Spring Break
Forum for A.S. candidates draws sparse crowd
Daniel A. Miranda / Daily Staff
Associated Studentes candidates for director of community affairs Kelly Sherman speaks to students during a candidate forum Monday a
Associated Studentes candidates for director of community affairs Kelly Sherman speaks to students during a candidate forum Monday a
Michelle Ochoa
Daily Staff Writer
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"I think the turnout is always the same every year," said Melissa deVivar, elections officer I for the Election Board. "It's always difficult to get the campus involved."
Despite Monday's low turnout, deVivar thought the event was a good start for the rest of the week. She said that more students usually turn out for each proceeding event.
The Election Board worked to advertise the event by putting up tents outside the office of Student Life and Leadership as well as by posting fliers in campus buildings and residence halls, deVivar said.
According to deVivar, new advertising strategies this year included talking to students by the amphitheater and the tents.
The board also encouraged candidates to tell their friends and other students about the forum, deVivar said.
The forum began with each candidate who attended speaking for two minutes, followed by a Q-and-A session.
Not all of the candidates running for offices attended.
Two of the three candidates for president came to speak.
Spartan Party presidential candidate Rachel Greathouse gave a list of her previous leadership involvements that included being the current controller for Associated Students. She said she hopes to establish a president's council for student organizations, a lobby against fee increases and support of Division I-A athletics as well as to work toward more campus pride and student activities.
Huy Tran, presidential candidate with the Independent Party was also in attendance. Tran is currently the A.S. director for governing affairs.
Tran advocated change at San Jose State University. He said he believes there are not enough student voices in the presidential search committee and not enough effort is being made to lobby against fee increases and the loss of programs at SJSU.
Other California State University schools are more active in this matter, Tran said.
The third presidential candidate, Jassim Ubaid, did not attend the forum.
Also in attendance was Pearl Yuan, who is running unopposed for vice president.
Other candidates at the forum included: Heather Cooper, running unopposed for director of campus climate affairs; Tony Chung, for director of communications; Kelly Sherman, running unopposed for director of community affairs; Rodney Blaco, for director of extracurricular affairs; Sean Bashaw, also running for director of extracurricular affairs; Sara Stillman, for director of faculty affairs; Mike Nguyen, for director of legislative affairs; Terry Vien, running unopposed for director of student fee affairs; and John Lombardo, running unopposed for director of student resource affairs.
During the Q-and-A session, only one audience member raised an issue.
Graduate student James Rowan asked whether candidates should focus more on issues such as the governor's proposed enrollment cap and parking issues stemming from construction of the new civic center rather than partisanship involvement.
Rowan mentioned the fact that certain party members added a cheer for their party at the end of their speeches.
A few candidates chose to respond to this question, including Chung, a Spartan Party candidate.
Chung said he believes partisanship is useful because the Spartan Party has many students from different majors who all sit down ahead of time and discuss what platform they want to pursue for the elections.
Tran, an Independent Party candidate, said partisanship is a big deal because parties are about power and not student needs.
According to the A.S. voter information guide, the Independent Party shares no official party platform but has opted to form a partisanship to utilize the benefits that the Election Regulation Manual gives to parties.
Other election events this week include a candidate debate today in the Student Union's Umunhum room at noon and a chance to meet the candidates in the Art building's quad at noon on Wednesday.
