This year's presidential and vice-presidential candidates for College Council (CC) and the Student Government Association (SGA) discussed their goals and visions to increase transparency and expand campus dialogue and open communication with administrators during the Wheel's annual candidate debate yesterday.
The event, which took place at 7:30 p.m. in Harland Cinema, featured candidates running for the position of SGA president, including College junior and SGA Chief of Staff Matthew Willis and College junior and SGA Representative-at-Large Raj Patel.
SGA vice-presidential candidates include College junior and CC Divisional Treasurer Ye Ji Kim; College sophomore, Governance Committee Chairperson and SGA Sophomore Representative Ted Guio; and College sophomore and SGA Student Life Chair Calvin Li are running for the position of SGA vice president.
College junior and junior legislator Bisi Adeyemo, College junior and CC Chief of Staff Jeremiah Lau, College junior and Residence Hall Association (RHA) President Niketu Patel and College junior Andrew Casso debated for the position of CC president. College sophomore and CC sophomore legislator Adam Chan and CC freshman legislator Reuben Lack debated for the position of CC vice president.
Prior to the start of the debate, current SGA Vice President and Nursing School senior Danielle Zamarelli and CC president and College senior Amitav Chakraborty discussed the importance of student leaders of campus organizations.
Following the speeches, candidates were called on stage by position and asked to introduce themselves, and then answer a general question followed by one pertaining specifically to their platforms.
SGA Presidential Candidates
Both candidates discussed what, if elected, would be their most important tasks in office.
Raj Patel explained that this past year has been fundamental to lay the groundwork for the future. He added that SGA needs to work to ensure there is a Black Student Union on campus and a center for black students.
He also explained that he would want to ensure the Honor Code is implemented fairly and ensure that General Education Requirements meet the needs of the community.
Raj Patel added that he feels, coming from Emory's Oxford campus, that he understands the dynamics of a tight-knit community and that he would seek to build that same sort of community on Emory's main campus.
Following Raj Patel's answer, Willis expressed his interest in submitting a code of expectations to administrators on how students would prefer to be communicated with during times of change in light of the recent departmental changes. He also added that SGA should reevaluate its mission statement moving forward.
Willis expressed a desire to monitor the process of the Dobbs University Center renovations as he has assisted in helping put the plans into motion. As part of the plan, Willis said the space currently occupied by Food EU could potentially serve as a space for the Black Student Union in the future.
CC Presidential Candidates
Niketu Patel, the first to speak of the CC presidential candidates, said he understands that students are currently unaware of what role CC plays and how it functions.
"People don't know what College Council does," he said, adding that he hopes to set up a system with all the representatives in which they alternate months, with one representive creating a monthly newsletter.
Niketu Patel added that this idea would inform students of what CC is currently discussing while simultaneously getting the names of CC legislatures out to the public.
Lau said his experience serving on CC in addition to other organizations that he is a member of will allow him to "know what is going on in both sides" to increase collaboration between CC and clubs. He added that he believes in order to effectively serve the campus community, one needs to understand the inner workings of CC relative to outside organizations.
He brought up two points: furthering collaboration amongst student organizations and collaboration between these organizations and CC.
Adeyemo explained that her platform focuses on constructing campus unity by increasing discussion and dialogue between campus organizations. She cited an example in which she helped organize a campus tailgate co-hosted by RHA and Emory Athletics.
Following Adeyemo's response, Casso expressed that he would focus his position on utilizing the $200,000 CC has in its surplus funds to help subsidize textbooks for students.
"I have found that in a campaign, it is easiest to inspire students by presenting a clear plan," Casso said. "The fact that I have decided to focus on textbooks does not mean I will ignore my other responsibilities. I have just found focusing on one issue really inspires students and brings them together."
However, during the response question, in which candidates had the opportunity to questions their opponent's platforms, Adeyemo questioned Casso about that plausibility of using Student Activities Fee money to pay for textbooks due to bylaw limitations on what that money can be spent on.
Casso responded by stating that forming and funding a club with the sole purpose of distributing textbooks, one could circumvent the regulation and fund the initiative.
SGA Vice-Presidential Candidates
The three SGA candidates were asked to explain what single aspect of the organization they would change if elected.
There is a lack of communication between committees, Kim said. She added that she believes every student should be aware of what SGA is doing.
In order to inform the student body, Kim said she would like to begin providing reports to students on the progress of SGA initiatives.
Guio said he would want to change the sense of belonging in the Emory community.
"SGA doesn't have [a sense of belonging] because of the situation we have with graduate students and other groups of students who don't show up as much," Guio said. "We can make a family, but it's a matter of how we structure leadership, and it's a matter of being there."
Li said he would want to expand three aspects of SGA: accessibility, advocacy and improving the value of an Emory degree.
"A lot of people say that SGA hasn't taken the bull by the horns with a lot of campus issues," Li said. "I want to bring various campus leaders to SGA to hold roundtables to discuss issues of importance."
CC Vice-Presidential Candidates
Chan stressed that his ability to relate with others is what separates him from his opponent.
"It really comes down to being a very relatable type of person on campus," Chan said. "If you can't relate to certain kinds of people, you can't tell them about your platform and positions. You can't do a lot of things on campus."
Lack, Chan's opponent, discussed that his experience working with administrators on campus issues as his strongest trait as a leader.
Lack brought up his experience working with Ajay Nair, senior vice president and dean of Campus Life, in constructing a protest and dissent policy for the entirety of the University. Lack also noted he that "single-handedly" restructured the monetary policy of CC and is currently the only legislative member on Dean Robin Forman's student advisory committee.
"Experience is not just the amount of time you have been in something but also the impact you have when you are in that position," Lack said.
Voting will take place Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Emory's online voting system.
– By Dustin Slade
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