Executives from the two parties running for Ohio University Student Senate seats next year sparred over their platforms’ differences last night at the campaign season’s final debate.
Hosted by The Post, the debate addressed promises both FACE and RSVP have made during their campaigns.
Much of the discussion centered around the tickets’ differing amounts of senate experience. FACE executives maintained that their candidates do not need direct experience to be successful.
“Student Senate is not a big learning curve,” FACE presidential candidate Matthew Wallace said, adding that the fall retreat would help train inexperienced senators.
RSVP vice presidential candidate Roger Jones said there is much more to learn than what is taught at the retreat.
The discussion turned to RSVP and the perception that it is an “insider ticket” full of current senate members.
“Certainly with our ticket we do have that necessary senate experience,” RSVP presidential candidate Kyle Triplett said. When asked how he would fill open seats if elected, Triplett said his party would choose the most qualified candidate, regardless of party.
“The best person will be appointed,” he said. “There’s no patronage by any means.”
Chris Wimsatt, the treasurer candidate for RSVP, said even Wallace would be welcome in their senate.
“Anybody that works this hard to advocate for students … I think there’s infinite places for him in Student Senate. I think it’s more of a question of asking him what he wants to do,” Wimsatt said.
FACE candidates also said there would be a place in senate for the opposition next year.
“With the right leadership, the right amount of determination,” RSVP candidates can fit into a FACE-run senate, Wallace said.
Wallace was also asked about his resignation from senate last quarter and whether he would be willing to release the disciplinary report from his case with senate’s Conduct and Discipline Committee.
“I’m not going to release that because I already have to deal with ridiculous accusations on The New Political,” he said. “I’m not going to let a dirty political trick cloud what FACE is bringing to the table.”
Both parties tried to stress that they are different from parties that ran in past elections.
“Yes, we have senate experience, but we’re trying to bring in new and creative ideas,” Jones said. “We’re not like all the other parties.”
Triplett and Jones said they focused on tangible accomplishments rather than just resolutions.
FACE vice presidential candidate Sean Kelley maintained that although his ticket lacks direct experience, they will be able to get things done.
“… Our goal is the resolution. … We are willing to put in the groundwork,” he said.
Wallace agreed that resolutions are a good goal.
“We will be a status quo-breaker if we do have the opportunity to serve,” he said. “The resolution is an affirmation of what Student Senate believes students want.”
RSVP’s campaign point of making OU “the best student-centered learning experience in America” was the focus of another debate question. The candidates were asked how they can relate to students who care about partying and fests.
“We want to make it more than just a slogan. We want to help (the administration) achieve that,” Triplett said. “We’re students just as much as the next students in this room.”
Both tickets also spoke about RSVP’s promise to bring a big concert series to OU and a chain restaurant to Baker University Center.
“I began working on the concert series back in Fall Quarter, before I ever knew B.o.B was coming to OU,” Triplett said, adding that vice presidential candidate Roger Jones is working toward the restaurant as the chairman of the Baker Advisory Board.
FACE vice presidential candidate Sean Kelley agreed that a sports bar in Baker is a good idea, but disagreed on spending money for a concert.
The tone of the debate remained generally friendly between the two opposing tickets.
At one point during the debate, a tweet from @PrezMcDavis, a fake Twitter account purporting to be OU President Roderick McDavis, showed up on the live feed behind the candidates and the room broke out in laughter.
“Wallace, I must ‘stache you a question, but I think I’ll shave it for later. #postdebate,” the tweet read, referring to Wallace’s mustache.
Both presidential candidates said they were happy with the debate.
“I think it went well. I liked the non-partisan questions,” Wallace said.
Triplett also said he enjoyed the topics discussed.
“It covered a broad spectrum of the issues,” he said. “This debate had the environment last night’s debate should have had.”
jf250409@ohiou.edu
@ThePostCampus
