A record number of students voted last week in the ASUO primary elections, ultimately deciding that Executive candidates Jared Axelrod and Juliana Guzman are now running against Todd Mann and Jontae Grace in this week’s general election. But last night, only about 50 students attended a debate between the candidates.
At the debate Mann clearly attempted to portray his ticket as political “outsiders,” using a strategy that proved successful for current President Adam Walsh and Vice President Kyla Coy. And like last year, the failed campaigns have joined perceived underdogs to help them defeat the “insiders,” as they paint Axelrod and Guzman.
The Emerald furthered this inside/outside debate last year. We supported Walsh and Coy because they offered fresh perspectives that outweighed their lack of experience with running government. Walsh and Coy have followed through on their commitments; they have shaped this Executive into one of the most responsible and responsive in recent years.
Although Mann and Grace have been involved with campus issues, specifically those affecting University housing, they fail to truly provide an innovative campaign platform that can compensate for their lack of student government experience relative to the Axelrod-Guzman ticket.
We agree with critics of student government that powerful student unions often manipulate the Executive and other branches of the ASUO. However, we believe Axelrod and Guzman are sufficiently pragmatic and will avoid this trap.
Axelrod’s experience as chairman of the Programs Finance Committee, arguably the most important committee within the ASUO, is his ticket’s strongest asset. This year, the PFC finished less than its projected budget, thanks to Axelrod’s meticulous attention to viewpoint neutrality, fairness and Green Tape Notebook rules. We believe he will apply his sense of fiscal responsibility to the escalating incidental fee, which Mann has failed to address. In fact, Mann has implied that he favors increasing student leaders’ stipends, which already represent a disproportionate amount of the budget.
Mann-Grace supporters also criticize Axelrod-Guzman’s emphasis on lobbying. We agree that results of lobbying can be hard to quantify, and budgets for lobbying organizations must be examined. But the Oregon University System is facing a financial crisis, and the Oregon Legislature is in session next year. Axelrod and Guzman have the wherewithal and resources to effectively ply that body for our student interests.
Axelrod has strongly protested the proposed, detrimental changes to the Student Conduct Code. Although Mann-Grace has based its campaign on Westmoreland, Axelrod has proved he’s capable of advocating for students in this issue.
Although we disagree with Axelrod’s decision to introduce the controversial ballot measure regarding Iranian nuclear proliferation to the Senate, we applaud his willingness to defend his point and to represent student concerns. Campus issues should be government’s focus, but we cannot slight him for arguing his point.
Finally, Axelrod has promised a “zero tolerance policy” toward rule violators in his administration. He has experience enforcing rules as Student Senate ombudsmen, and we believe he will keep this commitment. Student government needs this accountability.
This endorsement made, we urge Axelrod and Guzman to learn from the transparency and openness of the current administration. We encourage students to vote Axelrod and Guzman on Duckweb before 5 p.m. Friday.