ASUO president and vice president hopefuls debated everything from the best way to keep the cost of tuition low to repairing student-police relations at an ASUO Executive candidate debate in the EMU on Tuesday night.
During the two-hour debate, audience members lined up behind the microphone to fire question after question at the candidates, but two of the seven Executive candidate tickets didn’t attend the debate — Tyler Graf and Nikia Gutman. Because of space limitations, only select questions are addressed below. Candidate responses are listed in the order in which they were answered at the debate.
Early in the debate, candidates were asked how they would ensure student groups are familiar with ASUO rules.
Ben Strawn said it’s the ASUO Executive’s responsibility to keep groups informed of the rules.
Adrian Gilmore said that as a lawyer in training, his job is to break down complex rules for people. He said the ASUO Executive should make the rules clear to groups, perhaps by giving them printed material explaining the rules.
Nick Popenuk said the ASUO president has the responsibility of understanding the rules and stressed the importance of having an open dialogue with groups.
Ben Brown, who is a running on a shirts-optional platform, showed up at the debate shirtless and said student groups have the responsibility to educate themselves on the rules.
Adam Petkun said his service on the ASUO Constitution Court has helped him understand the rules and he takes pride in explaining the rules to others.
Candidates were also asked whether they would keep tuition low if that meant hurting the quality of education by cutting classes and cutting budgets.
Strawn, Gilmore and Popenuk all said they would prefer to raise tuition rather than let the quality of education suffer.
Brown said shirtless students could afford an increase in tuition by using the money they saved not buying shirts.
Petkun said he would like to see the quality of education stay high, but doesn’t want to see a student forced out of school after three years because of high costs.
Candidates were asked how they would help repair trust between University students and the Eugene Police Department and Department of Public Safety.
Gilmore said the ASUO Executive should inform students of their legal rights and make them aware of ASUO Legal Services if they need legal counsel.
Popenuk said the Executive should have a close relationship with EPD and DPS and to educate students about their rights.
Brown said there is nothing more “cuddly” than a “shirtless man,” and said police won’t be able to cite students if they have their “big flabby man-tits” hanging out.
Petkun stressed the importance of informing students of their rights and raising the University’s standing in the community by pushing for housing standards.
Strawn’s running mate, Diana Aguilar, said police should concentrate on more frequent crimes on campus, such as bike and other property thefts, because they tend to occur most often.
Candidates were asked how they would deal with campus gadfly Bruce Miller, who was present at the debate.
Gilmore said he respects Miller and would remain available to him, but stressed Miller cannot harass students.
Popenuk explained that he just met Miller on Monday and didn’t have any problems with him.
Brown said that given his no-shirts platform, he couldn’t listen to any man wearing four shirts.
Mena Ravassipour, who is running with Petkun, said she has a lot of experience communicating with Miller and she thinks it’s important to listen to everybody because that’s how new ideas are shared.
Strawn also said he has extensive experience communicating with Miller at ASUO Senate meetings and he tries to be fair. However, Strawn said Miller called his mother Monday and told her Strawn was “mean and immature.” Strawn added he will never tolerate badgering.