Originally posted Feb. 24.
The four Student Confederation presidential candidates debated their policies at a televised debate on ATV Thursday night. The candidates talked about Bender Library, the downloading program Ruckus and the need for a more transparent student government.
The 30-minute debate, which was moderated by representatives from campus media, sought to provide a window to students on the candidates' platforms.
James Gardner, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, said in his opening remarks that EagleBuck$ should be usable at local businesses such as CVS and the Cheesecake Factory. He also called the Kennedy Political Union and Student Union Board as "critical vehicles" that add prestige to the school when they bring famous speakers and musicians.
Gardner, director of the Student Advocacy Center, said that the SC needs to play a larger role in community service, a theme echoed by the other candidates.
Joe Gallina, a junior in SPA, argued that he could hold the administration "accountable" and "tap into our greatest resource - the student body." Gallina cited the removal of landline phones from dorms and Ruckus as examples of the administration making "decisions on our behalf, but without our consent."
Kyle Taylor, a junior in the School of International Service, struck a different tone from Gallina and was the only candidate to rebut another's statement. While Gallina said he would make students and the administration equal partners, Taylor, former director of Eagle Nights, said that working with the administration was essential to getting good programming.
A president has to make "more students included in process," Taylor said. "We have to reach out to students."
Nick Johnson, a sophomore in SPA, emphasized his commitment to the Women's Initiative, "declining standards" of cafeteria food and the lack of a well-stocked fiction section in the library. Johnson said he would be a proactive president who could "identify problems before they come up the road," such as the changing length of fall break.
Johnson also drew some laughs when he said of his experience in the Women's Initiative, "I have a lot of women in my life." Johnson later cautioned that he was "not a player."
After the debate, outgoing President Polson Kanneth praised the candidates, but said he preferred the 2004 debate set-up when a portion of the questions came from the audience. Kanneth declined to endorse a candidate and said he was proud of his legacy and confident that he fulfilled most of his campaign pledges.
"I think we met all of the goals we came in for," he said.
The debate was anchored by ATV host Phillip Stewart and moderated by Mary Specht, an Eagle reporter, Jeremy Tucker, an ATV reporter and Ben Turner, a writer for the student Web site benladner.com.
The elections will take place Saturday to Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in MCG 120.
