The race for the ASUO Executive hit full swing on Monday night, as 10 tickets participated in substantive debates and vied for student votes.
Nearly 100 students attended the executive debates to listen to candidates’ plans for improving student government.
ASUO Vice President Joy Nair, ASUO controller Katie McGrath, Multicultural Center member Greg Bae and Oregon Daily Emerald’s editorial editor Julie Lauderbaugh moderated the two-hour debate, which asked five specific questions and then allowed the audience to ask additional questions.
Candidate Timothy Dreier got the crowd laughing with his “anti-communism” platform, in which he answered every question by relating it to communism. Then, on a serious note, Dreier called into question the answers given by the other candidates.
“They all say the same thing. They use vague language, and I am wondering if they are going to answer these questions or not,” Dreier said. “At least I know I am a joke.”
The other candidates all said student voices should be brought to the state level, and candidates John Ely and Hayes Hurwitz said they will work as a gateway for students.
“I am open to hearing all students concerns,” Hayes said.
Candidates Sean Powell and Tyler Lofquist said they have plans to make student voices heard through their connections with Gov. John Kitzhaber, as well as other politicians.
“We want to branch out to more state leaders to allow students to have their voices heard,” Powell said.
Each ticket also agreed that the ASUO should be more accessible to every student and should attempt to give voice to all students, but each had different approaches to the issue.
Candidates Eric Bailey and Charlotte Nisser suggested creating some type of forum allowing students the opportunity to meet with the executive and voice their concerns. Candidates Jesse Harding and Todd Brink suggested setting up round-table discussions and a calendar to keep students informed about events on campus.
“We should have a celebration with all the student groups on this campus,” Harding said.
When candidates were asked about how to improve student groups, candidates Gregory McNeill and Maco Stewart said they believe that student groups need more publicity.
“We want to let students know what they are spending their fees on,” McNeill said.
Candidates Sean Ritchie and Jason Babkes said they would like to create a committee for student groups as an outlet for voicing their problems and concerns.
As for student incidental fees, all candidates agreed the fees should be allocated fairly to student groups. Haben Woldu and Oscar Arana said they believe the student incidental fee program should not be used for expenses that should be covered by the administration.
“At other schools students do not have to pay for such fees as the Recreation Center, Multicultural Center and Career Center,” Woldu said. Candidates Rachel Pilliod and Ben Buzbee said they would like to keep the student incidental fee from rising in the future and believe it is their responsibility to protect the student incidental fee.
“The student incidental fee has been under legislative attacks in the past, and we plan to protect this staple source of funding,” Pilliod said.
However, candidates Lucas Willett and Ezra Mannixplan to reallocate student fees so that more ticket outlets are available on campus for football and basketball tickets.
“Students are going to get what they want from their incidental fee,” Willett said.