Student awareness and involvement were two key issues discussed at last week’s Student Government Association’s Executive Board Debate. The debate, held on April 6, was a question and answer session, mediated by Jay Mazzerle, SGA President, and Stephanie Kranchick, SGA Secretary. The four candidates featured are running unopposed for the positions of president, vice-president, secretary, and parliamentarian. Missing from the debate was Adrienne Montony, running for the position of treasurer.
Presidential hopeful Kevin Foster explained that there are two key issues he would like to see addressed: better communication between student organizations and student involvement in SGA. When asked by current president, Mazzerle, how he would advocate on behalf of the entire student body, Foster responded, “To advocate for a body, you have to understand that body.” Foster plans to use surveys, forums and open discussions to assess the needs of the students.
Colin Bagwell, Legislative Affairs Senator, addressed Mary Pat Spadaford when he asked how she would improve the position of vice president. Spadaford replied that she plans to use the Public Relations Committee to make students more involved and improve school spirit on campus. As a response to a question concerning school activities, Spadaford stated, “It’s important as an executive board that we are visible.”
Running for the position of secretary is the current Women’s Center senator, Sarah Huskin. Huskin addressed a question posed by Randi Steinberg concerning balancing professional and outside relationships with the executive board. Huskin responded, “Although we are good friends … when we have had our get-togethers and meetings, they have been very professional.”
When asked what experience he could bring to the position of parliamentarian, Kyle Mullins, a first year student, explained that not only was he the president of his high school senior class, but he was also a member of the campus card committee and the finance committee.
Jason Smith, Faculty Relations Senator, pointed out to Mullins that as parliamentarian he will want to welcome new student organizations, but more organizations also means less money. Smith asked Mullins how he would go about balancing this situation, to which Mullins responded, “I give credit to anyone out there who stands up and says ‘I want to start an organization’.” He went on to explain that he would use a qualified committee to filter out new organizations that are similar to already existing ones.