StuComm executive board election debate highlights next year’s push for transparency and student involvement
By Kelsey Donk, Web Editor
Katherine Stevens, K’15, explains her platform to the other candidates during the debate.
According to StuComm President hopeful Bianca Rasho, K’13, the Commission may feature a regular “Coffee with StuComm” next year. During a StuComm Executive Board Debate last night, the five candidates present discussed the “face-to-face” and transparency initiatives they hope to put in place next year in their respective positions.
About 15 students and one faculty member attended the debate at 8p.m. in the Olmstead Room. Throughout the debate, Alex Werder, K’15, discussed his plans for the Secretary of Student Affairs position, Cameron Goodall, K’15 illustrated his outline for the Secretary of Finance post, and Bianca Rasho, K’13, considered the broad issues she hopes to combat as President with Vice President Darwin Rodriguez, K’13. The only contested position for next year is Secretary of Communications, with Katherine Stevenson, K’15, and Asia Morales, K’15, debating for the post.
During the debate, Stevenson, who has served on StuComm for two quarters, focused on continuing use of social media outlets to communicate with the student body. The Student Commission “really wants to secure social media outlets,” Stevens said, “We really want to interact with students.” She highlighted the social media initiatives StuComm has instituted this year and said she hopes to continue them next year.
“I agree with Kat about social media,” Morales said in her rebuttal, “but it really comes down to face-to-face communication.” Morales’ statements focused on her interactions with student organizations around campus. Morales said that she wants to “work more with groups on campus” and that, “people should know that StuComm is there for them.”
Near the end of their debate, Stevenson suggested that in-person communication is also an important part of her platform. “It’s important to use social media … but it’s also important to have conversation,” she said.
Healthy communication around campus was a highlight of every candidate’s platform throughout the debate. “My vision would be to make sure all [Student Organizations] are represented,” Werder said about the Student Affairs committee. Goodall agreed that StuComm should “be closer with the StuOrgs we’re managing,” he said.
The uncontested Presidential candidate, Rasho, said, “Transparency, efficiency, and teamwork” should be focal points of Student Commission next year. While she hopes to implement activities like “Coffee with StuComm” next year, she said she understands that she can’t tackle everything. “I’ve seen us in the past try to target too many goals,” she said, “It just doesn’t work as well as we want it to.”
The Student Commission elections will take place on Thursday from 9a.m to 9p.m online and in Hicks Center. The winners will be announced Thursday night or Friday morning.
