Candidates debate SGA’s direction

By Zac Estrada, News Staff

Hopefuls for Northeastern University’s student body president set the battle lines last night at the first presidential debate, sponsored by WRBB, last-minute replacements after four student groups pulled their support over a dispute with student leaders.

Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Vice President Sean Maloney and Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Sabo squared off as current SGA President Ryan Fox moderated, asking questions ranging from ways to increase the association’s communication with students to how the university can better its relationship with neighbors in Fenway and Mission Hill.

Maloney and Sabo insisted during the debate they were friends going into this year’s election season, but they occasionally attacked each other’s stance on issues.

By the end of the debate, which was attended by more than 50 people, Maloney made his plan to spread SGA’s message to more students clear. He said the group’s meetings and policies are “too intimidating” for most students.

“We are doing the best we can but there’s always room for improvement,” Maloney said. He included in his platform plans to hold town hall-style meetings for the general student body.

“We’ve addressed the symptom but not the core of the problem,” Maloney said.

Sabo, agreeing with his opponent that SGA doesn’t communicate well with all of Northeastern’s students, argued the association doesn’t utilize tools it already has.

“I’m willing to do anything I can to get the student voice out,” he said.

Sabo said one of SGA’s biggest problems is the way members handle criticism.

“It’s very easy to take criticism personally,” he said. “That’s wrong. We can get into too much groupthink.”

To that end, Sabo said he wants to come up with solutions that don’t involve SGA.

High on the list of Northeastern administrators’ priority list is improving the university’s relationship with surrounding communities. Sabo promised to introduce students to neighbors in order to mend fences.

“There’s this opinion out there that we’re all rabble-rousers,” Sabo said. He proposed events that go “beyond the borders of the campus.”

Both Sabo and Maloney agreed previous efforts through NU P.L.E.D.G.E. and “I Am Here” initiatives by administration to hold students liable for actions outside of campus have been insufficient.

“NU P.L.E.D.G.E. came off as something administration was forcing down our throats,” Maloney said. “It’s not a solution to the problem.”

Sabo disagreed with Maloney’s plan for a commission of student representatives from other area universities, calling it “lofty” and “impractical.” That plan largely conflicts with Sabo’s philosophy of having small, grassroots-type meetings with the student body. Maloney argued more large dialogues needed to happen.

Next week the candidates will face off again Tuesday evening in the indoor quad.