From freshness versus experience to how to deal with the administration and communicate with students, Boston University Student Union slates faced off Thursday about their goals and what differentiates them at the second campaign event before Monday’s start to elections.
About 50 students attended the candidate debate in the Back Court of the George Sherman Union to hear the two officially registered slates answer questions from a Student Elections Commission moderator and from the audience.
Both slates said they hope to combat cynicism and ignorance about Union.
BUnited’s slate, comprising School of Management junior Taylor Riley for president, College of Arts and Sciences sophomore James Boggie for vice president, CAS junior Jenna Kreyche for secretary and SMG sophomore Joseph Nangle, who was not in attendance, for treasurer, said they plan to be more communicative with students.
“It’s our fault, we haven’t been reaching out the way we need to,” Boggie, currently City Affairs director, said.
Renew BU’s slate, consisting of CAS junior Arthur Emma for president, CAS junior Daniel Ellis for vice president and SMG junior Benjamin Noble for treasurer, said the cynicism stems from years of campaign promises but no delivery on them.
The two slates battled again on the topic of how to approach the administration in trying to accomplish goals.
“We’re not in a position to try to use power . . . that burns bridges, turns them against us,” Boggie said.
But Renew BU’s Ellis said a more vocal student could be effective.
“There’s a difference between rallying and rioting,” he said. “We want to be out there with the students, and I think that’s how we’re going to get stuff done.”
The candidates also discussed their platform approaches, with BUnited, who has not declared a formal list of issues, saying they plan to organize issues around their pillars of unity, transparency and responsiveness.
“Right now we’re still just figuring out what these issues are and how we can go about them,” Riley said.
But Renew BU said they have already done the research with students.
“You can talk about responsiveness, but for the last few months we’ve been out there actually talking to students about a lot of issues,” Ellis said. “We share your pillars, but we’ve already gone and found the specific issues.”
Boggie said after the debate that although his slate organized close to the deadline, they have shown their ability to react and respond quickly.
“You don’t always have two months to prepare for a meeting,” he said.
College of Engineering freshman and Brownstone Student Council President Zachary Young, who asked candidates during the debate about their plans for interacting with student groups, said he appreciated BUnited’s message.
“I don’t want Student Union coming in and telling me what I have to do,” Young said. “I think the idea of rallying is fine. I think the more important idea behind that is actually caring what student issues are.”
CAS junior Brian Donovan, who said he has friends on the Renew BU slate, said he likes their outsider perspective.
“I think we need the fresh view,” he said.
Not participating was the unofficial Greek Slate, consisting of College of Communication sophomore Julian Jensen for president, CAS freshman Stephen Tanico for vice president, COM sophomore Alex Vaccarino for secretary and CAS sophomore Marisa Feehan for treasurer. They announced their write-in campaign on Facebook earlier last week and published their platform online Thursday.
The SEC convened Thursday to discuss the possibility of inviting the Greek slate to participate in the debate, and decided that while the SEC couldn’t invite them because they are unregistered, the two registered slates could agree to extend an invitation, SEC candidate commissioner for Union and CAS senior Lauren Prince said.
BUnited’s Riley said in an email after the debate that Jensen “respectfully declined” when she called him because “he did not feel his slate had [their] issues solidified,” but said she understands since the other two slates have had more time to prepare.
Renew BU’s Emma said he welcomed competition, but was “disappointed” the Greek slate didn’t accept the invitation, and wondered why they were not prepared to talk about the issues.
But Jensen said in an email after the debate that he hadn’t wanted to create any confusion at the debate, though he did attend.
“I made the decision to let the two registered slates have their debate without adding to the confusion,” he said. “I attended it, and I think that everyone in the race has a lot of passion to change Union next year.”
Jensen said his slate did not officially register in time because it came together after the three-person non-Greek supported slate he had been organizing fell apart at the last minute.
“Recently, I was encouraged by Greek leaders to form a four-person Greek write-in slate, and I took the opportunity to have a second, but somewhat limited, chance at running again,” he said in the email.
Jensen said his campaign extends beyond the Greek community.
“Choosing to vote Greek is not about voting for more parties. It’s about voting for experienced leaders who want to transfer this experience to Union so we can make student life at BU positive for everyone,” Jensen said.
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