Spring Break
Candidate crossfire paces A.S. election
One more chance for public gathering
John Hornberg
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: News
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The dominant issues debated by candidates Tuesday ranged from student involvement to school spirit to tuition increases.
Both presidential candidates were asked to address the tuition increases set for the next year. Ann Grabowski said the fee increases would obliterate affordable education. Her platform focuses on student advocacy and encouraging students to have their voices heard in regular forums by A.S.
William Vosa Cavu-Litman, Grabowski's opponent, said uniting students across the California State University system is key to addressing the tuition problems.
"A.S. is here for all 32,000 students," he said. "Not just the 15 students on the board."
Azra Crnogorcevic, one of three candidates for director of communications, spoke of targeting freshmen orientation as a way of informing students of the organization and what it does for them.
"We have these programs, but we haven't been getting them to the students," she told students at the organization's forum.
Jessica Phan, who is also running for director of communications, agreed with her competitor's assertion but also said that targeting transfer students as well would help grow student's knowledge of A.S.
Cavu-Litman spent a considerable portion of his speaking time talking about student involvement. He said students might complain instead of taking action.
"Complaining does nothing but point fingers," he said.
Grabowski focused her plan on students advocating for students and working toward establishing a place for people with concerns to voice them.
"We don't have programs that ask the students what they want," she said. "If we don't hear it, we can't respond to it."
Giving students a larger voice on campus was also a key issue for the candidates. Several of them provided plans for getting student comments and feedback on the organization's plans, events and policies.
Sarah Bronstein, the lone candidate for director of community and environmental affairs, talked about plans for an anonymous survey system for student opinions via e-mail.
"They don't have to necessarily stand up," she said. "Some people might not feel comfortable voicing their concerns."
Other candidates also gave their input on how to increase student interest and involvement.
"The beginning is assessing what people want," said Tobi Richards, who is running uncontested for director of programming affairs. She also agreed with Grabowski's plans for student forums to voice opinions and concerns.
Albert Hsieh, the lone candidate for A.S. vice president, talked of the problems with student involvement impacting A.S.
"Our student-at-larges have been dropping out to the point where we can't even meet quorum," he said, commenting that part of his plan is to change the ideals for students serving on committees.
Hsieh also spoke of the problems with student involvement and the need to increase collaboration between student organizations, such as fraternities and clubs.
"The tone I want to set is one of collaboration and cohesion," he said.
School spirit was a key topic for both presidential candidates. Both candidates spoke about the need for traditions on campus and the strides made in spirit since the Sigma Phi fraternity established the student spirit team, the Spartan Squad, in 2005.
"They were giving away Hummers in 2005 and still couldn't get 10,000 people in the stands," Grabowski said.
Cavu-Litman added: "We need our own traditions."
Most of the candidates were present for the debate, but five seats - all for now-uncontested positions - were empty. Some were not present because of prior classroom commitments, chief election officer Alex Antazo said.
Candidates, Grabowski said, need to remember that they are students first.
"Student government and service to the students comes second," she said.
One student, though, was disappointed that he wasn't able to hear what all of the candidates had to say.
"I'm kind of disappointed that not all of them showed up, I'd like to hear all of their views," said Kris Adams, a freshman public relations major.
Adams said he was satisfied with the answers given at the forum but that he found out about it only because of his friendship with one of the candidates.
It was also revealed by Antazo that Steve Zeier, the current A.S. director of faculty affairs and a candidate for controller, dropped out of the race, reducing the number of contested races in next Tuesday and Wednesday's election to two.
Voting will open Tuesday, April 15, in front of the Student Union, in front of the Event Center and online through my.sjsu.edu. Polling places will open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. on April 15 and 16. Online polls will open at 10 a.m. Tuesday, and will close at 8 a.m. Thursday, April 17. Results are expected that Thursday around noon, Antazo said.
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