Fox’s debate role draws ire from groups

By Zack Sampson, News Staff and Colin Young, News Staff

The leaders of three student groups withdrew as sponsors of the first debate between candidates for student body president, just six hours before the start of yesterday’s event, because of a disagreement with Student Body President Ryan Fox.

The presidents of Northeastern University College Democrats (NU Dems), Northeastern University College Republicans (NUCR), Political Science Student Association (PSSA) and Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society said they reached an agreement of how to moderate the debate with the Student Government Association (SGA) Elections Committee, only to have it overturned by Fox.

“Representatives from our organizations met with representatives of the Elections Committee this past Monday and Tuesday to try to hash out a deal that would work for all of our organizations,” the presidents said in a joint statement to The News. “Fortunately, we were able to do that, but last night SGA President Ryan Fox disregarded thoroughly the thought-out compromise we had agreed to with the Elections Committee.”

The first word that their agreement had been overruled came Tuesday night in an email from Elections Committee member Nicholas Naraghi, according to NU Dems President Brittany Tucker, NUCR President Camran Rynowecer and PSSA and Pi Sigma Alpha President Nicholas Beek. They later received an email from Fox himself.

“After discussing your concerns with members of the Elections Committee, as well as the candidates, other members of our Association, and students-at-large, I have concluded that it will be best for myself to moderate the debate this evening,” Fox said in an email to the group leaders at 1:45 a.m. Wednesday that was later obtained by The News.

The leaders revoked their sponsorship after Fox announced he would be moderating the event because SGA failed to find a faculty or staff moderator.

“There was no faculty or staff member who could moderate. We decided it wasn’t fair to ask anyone after Friday to moderate,” Fox said to The News Wednesday evening after the debate.

Still, the group leaders said they believed the choice of Fox as moderator was unjustified.

“I am apprehensive as to why it has been decided that it is acceptable for you to unequivocally override the concerns of your constituents, the debate hosts and the members of the election committee that we have negotiated with,” wrote Tucker in an email to Fox, shortly before withdrawing her organization’s support for the debate.

Collectively, the presidents of the sponsoring organizations determined Fox should not moderate because the debate might sound scripted.

“We firmly believe the lack of transparency and access to questions, which SGA created prior to the event is a severe liability to each of the student groups,” they said in their statement to The News.

Elections Committee Chair Olivia D’Angelo said SGA considered the groups’ concerns.

“We had a very heated [committee] meeting. We wanted the student groups to compromise. It’s really unfortunate they were unable to [reach a compromise with the elections committee],” she said.

The presidents of the political groups said they were not properly informed by SGA.

“We feel as though we have been played and strung along,” they said in the statement. “We cannot be expected to place our name on an event in which we have absolutely no control over.”

D’Angelo said the Elections Committee discussed Fox’s qualification to moderate before the debate. She said some of the members of the group suggested she moderate the debate herself, but ultimately Fox was chosen.

“I feel Ryan moderating did not affect impartiality, but everyone agreed that the elections committee has the only people who are really impartial,” D’Angelo said.

She added that nobody else from SGA was considered for the job.

In an email to the group leaders, Fox said his involvement in the election process prevented him from being partial to either candidate.

“I am involved in many ways throughout the the elections and must remain impartial, as I have a seat on the Appeals Board, which would hear any appeals of Election Committee decisions,” wrote Fox to the groups. “I have spoken with both candidates and they both expressed interest over other Association members moderating, reaffirming my decision.”

Both candidates said they had minimal involvement in the decision, and agreed the change was unfortunate.

“The candidates weren’t really involved in this,” candidate and SGA Executive Vice President Sean Maloney said. “I was never asked about it.”

Maloney’s opponent, Vice President of Academic Affairs Michael Sabo, added that most of the issue was handled internally by the sponsoring organizations.

“From what I know, all that stuff was within those student groups,” he said.

The leaders of the political groups said they want the next elected president to communicate better with student groups.

“What has happened to us sets a poor precedent for the future,” said the group leaders in their statement to The News. “We can only hope that whoever is elected will work to better engage student groups in the process.”

Correction: An earlier edition of this article stated that there were four groups involved in sponsoring the debate. PSSA and Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society is actually the full name of one group.