ASG candidates address and debate issues

Cristina De'Armas / The Bulletin

Seniors Taylor Relph, communication and public relations major, and Lisa Stephenson, biology major, answer a question during the ASG debate in the Memorial Union on Thursday.

Associated Student Government presidential and vice presidential candidates met on Thursday to discuss campus issues and speak about their experience serving member. Students and faculty members gathered to hear the candidates' stances on the issues and ask questions of their own.

Michelle McHenry, election commissioner and junior elementary education major, began the debate by allowing the candidates to introduce themselves. Each candidate introduced herself by telling the audience about her major and hometown.

The first question of the evening, posed by the ASG cabinet, was, “As ASG president or vice president, what do you see as the most important aspect of ASG that you can make a positive contribution toward?”

Angela Blaufuss, presidential candidate and senior crime and Delinquency studies major, and her running mate, Sarah Schulte, senior microbial and cellular biology major, were chosen to answer the question first.

“We should have a positive influence on all issues,” Blaufuss said. “There shouldn't be one thing we focus on. We have a lot of opportunities.”

Schulte elaborated on the position, stating that such emphases were for students to decide. “Students and student organization officers should recognize their president and vice president by their work,” Schulte said. “We need to get back to being the student voice.

Lisa Stephenson, vice presidential candidate and senior biology major, rebutted her opponent's remarks. “We don't want to hear the student voice, we want to take actions on the issues,” Stephenson said.

Presidential candidate Taylor Relph, communication and public relations, Stephenson's running mate, also felt specific solutions are needed. “We can't solve all problems, but we need to give the students some type of solution,” Relph said.

Another question focused on the proposed Memorial Union renovations. “We must keep you, as a student, involved in that process,” Relph said.

Blaufuss also emphasized the importance of the project. “We want to make the union a weekend place,” Blaufuss said. “It should be like a second home for students.”

The debate continued with a question asking how each candidate would improve connections with recognized student organizations. Both pairs of candidates agreed that ASG members should attend student organization meetings and remain connected with organizations. Relph proposed that each recognized student organization should have its own Emporia e-mail address.

A question posed by an audience member asked what actions the candidates would take to make ESU campus a safer place. Both pairs of candidates agreed that ASG should work more closely with the work in progress on the text messaging system, but voiced concerns about students who can not receive text messages or who do not have a cellular phone.

In closing statements, both pairs of candidates thanked students for attending the debate and urged them to vote.

“We're not here for the title, we're here to impress students by what we can give back,” Blaufuss said. Blaufuss also reflected on her experience and Schulte's years of experience with ASG.

Relph and Stephenson pointed out their eclectic involvement with many organizations on campus. “We don't have the ASG experience, but we are more than capable,” Stephenson said.

“We want to be responsible, to take action, and to provide solutions for the students,” Relph said.

After the debate, both candidates spoke with students on a personal level.

“We want this debate to get this big every year,” Blaufuss said. We want students to pay attention to the issues, not the people.”

Both pairs of candidates seemed to agree that student involvement is crucial in ASG elections and other processes.

“We've sought out a lot of feedback before we ran,” Relph said. We're not waiting for students to come to us. We've gone to them.”

Some staff and students stayed and discussed the debated issues after the event as well.

McHenry expressed that she was impressed by the candidates' performance. “They answered questions very well, got to the point, and gave some good answers,” McHenry said.

Nick Foster, senior business administration major, felt that the answers were good, but the debate should have given students more of a voice. “Students come here with the best questions,” Foster said. “How well can you really get to know the candidates if someone else gets to choose the questions?”

New to this year's election is the voting on Blackboard, which both candidates and ASG advisers believe will improve turnout. Students may vote through Wednesday, March 12.