Kelly Calligan, Assistant Photo EditorYesterday’s sunny afternoon weather wasn’t the only thing causing Associated Students executive officer candidates to work up a sweat.
Hopefuls for A.S. executive council positions debated issues such as lobbying student interests, curbing campus crime, spending A.S.’ $18 million budget, working with University Senate and restructuring the A.S. president’s cabinet during the hour-long event on the Aztec Center Outdoor Patio. The event was moderated by The Daily Aztec City Editor Sam Hodgson.
Sharing similar platforms, A.S. presidential candidates Andrew Roy and Matt Keipper tried to showcase their differences during the event.
Roy said that the A.S. president’s cabinet needs to be restructured by involving 15-to-20 key student leaders involved on his president’s cabinet. This will allow the current cabinet to serve as an advising committee rather than a morale booster, he said.
“I think that the committee can be transformed into an action-taking, motivated working body,” he said. “I think there are student leaders who are motivated enough and willing to help from all walks of life ? and we can get stuff done.”
Keipper, who serves as the A.S. vice president of finance, admitted that the current setup of the president’s cabinet does lend itself to being a closed-nit organization. He said that there does need to be outreach and recruitment to students in the residence halls and Greek system, in order to improve the quality of A.S. programming.
He said that while he’s not so much focused on the president’s cabinet, he would like to bring in a “meeting of the minds” on a biweekly basis in which students who are heavily involved on campus can discuss issues.
Brian Hamilton and Amanda Venegas – both running for A.S. executive vice president – said that campus safety is an issue that has to be addressed.
Hamilton said security cameras need to be placed in Aztec Center, especially when a 24-hour study center is opened as part of the Aztec Center rebuild. He said he would ensure that cameras were installed if elected.
Acknowledging that safety is a concern, Venegas said that the university escort system needs to receive more funding. She said that one idea to increase campus safety is to utilize the Red and Black shuttles as a bus service that drives onto campus visiting locations such as the library every 15 minutes.
Contenders for A.S. vice president of external affairs, Erin Hogeboom and Khouloud Elmasri, said they both have the experience and drive to be successful in the position.
Hogeboom, who has been involved in a number of university committees and organizations, said that she has represented the students on the Campanile Foundation board and, as that member, she was working with a number of important people.
“It was my job to represent the student voice on that board and I did so very efficiently,” she said. “I think that I have already had a lot of experience speaking with very influential individuals regarding students’ interests.”
Elmasri, who serves as the university affairs board’s vice chair, said she has been working with the California State Student Association for the past two years.
“You have to go in there, be confident and say, ‘Hey, this is what the students want and I’m here to be the students’ voice,'” she said.
While Elmasri emphasized her experience both with the CSSA and the legislature, Hogeboom said she had gained her insight while working at a congressional office.
On the other hand, competitors in the A.S. vice president of university affairs race voiced the same sentiment about a number of issues, including free speech on campus.
Candidates Sabrina Brown, Brad Webb and Edmundo Garcia agreed that “free speech zones” should be eliminated and that free expression should be allowed anywhere on campus so long as it doesn’t interfere with academics.
Brown, Webb and Garcia also stressed the importance that students voice their ideas to the ad hoc committee deciding the fate of free speech policies.
Candidates for A.S. vice president of finance discussed how each felt A.S.’ $18 million budget and unallocated reserves should be spent.
Tyler Morgan, who currently serves as vice chair of the finance board, said that while a lot of that money goes toward the things A.S. runs, such as the Aztec Recreation Center and the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, it’s important to have the students’ money spent in a way they understand.
Morgan said that there are times when the finance board has to turn away organizations that have already spent its budgets.
“We have the reserves and by really simplifying the funds and making it more accessible to all student organizations all students on campus, you’re really going to be able to grow and diversify.”
Lauren Burns, who has been a finance board member for three years, said she thinks high school conferences would benefit more from the reserve money.
“I want to spend the $18 million on making this campus more diverse and getting the events and speakers here that people want to see,” Burns said. “I definitely want to put the money into high school conferences because that is something that is always under-funded.
“We can’t find the money to as to how to put together something that is most important to this campus and most important to getting new students to this campus who will take this campus and make a difference.”
A.S. candidates for president Daniel Goldberg, vice president of finance Eric Lyman and vice president of university affairs John “Bruce Lee” Ly did not attend the debate.
