ASUP Executive Board candidates present their platforms in hopes of election
By Rosemary Peters
Twelve candidates for next year's ASUP Executive Board took the stage in the Mago Hunt Rehearsal Hall on Tuesday night to explain to their classmates why they should elect them during voting that takes place online Tuesday and Wednesday.
The event, moderated by the KDUP radio station news team, began with speeches from the dozen candidates, including two presentations that were made via video and long-distance phone calls.
It culminated with a presentation about two resolutions on the ballot that would call for the establishment of an ASUP endowment fund and a green fund for sustainable projects on campus.
It also featured a 30 minute session of questions and answers which were asked by sophomore Maddie Sweet and junior Logan Sharpe, of the KDUP news team.
The questions focused on four main points: club finances, the budget, the green fund, and the endowment.
During the questions about the green fund, some in the audience appeared to be surprised that presidential candidate junior Colton Coughlin does not support the proposal that calls for a $10 increase in student fees to fund sustainable projects.
"I feel there is a better way to reach the same results without enacting this resolution," Coughlin said.
In one of a handful of light moments during the open forum, the presidential candidates were asked what alcoholic beverage they would prefer; however, the question was nixed by KDUP news editor Sweet and current ASUP President Kyle Bunch.
Bunch said after the event that he was impressed with the evening. "Everyone was prepared and there was good audience engagement."
Like in national elections, candidates for the top spots of president and vice president are elected on a ticket.
Three pairs of candidates are seeking the positions of ASUP president and vice president for 2009-2010 -- Coughlin and his running mate, junior Alyssa Schmidt-Carr; juniors Scott Olberding and Brooks Broom; and junior Andy Taylor and sophomore Meghan Kirk.
All three pairs of candidates made several promises on Tuesday night.
Olberding and Broom focused on plans for improving sustainability, student interaction and ASUP itself.
While talking about sustainability, Broom endorsed the green fund and informed the audience of his ticket's plans to increase UP's sustainability.
One of these measures included turning off all of the computers in various buildings around campus after a certain nighttime hour.
"If we turned off all the computers on campus at night, we would save $40 per computer," Broom said. "Improved sustainability just makes financial, environmental, and practical sense."
Taylor and Kirk talked about policies they wanted to enact to promote a green campus and more social interactions between faculty members and students.
Taylor proposed the implementation a refrigerator-rental program and a radio show that he hoped to host to inform UP students about the goings-on at ASUP. He mentioned wanting to invite University president, the Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., as a regular guest on the show.
Coughlin and Schmidt-Carr also spoke of their plans, if they're elected.
They said they hoped to increase the number of UP campus events, such as concerts, re-instate the judicial board, and improve communication between ASUP and the UP student body.
Students attending the debate also heard from candidates for secretary, treasurer, and campus program board.
Junior Samantha Riofta, who is running for secretary, pointed out she has been an ASUP senator for two years and has spearheaded numerous initiatives, such as the credit and debit card machine which will be added to The Cove next year.
"You need someone who has experience as a senator and innovative ideas," Riofta said. "I want to implement many new programs to get word out about what ASUP does such as having the minutes put up online."
Following Riofta's speech, secretary candidate junior Jordan Jay stressed the importance of ASUP. Joy's platform includes initiatives to foster a better line of communication between students and their ASUP senators.
"Many students say they don't know their ASUP senator, much less any senator at all. As secretary I will change that," Jay said. "It is up to us as students to make our voices heard and listened to and I want to be the one to represent those voices."
Juniors Greg Machado and Steve Waters both gave speeches on Tuesday concerning who was most qualified as treasurer. Machado, currently studying abroad in London, made his speech via video. He also answered questions during the question-and-answer session of the evening by cell phone.
Machado's video was followed by Waters' speech that described his policy plans and how he wants to improve the budget in the future.
"I want to keep in constant contact with the clubs," Waters said. "We know how hard it is for the clubs financially, and I want to help them look for finances outside of the funds allocated by ASUP."
Unopposed and seeking re-election as director for Campus Program Board, Tarra McCurdy, who was in Nashville, Tenn., on business related to her current post, made her pitch via a pre-recorded video.
She promised to continue events such as Espresso UP and she talked of plans to create more student activities around campus.
The debate, recorded by the campus radio station, will be broadcast at 5 p.m. Sunday on KDUP 1580 AM and will also be streaming online at http://www.kdup.up.edu.
