As banners fluttered on the Quad, a sure sign that Student Government elections are in full swing, the SG presidential candidates participated in the first debate of the spring campaigns Wednesday night answering student questions in a town hall forum.
The forum, organized and moderated by the Board of Elections, allowed for the candidates to discuss their platforms and positions on issues of concern to students.
The debate drew most of its audience from those inside the SG or involved with campaigns. Ben Murray, speaker of the undergraduate senate and director of information technology, told the candidates that the emptiness of the room should be of major concern and pointedly asked the candidates why this was.
Presidential candidate Ashley Mushnick responded that the SG needs a fresh start.
"You can't just start participation when the year is already over and students are disgusted with student politics," she said. "We need somebody to engage the student body."
Presidential candidate Rob Boisseau focused on the stigma associated with the SG.
"People don't recognize that you're doing something for them because we need to give them a reason," he said. "We need to have more communication. It's not what one person can do; it's about how we can change a culture of misunderstanding."
Presidential candidate Joe Vidulich acknowledged that the students fund the SG and need to be better informed of what it offers.
"The problem is that people have to understand that we are giving the SG your money, and you need to have a say in it," he said.
Roddy Flynn, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, asked the candidates about arts at AU. The three candidates each said the arts need to be fostered, and groups shouldn't be concerned with charges for venues to perform.
"The problem is the administration thinks we are another source income; the source of income stops when we pay our tuition," Vidulich said. "There's no justification for charging students to use our facilities".
One of the major issues raised by all three candidates is the search for a new president and a getting a student voice on the board of trustees.
"Unfortunately our next president won't be decided until we're all gone, but we need to fight for better governance, a student voice," Musknick said. "I think the conversation with regular students needs to be sought out."
Secretarial candidate David Gates questioned the candidates on the future of the "Be" Campaign, while Mushnick spoke about instilling school spirit through alternative ways.
Vidulich explained that the "Be" Campaign is not just about T-shirts - it's about students feeling apart of the university community.
Boisseau spoke about creating more of a community between AU's six different schools, focusing on continuing a "Be" Week
"I don't have a problem with "Be" Week existing," he said. "I don't have a problem with the "Be" campaign in general."
The Chair of the Board of Elections, Jarryd Ritter, responded to complaints of poor publicity.
"Despite our attempts for publicity, it wasn't as well as publicized as I would have liked it to be due to many factors, and that really hampered the attendance," he said.
Over the past week, several campus organizations have endorsed candidates for each of them positions. Ashley Mushnick was endorsed by the College Democrats, Women's Initiative, Democratic Women and Friends of AU and CAS-J.
Pat McGill was endorsed by the College Democrats, Women's Initiative and Democratic Women and Friends of AU.
Carrie Johnson was endorsed by Women's Initiative, Democratic Women and Friends of AU and CAS-J.
Joe Colarusso was endorsed by the College Democrats.
Joe Vidulich, Rob Boisseau and Katie Myers received no endorsements.
