The candidates for academic college senator positions for the Student Senate 2017-18 election had a debate focused on student relations within their colleges Tuesday night in Seigfred Hall.
The moderators asked the candidates three questions. The three tickets running in this year’s election are Voice, Fight and Green Light. None of the tickets had all of their candidates in attendance.
The first question asked the candidates what the biggest issue the senators have within their college.
“In the Voice ticket, we are working with CPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) to extend counseling, which I think is extremely important for the students in the Honors Tutorial College, as well as students in the other colleges,” Hannah Graber, candidate for HTC senator with the Voice ticket, said.
Alli Evans, candidate for the HTC College senator with the Green Light ticket, said she thinks a problem HTC encounters is how separated they are from other colleges.
“A part of our ticket is working with other groups on campus and other colleges,” Evans said. “So one of the really cool parts of our platform is having more collaboration with grad students.”
Bryce Graves, candidate for College of Arts and Sciences senator with the Fight ticket, said his ticket wants to publish the reviews of professors at the end of the academic year.
“I want to go along with the advisers, make sure they are working as hard as they can to help the students that they represent,” Graves said. “If the students feel as though they are not getting help, they can come to me.”
The second question asked how each candidate would work to improve communication within their colleges to receive feedback from students.
“A couple ways I plan to reach out to our students and really make myself available to them is through mass emails through the College of Business, as well as reaching out to the student leaders within our other programs,” Alex Rado, candidate for College of Business senator with the Fight ticket, said.
Russell Baldrick, candidate for College of Business senator with the Voice ticket, said he would receive feedback from College of Business students through his job in student services and career management.
“In this job, I work alongside the student advisors and their career coaches,” Baldrick said. “I have access to pretty much every student in the school, so I’d use the access to these emails to contact them.”
Camille Devill, candidate for College of Health Sciences and Professions senator with the Green Light ticket, said she would utilize senate’s social media.
“That way, I can tweet out information or get information to students quickly and also get feedback from them quickly,” Devill said.
The final question asked how the candidates would sell their college to prospective students.
“Everybody, I think, will find interest in international studies, whether you like travel, whether you see economic opportunities or whether you just simply like learning a different language,” Alexander Welsh, candidate for Center for International Studies senator with the Voice ticket, said.
Zach Reizes, candidate for Center for International Studies senator with the Green Light ticket, said he would focus on the resources that are available to his college and the opportunities it provides to students.
“We bring in food from all sorts of cultures and you just can’t beat that when you’re eating home cooked mac 'n cheese or the dining hall food all the time,” Reizes said.
Graves said he would emphasize the professors in his college.
“Even in the dry classes we have to take, the professors are so passionate about their fields of studies,” Graves said.
The next debate for the 2017-18 senate election will be the residential college senator debate on March 27 in Porter 103 at 7 p.m.
