By snoadmin
The Daily 49er hosted a debate on Tuesday that showcased the 2011 Associated Students Inc. executive candidates and their stances on auxiliary organization transparency, executive pay and student government experience.
Opposing candidates squared off against one another, answering questions from the Daily 49er editor in chief Alexandra Baird, and rebutting each other’s responses. Baird served as the moderator for the event.
Candidates had three minutes to answer each question, after which the opposing candidate had a chance to either rebut the answer or come up with one of their own.
One consistent question asked candidates to respond to a recent petition to recall the current ASI executives because of high pay, while another asked if they supported recent statewide financial transparency bills that would affect ASI.
“I think students don’t understand the way ASI works,” treasurer candidate and secretary of system-wide affairs Justin Lawson said, explaining executive compensation. “If I were an executive this year, one of my main focuses would be communication.”
Vice presidential candidate Stephen Thomas offered a message to students regarding the controversial petition.
“Make sure you know what you’re signing and that you support that,” Thomas said, after referring to a scenario in which students told him they were approached by an individual who rushed them to sign the recall petition.
Most of the executive candidates agreed that their positions were demanding and deserved the current level of compensation.
“I urge [students] to understand that this is a job,” vice presidential candidate Melissa Molina said. “A lot of work gets put into this.”
Presidential candidate Alyssa Gelinas said that she would work hard to earn the more than $20,000 ASI executives receive in compensation.
“If I become president, I’m going to work my ass off for that paycheck,” Gelinas said.
Some executive candidates said that they have gone above and beyond what is required.
Treasurer candidate and ASI senator Michael Quibuyen pointed out that executives are spending 35-40 hours working per week.
Presidential candidate and current ASI vice president Lucy Nguyen seemed to agree.
“Right now, I work 30-50 hours easy,” Nguyen said. “The requirement is 25.”
Another heated issue presented in the debate was ASI’s policy on transparency and the student government’s rejection of Senate Bill 8, which would require auxiliary organizations like ASI to comply with the California Public Records Act.
“I am a supporter of transparency,” Quibuyen said. “However, the bill that was presented was somewhat ambiguous.”
Quibuyen’s opponent Lawson echoed his concern.
“I oppose the bill as it is written,” Lawson said. “With the impact of this bill in its current state, I can’t support it.”
Despite their opposition to the bill itself, candidates agreed that ASI supports the idea of transparency.
“In theory, we need absolutely the most transparency,” Gelinas said. “We’re in a budget crisis.”
Nguyen, a current ASI executive, stressed the student leaders’ view.
“I want to make it clear that [ASI is] not against transparency,” Nguyen said.
The debate culminated by pitting the two presidential candidates against each other. One question asked if student government experience was essential to an executive office position.
Gelinas, a freshman, insisted that “of course” she did not think government experience was “essential” while Nguyen touted it as one of her chief assets.
“Obviously I don’t think [experience is] necessary,” Gelinas said. “You have to be one of the students. You have to experience with the students.”
Nguyen held an opposing view.
“I would have to disagree with Alyssa,” Nguyen said. “But I admire her ambition. Personally, I think that this position requires a lot of background knowledge.”
Gelinas criticized the current executive office, saying that it did not accurately reflect its student constituency.
“I think the government here needs to be better representing the student body,” Gelinas said. “You’re one of the students. You represent them. You play the governance role, but the other half is you’re still a student.”
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