student input.
Grace received the first applause of the evening with a brief – yet detailed – synopsis of Marion “Suge” Knight and the future of Death Row Records, following a question from Oregon Commentator Editor in Chief Ian Spencer. Knight recently skipped a court hearing to review his assets, which could result in Death Row Records being taken over by the courts.
Mann said the future of the incidental fee is in jeopardy and services need to be balanced with expenses. Grace added that he and Mann will “advocate for an appropriate level of funding” for programs that provide services that the student body utilizes and needs.
“The reason we’re running is because we care so much about our communities,” Mann said.
Grace said he believes that the person who most wants to lead “must only do so by serving,” something he says he has been doing by creating a positive environment in the residence hall as a resident assistant.
Dolberg-Hartley ticket
Andy Dolberg and Ben Hartley promised to work for free as proof of their commitment to reducing the incidental fee and giving students back the more than $570 per year they pay in incidental fees. Dolberg said it pisses him off that people don’t care about issues like last year’s Sunriver vacation that the ASUO took on the students’ dime, but yelled, “I will be pissed off for all of you,” drawing cheers. He promised to have riots in the street and reduce the incidental fee by cutting program bu
dgets that are not “traditionally funded.”
“Think about your friends in need,” he instructed the voters in the crowd after stating that the ASUO officers are “playing games,” “getting their jollies” with the money they receive and building their resumes with the money and power they receive. Instead of services that most students don’t use, Dolberg said, he would give it back to students to pay for rent, food and textbooks.
In answer to Warren’s question about “liberal indoctrination” in the classroom, Dolberg said he wouldn’t discriminate against someone’s political ideologies if elected president.
“Maybe you guys could go buy another textbook and be smarter and debate a professor with the money I save you,” Dolberg said.
Several candidates, in their three-minute closing speeches, asked voters to really pay attention to the platforms, issues and proposed reforms to the current governing process rather than just voting for their friends.
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