While the topics are not as hotly debated as nation-wide issues, the Student Government Association presidential debates gave candidates issues to ponder on Tuesday night.
The evening began with opening speeches from each of the three presidential candidates: John Blake Moore, Chad Kreikemeier and Mike Cappel. Election commissioner Meghan Clune and director of student life Phil Lyons moderated the debates.
Blake said his ticket has set ambitious, yet achievable goals. He said that the senate this year passed few bills with any teeth. “I am a student with expectations that concerns will be met,” he said.
During his opening speech, Kreikemeier spoke about his ambitious and active platform with a lot of goals. “What we bring to the ticket that no one else has is experience,” he said.
Cappel said that all three candidates seem to agree on the issues including tuition, but more importantly, the SGA needs to be in more control the next time the prices do rise. He claims his ticket is a breath of fresh air: “I urge you not to pass SGA on to the next generation of SGA elite, but it is time to build a legacy.”
When the candidates were asked what they think are the biggest issues currently facing SLU, each had a different opinion.
Moore said that as the reputation of the University increases, so do problems with tuition and packed housing, so he would make those his main goals.
Kreikemeier said his goal is to become involved with all the activity on campus. “We would get out there and let students know their input matters,” he said.
Cappel’s main concern would be communication and stressing the importance of it campus-wide.
When asked what three qualities he thinks the SGA president should have, Kreikemeier said he had the ability to talk, the willingness to go out on a limb and the ability to work hard. Cappel’s three qualities included leadership, experience and an undying desire to serve the students. Moore’s qualities were ambition, respect for both administration and students and strength.
Later in the debate, the candidates were presented with hypothetical situations and asked to respond how they would act if president. In one of the scenarios, the executive vice president had been receiving threatening e-mails requesting action from the senate.
In that situation, Moore said that he would regard it as a false attempt. Cappel claimed that his ticket would stick together and that he would have the e-mail traced. Similarly, Kreikemeier agreed that his ticket would stand united and not feel threatened. He even referred to his candidate for executive vice president and said, “Lubna’s small, but
she can fight it, I promise.”
In their closing statements, candidates had the opportunity to address issues presented earlier in the debate or give already prepared speeches.
As a final note, Cappel reiterated that his is the most diverse ticket and asked voters to join him in “building a legacy.”
Kreikemeier stressed his experience on the senate: “I’ve been there, and I know how to get the job done.”
Finally, Moore said it was time for more acts of determination on the SGA: “Resolutions that are symbolic are fine, but it’s time that we make resolutions that make a difference.”
