On April 1, the Daily Emerald moderated the Associated Students of the University of Oregon’s presidential debate, introducing the two 2025 ASUO presidential candidates. The candidates had the opportunity to respond to various questions from both the Daily Emerald and the student body about their plans of action if chosen as ASUO president.

Each presidential candidate ran under a group known as a “slate.” The two slates for the 2025 election are Unite UO, led by Taliek Lopez-DuBoff, and UO Student Power, led by Prissila Moreno. The spring election will take place between 9 a.m. on April 7 to noon on April 11.

Moreno, a third year, and Lopez-DuBoff, a second year, have worked within ASUO in some capacity in all of their time at UO and have taken on leadership roles up until this point. 

Lopez-DuBoff is running under the Unite UO slate and Moreno is running under the UO Student Power slate. 

At Tuesday’s debate, topics ranged from the candidates’ plans and priorities coming into office to various concerns about decisions happening on the federal level and how they are impacting not only the candidates but also UO students and how they plan to support the unions on campus during tumultuous bargaining sessions. 

The order for opening statements was chosen alphabetically by the Daily Emerald for fairness and the order for responses was then randomized. 

In Moreno’s opening statement, she said that she is running because she believes in ASUO’s ability to organize and become a “political force” in the face of such uncertain times where many students feel under attack from the federal government.  

Moreno said that she has witnessed “when students organize, ASUO is nowhere to be found.”

“I believe that our student government can be more than just a budget manager. It can be a political force. (UO) Student Power is running on labor rights, multiculturalism, basic needs and academic services,” Moreno said. 

Moreno said that she and her team have “laid out specific, bold policies because we’re organizers. And we know what it takes to win.”

In his opening statement, Lopez-DuBoff said that Unite UO’s mission aims “to bring our campus together” and wants to “make sure that (the UO) campus fosters an inclusive, equitable and diverse community.” 

Lopez-DuBoff said he will accomplish the slate’s mission by “protecting spaces like the Women’s Center and the Men’s Center, the Multicultural Center, and ensuring that our student organizations, that are the soul of our campus, continue to have the funding and support they need.”

When asked about how each slate differs from the other, both Moreno and Lopez-DuBoff highlighted some clear distinctions between the two campaigns. 

Lopez-DuBoff highlighted the diversity within the Unite UO slate and the importance of representing all students within his slate and campaign.

“They (slate members) come from different parts of campus, but they all have the same goal of doing the best they can for the people that they represent… and each member of our slate brings a different perspective,”  Lopez-DuBoff said.

Lopez-DuBoff also highlighted the involvement that many of his slate members already have within ASUO and their commitment to public service.  

“Believe me when I say they’re already leading in ASUO. They don’t need to take this on, but they understand what it means to do public service, and what it means to serve in something bigger than themselves,” Lopez-DuBoff said. 

Lopez-DuBoff said he hopes to bring a sentiment to ASUO that is “making that tangible change… and coming up with new ideas and innovating.”  

Moreno emphasized the work that the members of the Student Power slate have been doing within organizations, including OSPIRG and Climate Justice League. 

“I think what makes us unique is that student power is made up of organizers; not only are we saying that we are going to do this work in ASUO, we already have been,” Moreno said. 

Moreno also highlighted the community engagement that she and her slate have been developing. 

“In the past couple of days, we’ve had over 700 conversations, and I think that’s a testament to the organizing that we’re able to do out there on campus,” Moreno said. “We’ve been fighting for climate justice, we’ve been fighting for racial equity and workers’ rights through campus for years, so we don’t just say that we hear you. We show up and we act with you.”

Both Moreno and Lopez-DuBoff also highlighted their “day one” issues if they were elected to ASUO executive. 

“I think that immediately going into office we need to ask our campus unions what they need from us and how we can serve them, and I say that because labor rights bleeds over into some of our other policies,” Moreno said.

Lopez-DuBoff said he plans to focus “holistically” on issues that impact all students, not only at the UO but statewide, but acknowledges that this change starts first within ASUO. 

“We have to get our own campus in order before we try to start taking on the problems of the world. And that’s exactly what we’ll start,” Lopez-DuBoff said. “It starts with having a broad view that ASUO doesn’t serve just one group or one organization, but it serves 23,000+ students on our campus, and each one of those students makes our campus better in a different way.”. 

Both candidates were also given the chance to address issues concerning the current political climate under the Trump administration.

Lopez-DuBoff described education as the “great equalizer” and believes that “the right to funding student organizations is not political.” 

“None of the things that we’ve addressed here today need to be inherently political. These are things that students need to survive to get through this education,” Lopez-DuBoff said. 

On the contrary, Moreno said she hopes to bring community engagement and the mentality of utilizing ASUO political power to fight against the Trump administration.

“In times like these, where there’s students being harmed already by federal orders and policies, I don’t think that ASUO can afford to be solely politically neutral…ASUO must be a force that stands with students, especially those most targeted, marginalized, and silenced,” Moreno said. 

The Daily Emerald will be moderating a Candidate Town Hall today at 6 p.m. in the Erb Memorial Union Crater Lake Rooms. The Emerald will also be moderating a vice-presidential debate on April 3 at 6 p.m. in Straub Hall, room 145. On April 8, there will be a vice-president and presidential debate at 6 p.m.