Presidential Debate Recap

On March 22, all presidential and vice-presidential candidates met in the Reilly Room and presented their visions for the campus in an hourlong debate.

Dylan Noble | dnoble@butler.edu

With elections coming up soon, students got a chance to hear the platforms for all of the candidates running last Wednesday. The debate started at 7 pm with Chair of Elections Amelia Ball moderating.

The presidential/VP tickets are as follows: Paul Ford II and Hadassah Brent; Abba Smith and Luigi Chirco; and Katie Stanley and Suchi Bandaru.

Candidates began by giving opening statements.

Ford and Brent’s opening statements emphasized creating a unified student voice and supporting underserved student populations. In their opening statements, Stanley and Bandaru briefly discussed some of their plans and called for “accountability, honesty, [and] transparency” in SGA. The Smith-Chirco opening statements also centered around accountability and student belonging. “We are by the students, for the students,” said Chirco.

After opening statements, the first round of questioning began.

The first question posed to the candidates was: “What is an achievable goal that will benefit the student body?”

Smith responded with her plans to fix the locks on doors in Irvington House, and to work towards a safer campus in general; Ford argued the need for more advocacy channels that students can go through to have their voices heard. Going last, Stanley cited the current work on Atherton Union and articulated her plans for the HRC to get a refresh as well.

The next questions were for VP candidates only: “How would you make the role of VP your own, and what makes your platform unique from others on this stage?”

“I can answer [these questions] with one word: experience,” said Bandaru. She mentioned their plans for updating the budget as a unique aspect of their platform. Likewise, Chirco brought up his plans to build the financial backbone of the administration by updating the budget. The role of VP “requires you to be reliable, approachable, and trustworthy,” said Brent, while arguing the need to make SGA a place for all voices to be amplified on campus.

The next round of questions was prepared by the Election Oversight Commission.

Firstly: “If elected to the presidency, how will your administration make a lasting impact on the student body, even after you leave office?”

In response, Smith said that her administration would change the culture of SGA, turning it into a much more student-focused organization. Ford cited his work outside of SGA and claimed he would channel that energy into the office. Stanley’s response featured her plans to create a Director of Finance and Facilities which would work to streamline the budget.

Secondly: “As president, how would you go about making difficult decisions, especially when a win-win is not possible?”

Ford began with a short response about how “when we come together, that is a win.” Smith followed by arguing that her experiences as an SGA outsider would allow her to make whatever decision best benefits the student body objectively. Being EOC Chair for 2 years, Stanley claimed this experience would allow her to make tough decisions fairly and decisively.

The candidates then answered a dearth of anonymously submitted student questions.

Chirco emphasized the importance of accountability in response to one question: “[It’s] extremely important” for SGA to have a balanced and efficient budget. Brent and Bandaru gave similar responses. Another hot issue was mental health. Ford presented his idea of SGA wellness checks on students, while Smith argued that breaking barriers to mental health access was key. Stanley cited the need for student support networks.

The debate concluded with closing statements, where candidates summarized their platforms and made a final argument as to why students should vote for them.

Based on “integrity, commitment, and passion,” the Stanley-Bandaru platform includes instating a Director of Finance and Facilities, improving the HRC, increasing access to transportation via Uber to high-interest areas, and facilitating student organizations.

To follow, Ford claimed that SGA has not kept its promises in the past and that his administration would work to change this. As some of the campus’s most influential students, he said, they would work to fund DEI initiatives, provide more need-based accommodations for low-income students, and provide ways for undocumented students to get internships.

Smith concluded by presenting her case as an SGA outsider. In a similar vein to Ford, she asserted that most students feel unseen and unheard by SGA. Creating a state of equal collaboration between SGA and the student body is a high priority; as is working to be “as transparent as possible to students.”

With this, the debate ended around 8 pm. Elections will be held for all elected SGA offices on Tuesday, March 28th, from 8 am to 8 pm. All students will be emailed election links on the day of the election. For more information, visit butlersga.org, follow @butler.sga on Instagram, or reach out to sga@butler.edu with questions.