Marquette Student Government presidential and executive vice presidential candidates debated in the Alumni Memorial Union ballrooms Sunday, offering their positions on student inclusivity, student organization funding and diversity, among other issues.
The three candidates are all active MUSG vice presidents. Executive Vice President Zach Bowman, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, appeared with his running mate Marguerite Biagi, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences. Legislative Vice President Kyle Whelton, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, was with his running mate Natalie Pinkney, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences. Programs Vice President Tyler Tucky, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, appeared with his running mate Rosie De Luca, a junior in the College of Business Administration.
During the debate, candidates spoke on issues like student participation on search committees, SOF and other financial policies, diversity and academic issues. The candidates held many of the same positions on major issues, including a belief that there should be a student on administrative search committees, and that there is a need for SOF process is in need of reform. The primary differences between the candidates’ platforms were in implementation of ideas, where the three tickets provided differing plans on how to approach reserve fund growth and how to reform SOF.
All the tickets shared differing view on the debate. Tucky and De Luca shared the details of their platform for the first time during the debate, allowing them to talk in specifics about how they would lead MUSG.
“I think it went really well,” Tucky said. “I think that we were able to preach our platform for the majority of it.”
Whelton and Pinkney also considered the debate was a success.
“I thought it was a really productive discussion,” Whelton said. “I think (the debate) is going to focus the students more on the issues.”
Bowman and Biagi shared a different perspective on the debate. Bowman said that he does not believe the debate will have a large affect on the outcome of the election.
“I believe the people in this room have already made their decision (on who to vote for),” Bowman said.
