The two candidates for Student Government Association (SGA) president went head-to-head for the first time in public last night, fielding pre-submitted questions about the positions they will take if elected next week.
Current SGA President Bill Durkin and Sen. Michael Benson, former vice president for financial affairs, accepted nominations to run for the 2005-06 presidency at the Joint Senate meeting Monday.
Though SGA senators are the only students allowed to vote for the student body leader, the candidates laid out their platforms in front of not only senators, but other student organizations, faculty members and students.
The questions, which were submitted by students and chosen for the debate by a committee of administrators, ranged from financial aid concerns to how a candidate would juggle the presidency, classes and leading a normal student life.
Benson stressed internal communication and informing students of what SGA does and what it can do for them as parts of his platform. He also reinforced a “we’re here now” philosophy, which would put more emphasis on students at the university seeing results right away, rather than allowing future generations to reap the benefits.
“I promise as your president, SGA will fight for every student, not just the majority, and will fight on every issue, not just the issues that seem glamorous,” Benson said.
Durkin chose to focus on what his organization has accomplished this year under his lead, including extending library hours during finals, fighting for increased financial aid and joining in rallies against the closing of the Night Owl bus service.
“For the past year, I have been campaigning every day, not for my own good, but for the good of the students,” Durkin said.
Both candidates addressed the topic of direct elections in their opening statements and touched upon it several times while answering questions.
Vice President for Student Services Nicole Martino said the coming of direct elections should only help the popularity of the debate grow in future years.
“With direct elections this event would be huge,” Martino said, adding even though students don’t get a vote now, she hopes the debate as a whole will affect senators’ decisions at elections on Monday night. The over 80 active members of the senate will gather again to hear the two presidential candidates Monday night. For Durkin, it is the second race in less than six months.
Durkin won the presidency in October after former President Andres Vargas resigned.
After Durkin took over, he was entrusted with the job of reuniting an e-board, which also nearly faced the potential loss of two vice presidents, himself and Vice President for Student Affairs Erin McFadzen, who were involved in the same incident that forced Vargas out of office.
But it wasn’t a united senate that came out of the ordeal; rather, it was a group divided into “political parties,” according to a member of SGA who wished to remain anonymous.
“The senate is the most divided that it has been in my three years of experience [in SGA],” the SGA member said, referring to the question in the debate which asked about leading the senate along with the executive board in a united manner. “I think it was very interesting to watch President Durkin trip up on that question when it is clear there is no cohesion on the senate, and it’s very interesting for him to say he fostered i,t when in my mind, it’s the most divided ever.”
Durkin, however, said he doesn’t see it that way.
“I don’t think that we’re as sharply divided as [the SGA member] points out; I don’t think the chemistry of the senate is any different than previous years,” he said.
John Guilfoil, vice president for administration and public affairs, said he thinks this year’s senate is the “most united and goal-oriented” one he’s seen in his time with SGA, and added the amount of trust among senators leads to quick and efficient business and more results than in previous years.
Benson, who has also been involved with the organization since 2001 and has seen four different e-boards and sat on two of them, said his experiences with the different types of e-boards provide him with enough knowledge to step into the role of president and lead the organization in the most effective way.
“Each [e-board] has faced a different challenge, and I will address each concern in a new and innovative way,” he said. “We will sing as a chorus speaking for the student body.”
During the debate, both candidates were asked who is the political figure they admire most. Durkin chose New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, and Benson spoke of his admiration for former President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The SGA member said this choice on both sides highlighted the types of leaders the two candidates are.
“I also think that it was very interesting that President Durkin said Bill Belichick, a business man, as his leader and Sen. Benson focused on one of the great leaders of our country,” the SGA member said. “I think Sen. Benson presented some very clear arguments, and I think in a lot of people’s minds, there was a clear winner.”
However, Anderson, McFadzen and Guilfoil all said both candidates performed well and they could not single out one as having “won” the debate.
Whether or not there is animosity present, all members of the current e-board and several senators said elections on Monday will prove to be interesting.
“This year you have a good old-fashioned race for president,” Guilfoil said.
Elections will take place Monday night at 7 p.m. in 105 Shillman Hall, and are open to the public.
