After the first of three debates scheduled this week, one thing is certain: If they weren’t both competing for student government president, Chris Bourne and Joey Fiore would have even less in common than they did a month ago.
“My vision for Northeastern is uniting our student body,” Fiore said in his opening address at Monday’s debate. “But I can only do it with help from you and the student body.”
Fiore, by rolling out a list of political aspirations that included service learning, bolstering school spirit and promoting a “green” campus by cutting emissions and increasing environmentally-friendly development, sounded as though he were trying to harness a different kind of president altogether.
“And so, my fellow Huskies,” Fiore may have well said, “ask not what your university can do for you, ask what you can do for your university.”
Meanwhile, Bourne’s wish list includes establishing co-ed and Greek on-campus housing, creating a textbook exchange program and expanding local accessibility of the Husky Card, with MBTA turnstiles as a targeted goal.
Corncob, meerschaum or peace aside, these pipe dreams do align in some respects. The two candidates have different views but not opposing ones, showing they have varying interests in mind.
Both candidates agree changes are necessary in how Northeastern offers summer courses, although the degree of urgency varies within their platforms.
And both candidates agree that changes are necessary in how Northeastern evaluates and partners with companies to offer quality co-op opportunities.
But neither candidate offered the crowd even the slightest idea for how they would work with administrators to prevent another tuition increase next year.
Neither candidate discussed the importance of ensuring transparency within student government in order to best inform the student body.
And although Bourne and Fiore both stressed the importance of holding court with top-level administrators to voice the concerns of their potential constituents, neither candidate expressed what sets them apart at the bargaining table and how students will know their best interests will always be represented next year.
Chances are that Charlie will be about as receptive to our Husky Card as the general masses will be to service learning. Just another one down the pipe.
It’s one thing to say that summer classes are a drag. But if the candidates don’t start speaking to their constituency and directly tackling the issues that students get fired up about most often, then the right to vote may disappear in the same cloud of smoke that has so far filled this election season.
