Click here to visit the Emerald’s Campus Elections Homepage. Listen to candidate interviews and watch election video.
The final two tickets for ASUO president squared off Monday night in the last formal debate of the election season.
Presidential candidates Sara Hamilton and Emily McLain fielded questions relating to incidental fee money, while their running mates, Athan Papailiou and Chii-San SunOwen, were asked about topics ranging from slate politics to campus safety.
The vice presidential candidates debated first, remaining cordial but taking a few jabs at one another.
SunOwen, speaking about slates, said she and McLain have never been associated with slates and based their endorsements on “qualifications, merits and vision.” She said they are more concerned with electing students who really care about issues than with creating internal politics.
Papailiou responded by saying he was disappointed that SunOwen claimed she does not support slates because the list of candidate endorsements on McLain and SunOwen’s Web site and fliers are, in his eyes, a slate.
“One of the most important aspects in running an ASUO executive is integrity,” Papailiou said.
SunOwen said her ticket’s endorsement of other candidates is not a slate because they have not asked for support or even votes from those candidates.
In response to a question about how the stipend model can be reformed, Papailiou said he and Hamilton believe stipends are important, but it is unfair that some groups receive stipends that exceed their programming dollars. He said he supports programs and wants to support student leaders through the stipend model.
SunOwen said she and McLain will not cut stipends. She accused Hamilton and Papailiou of making financial attacks on programs by supporting Senate policies such as the 2.5 percent Programs Finance Committee benchmark.
“My question is, how do you support programs when your actions have already shown that you don’t?” she asked.
In response to an audience question about how her ticket would ensure the safety of students on campus in light of Monday’s shootings at Virginia Tech, SunOwen said she would ensure the Department of Pubic Safety is focused on important issues so they are prepared for this type of event.
Papailiou said until recently, there was very little communication between the ASUO and DPS. He said he and Hamilton support student representation on committees that work with DPS to ensure communication between public safety officials and students.
Hamilton and McLain’s questions were focused mainly on spending within the ASUO. Hamilton said as a student who works two part-time jobs, she does not appreciate seeing huge surplus funds and knowing her fee money isn’t being spent. She said she would reform the budgetary process so money is spent in a more efficient way.
McLain agreed the process should change so more costs are taken off students’ backs, but asked Hamilton how she can claim she is going to reduce fees while proposing to start work on the “EMU Master Plan,” which McLain says will cost $59 million.
Hamilton said the plan to renovate the EMU can be done in phases and will be presented to the students as a ballot measure in the 2008 election.
Both candidates agreed the current proposal to spend over-realized fund money on creating an electronic ticketing system for athletic events is a great idea that would save students money in the long run.
“It’s modern. It’s technology we should be utilizing,” McLain said.
Contact the campus and federal politics reporter at [email protected]