Spectators listen during the ASB presidential debate at the Overby Center Thursday. Photo: Thomas Graning, The Daily Mississippian.
Opening with a call to remember the Creed of the university, Associated Student Body candidates addressed students Thursday night in the Overby Auditorium.
Vice presidential candidate Emerson George, treasurer candidate Madison White, secretary candidate Heather Neilson and judicial chair candidate Jared Akers presented their hopes for the coming year before a formal series of debates between attorney general and presidential candidates.
Attorney general candidates Kelly Savage and Ryan Schmelz expressed a common interest in making election procedures more efficient and effective in guiding the student body.
When asked if he could identify problems within the current ASB Constitution and Code, however, Schmelz responded, “No.”
Savage said she wants to ensure easy access to current documents.
“While we strive to update, revise, and improve the Constitution and Code — and I know that is the job of the attorney general — I actually had a problem as a candidate making sure that I had all of my i’s dotted and t’s crossed, in that the updated Constitution and Code cannot be found in the (J.D. Williams) Library,” Savage said. “The code (in the library) was actually dated back to 2009, which in my opinion is unacceptable. The constitution is not able to be found online as far as continual updating is concerned.”
Schmelz said that his first course of action as attorney general would be to make critical information accessible online, alongside the promotion of a position of Homecoming King.
“I think that the Mr. Ole Miss race this year was completely overwhelming with too many candidates running,” Schmelz said. “I think that if we had another personality, it would improve voter turnout, would provide more opportunity, and would be a lot more fun.”
ASB presidential candidates Jessica Brouckaert, Channing Lansdell and Davis Rogers spoke of their hopes to increase student involvement through their individual platforms.
Brouckaert said she would work to improve disability services through the addition of a golf cart ride program for injured students, continue the traditions of Creed Week and Everybody’s Tent, promote the Landshark as a unifying symbol and work to provide students with both an anonymous forum on the Ole Miss website to discuss issues on campus and free Blue Books during examinations.
Brouckaert said she hopes to continue serving the university as ASB president.
“I love Ole Miss, and when I started this campaign, I decided I was going to run it out of love for this university and for her students,” Brouckaert said. “And, that is why I want to make the university the best it can be.”
Lansdell hopes to involve students in solving issues on campus, to expand wireless connectivity across all of campus, and to extend visitation hours to 2 a.m. every night in campus residence halls.
Lansdell emphasized that his campaign is one of personal connections.
“I want to make sure that every student has a voice in administration, to make sure that their individual concerns and voices are heard,” Lansdell said.
Rogers summarized his platform as one of involvement through a proposed Rebel Day gathering of organizations and the student body in the Grove, promotion of Rebel Alerts for parking ticket notifications and resurrection of Rebel Ride.
Rogers saidhis interest in students as individuals has encouraged him to seek office.
“You. You as students, you as people, you as members of this Ole Miss family — that is why I am running,” Rogers said. “I want to change the perception of this University, end discrimination,and unite us as Ole Miss Rebels.”
Sophomore election commissioner Branden Carter said he was pleased with the evening.
“I was pleased with the questions — they were better than they have been in the past,” Carter said. “Students actually knew when to participate, we could hear the candidates, and each candidate touched on unique platform issues.”
Sophomore exercise science major Rachel Roberts said she attended to learn about the platforms of each candidate.
“I thought that all three of the presidential candidates had very good platforms, but that they had some ideas that may not be totally feasible,” Roberts said. “I came so that when I voted, I would not be doing so in ignorance.”
Freshman undecided major Ariel Onstott said she attended because of her interest in student government.
“I came because I care about ASB, and about government on campus because you have to make your voice heard,” Ostott said. “But, in order to make your voice heard, you have to be involved. That’s why I came — I wanted to learn so that I could make a decision about who I will be voting for.”
Current members of the ASB Cabinet assisted in the preparations of the event. Cabinet member Stewart Pirani organized the debate moderated by Adam Ganacheau of The Daily Mississippian, and Brittani Acuff kept official time.
— Grant Beebe
beebe.thedm@gmail.com
