The three Student Association presidential candidates went head-to-head at the first debate of the election season, each discussing their different perspectives on Syracuse University and how it could improve.

The debate, hosted by the Interfraternity Council, took place Friday in Grant Auditorium with an audience of about 150 people.

In preparation for the Nov. 11 SA elections, the debate consisted of remarks by presidential candidates and question-and-answer sessions for both the vice presidential and presidential candidates. The vice presidential debate will be held on Oct. 27.

Presidential candidates Duane Ford, Ivan Rosales and Boris Gresely kicked the event off by each describing their campaign platforms and introducing their running mates.

Gresely explained his slogan, “Alliance for Change,” and the three phases of his platform: reform, reconnect and redirect. Ford discussed his experience with SA, along with current and future projects. Gresely focused on unity, saying SA is currently divided internally because of a lack of leadership and that he would work to refocus the group.

“As a community, as a campus, we all bleed orange, and we all need to be together and united as one,” said Gresely, a junior political science and policy studies major.

He then introduced his running mate, Daniela Lopez, a junior political science, policy studies and Spanish major, whom he called passionate and dedicated. Hesaid Lopez, who has been in SA in previous semesters, added an experience factor.

Rosales opened his remarks by saying he believes SA has lost sight of its job: defending the students. He said his campaign platform is built around academic excellence, student engagement and diversity.

“Diversity is not an issue on campus, segregation and separation is,” Rosales said.

Rosales, a junior accounting and policy studies major, is running with Simone Goldslager, a junior advertising major. He said the fact that Goldslager hasn’t been in SA before brings in a fresh perspective.

Ford, a junior political science major, told the audience his campaign is focused on tuition, advising and diversity. He said his platform isn’t based on promises, but on things he’s already working on.

“It’s very unfair to ask for a student’s vote without asking for anything in return,” said Ford, who is currently the vice president of SA. “It’s a very one-sided relationship to say ‘if you elect me into office then I’ll do this.’ We want you to elect us into office because of things we’ve already been working on.”

He introduced his running mate, junior psychology and neuroscience major Nia Boles, who is also the current chair of the student engagement committee. Ford said Boles is very passionate about serving the students and that he picked her because she’d provide different viewpoints and not be a “yes woman.”

After the presidential candidates left the stage, their running mates were given a chance to answer questions. Hannah McDonald, the event’s moderator, asked questions that addressed how candidates would stay connected with the student body, which areas of SA need improvement and the biggest challenge facing SA for the next year.

Boles, Ford’s running mate, drew cheers for her response to a question asking what she’d like to accomplish that SA hadn’t this year.

“One thing SA hasn’t done this year is really take risks and go for the big goals,” Boles said. “If we want to see a real change on this campus, we can’t be afraid. I’m here to see to it that a real change happens. We have to take risks if we really want something to be done on this campus.”

Goldslager, Rosales’ running mate, told the audience she believes there needs to be more transparency between SA and students, and that the organization needs to get back to its roots of being a resource for students.

Lopez emphasized her and Gresely’s platform, saying the university needs to be united.

Audience members were able to tweet in their questions for the presidential question-and-answer segment, followed by a chance to directly question the candidates.

Each candidate’s campaign included the issues of diversity and self-segregation, a theme brought up by an audience member at the end of the debate.

Gresely said he hoped to create change at Syracuse University regardless of a student’s cultural background, not just create change within SA.

Rosales said he wanted to create a multicultural week to help students celebrate and learn about student diversity on campus.

Ford said one way to combat self-segregation is to change the way people interact with one another.

“Right now we focus on each other’s differences, but really we need to focus on what brings us together and what’s similar for us,” Ford said.

After the debate, Interfraternity Council president Marcelo Camacho said he viewed the event as a success.

“Part of the reason we wanted to host this debate was so students could see what SA was and how much they do on this campus,” Camacho said. “I think people got a lot out of it. Candidates got to mingle amongst students and get ideas, and hear all about what students need and want from them.”

 

Published on October 19, 2013 at 3:09 pm

Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27