Candidates face off

Candidates for Student Government Association offices were allowed to state their platforms and express their opinions on why they should be elected in the SGA Debate.
The debate was held in the Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union on Tuesday April 9th. The evening began with a meet- the-candidates session at 5:30 which was followed by the debate, which started around 6 p.m.
The candidates who were running for Miss Southern University, class president, vice president and senators were each given an equal amount of time to introduce themselves to the crowd and explain their platforms.
“I’m going to keep it real and not waste your time with any extracurricular activities, I feel I’m a good candidate and I will represent my class right. So if you agree with me vote for me. If not vote for someone else,” said Fallon Hamilton a candidate for Miss Junior.
Of the six candidates running for Miss Southern, only one did not show up to the debate: Latwanya Traylor. Present at the debate was Destiny Brown, Latroya Foster, Berlisha Morton, Shadelia Thomas and Erica Walton.
“Miss SU should represent the university in many different arenas on and off campus. She should do more than just walk around the track at football games. If elected, I plan on doing community service projects and having education and mental health awareness forums,” said Foster.
“Miss SU should not only haveouter beauty but inner beauty as well,” said Thomas.
Avery Wilson, current SGA president announced, to the audience that three referendums would be included on the election ballot. The first is the changes to the Miss SU election process. The ballot proposes that a student vote be combined with a pageant score from professional judges to ensure that the winner of the Miss SU crown will be pageant ready if she decides to compete in the Miss HBCU pageant.
The other referendums on the ballot will be a five dollar increase in tuition for the Southern Digest so that it can be printed twice a week and in color. And also the Jaguar Yearbook is petitioning for an increase so they can update their equipment to improve the quality of pictures and to add more in the yearbook.
Also announced by Wilson is that Mary Sims, the current SGA Vice President, is now the Vice President-elect for the upcoming school year because she ran unopposed for that office. In a speech delivered by Sims, she urged students to “get ready for next year” and stated that bigger and better things are to come in the future, such as increasing community service and the addition of a legislative assistance.
Also running unopposed were Jonathan Goins for Men’s Federation President and Monica Bellard for the Association of Women Students Vice- President.
The only actual debating was between candidates running for SGA President and AWS President.
Edward “Ted” James and Steven Sumbler each took turns in attempting to persuade the voters to support them.
“My focus is to put the student back in the SGA and to keep concerns on the issues and leave the pettiness outside,” said James.
“The student body is calling out for a leader and I am the most qualified to lead,” said Sumbler.
In the debate between the candidates running for AWS president, Brandis Rawls and Tyquincia Wilford each made points that supported their claim of why they should hold the office.
“I was once told that if you can do a good job at something it will be a shame if you don’t do it. I plan to raise awareness, self-esteem, stress, self-defense and depression. To me the AWS is for us and we, not her and them,” said Rawls.
“The AWS is bigger than me and you. We need to work to keep uplifting the association,” said Wilford.
“I am a people person, I don’t expect people to come to the AWS office, I will come to you,” said Rawls.
“I believe I am the best candidate for the job, I will keep the AWS name high since we are the second largest student organization on campus,” said Wilford.
The feeling about the debate was that it was an overall success.
“The debate was pretty good. My ten-point plan will be developed throughout my term if elected. Some points are in action now,” said Sumbler.
“I was pleased that dirt was not slung during the debate, we stuck to the issues. I wish Steve the best of luck; he is a good guy,” said James.
“We stuck to the issues very well; I feel that you don’t have to be somebody to be anybody in AWS,” said Rawls.