By C.G. Lynch
As the first ever public Student Government Association presidential debate came to a close last night, one thing was clear: The need for direct elections, improved community relations and increased student body involvement are the key issues facing next year’s president.
But at the end of the night, it remained largely unclear how current SGA President Bill Durkin or his opponent, SGA Sen. Michael Benson, would approach these issues with any substantial differences.
In a debate that lasted under an hour, Durkin and Benson adhered to strict rhetorical messages that often mirrored each other in substance and strategy.
Undoubtedly, the most often-discussed issue was the need for direct student elections. Both candidates called for direct elections as soon as possible and welcomed student input on how to bring a viable initiative to the forefront in the coming year.
Durkin noted that he had made the issue of critical importance during his tenure. In January, he instructed the Senate Nominations and Election Committee (SNEC) to construct an initiative for direct elections.
“I’ve laid the foundation,” Durkin said. “This has been a perennial issue for SGA. I’m confident that students want to vote for their leaders.”
After Durkin concluded that the current administration was “close” to working out a formal plan that would lead to direct elections, Benson retorted, “Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”
While Benson supported direct elections, he said student leaders must motivate the student body and spark an interest in Northeastern’s political process.
“Once we do [direct elections], we do it right,” said Benson, who stressed that “motivating the student body to be ready for it” would be critical to a viable electoral process.
To date, SGA has been discussing direct elections for 30 years with few substantive solutions ever emerging. The topic has frequently surfaced in past campaigns, but has ultimately hit dead ends in the legislative process.
Another topic brought up by moderator and Vice President for Student Affairs Ed Klotzbier was the task of rebuilding fractured community relations with the surrounding Boston neighborhoods. With car-flipping riots on Hemenway Street and amateur-conceived underage parties on Mission Hill that have drawn increased police presence, both candidates discussed the massive public relations effort the university must undergo to heal its image.
Coming in on the wings of a scandal that forced the resignation of the past president, Durkin said his administration hit the ground running, especially on tackling the school’s wounded relations with the city.
“We need to reach out to community organizations,” Durkin said. “We need to show the community that we aren’t a bunch of rowdy punks as we are portrayed in the media.”
Benson also called for increased involvement with community groups and public forums, but said all SGA policies on the matter would be irrelevant until greater communication with the student body occurs.
“Until we can effectively communicate with the student body, what we say won’t matter to [Boston] residents,” Benson said.
Speaking on the hazards of public safety at a school situated near the epicenter of crime in Boston, both candidates called for increased communication between SGA and public safety, as well as an escort service that extends further from campus to accommodate off-campus residents.
While it was ironic that the debate focused on better democracy for the university in front of an audience predominately composed of senators who have likely already made up their minds on a candidate, it represented, perhaps, the seedlings for a new administration that will make a 30-year rhetorical promise a reality.
A year from now, no matter the winner, it will be interesting to look around the audience at the Second Annual SGA Presidential Debate to see if the candidates will be looking into an audience of senators, or a large student body who feel they have a stake in the process.
