Three Student Government presidential candidates discussed student worker rights, mental health awareness and racism during a debate and subsequent town hall hosted by ATV on March 26.
The three candidates, Martin Slezak, Bryan Paz and Sasha Gilthorpe, debated during a livestream broadcast that was moderated by ATV, which was followed by a town hall where candidates answered questions from an audience of students in the Tavern.
All three candidates said they were passionate about making AU more diverse and inclusive and said more could be done in the community to better race relations.
Slezak proposed the idea of more integration with faculty and professors as well as sensitivity training during Eagle Summits and multicultural appreciation in order to make AU more diverse and inclusive.
“We need to make sure that these discussions turn into action,” Slezak said.
Gilthorpe, who is currently the director of Student Rights under current SG President Sophia Wirth, suggested appointing a director of diversity and inclusion. She also promoted bringing a conversation about cultural insensitivity into residence halls, which is where she believes much of the problem occurs.
“I want to make sure that students are educated when they are living together,” Gilthorpe said.
Sasha on race issues: "my eyes have been opened"
#SGDebate2015
— The Eagle (@TheEagleOnline)
March 27, 2015
Similarly, Paz wants to increase diversity at AU by having admissions recruit more students of color and by pushing for a general education course where students can learn more about racism.
“We need to make sure AU is not graduating students who are racist,” Paz said.
Candidates also promoted her key issue of student workers’ rights. Gilthorpe said she has been working to support the rights of student workers in her current role in SG.
Gilthorpe said she is particularly concerned with the treatment of resident assistants, who she believes have been underpaid and overworked at AU.
“I will take the fight that I took with student rights to every other issue,” Gilthorpe said. “I want more from SG than what SG has been.”
The issue of mental health awareness and mental health services provided at AU were also big issues at the debate.
Paz said that he would like to work with professors to make sure that they discuss mental health in an appropriate way and encourage students to have an open dialogue about mental health issues to improve understanding.
“It should not take a suicide for us to act on mental health,” Paz said. “This is an issue that should have been dealt with years ago. We have to make sure that we’re all taking care of ourselves.”
Gilthorpe said that she was a supporter of professional training instead of peer-to-peer counseling, which Paz suggested, when it comes to mental health issues.
“Students helping students is not the answer,” Gilthorpe said.
Bryan to Sasha: "I suffer from depression, don't tell me how mental health works." #SGDebate2015
— The Eagle (@TheEagleOnline) March 27, 2015
Slezak proposed a campaign called “Be Aware” that would educate students on mental health issues and trigger signs in the AU community.
The night was not without controversy. During the town hall portion of the debate, a student accused Paz of making unwanted sexual advances toward freshman students, The Eagle previously reported.
Paz, who has worked with Step Up and Students Against Sexual Assault through SG, immediately denied the accusations.
“The allegations that I would ever do that myself are not only disgusting and insulting but just fall flat on any measure of credibility,” Paz said.
Voting begins March 30 at 3 p.m. online through the AU portal.
