People listen during last year’s ASB debate at The University of Mississippi Overby Center on Feb. 13, 2014. DM Photo | Thomas Graning
As candidates and their supporters hand out stickers and flyers and exchange platform ideas, some candidates see the debate cancellation due to weather as a disadvantage to their campaigns.
Due to inclement weather and a campus-wide closure, the Associated Student Body debate, originally scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Emma Jennings, who is running for attorney general, said she understood no one can control the weather and that canceling the debate was probably safest, but was disappointed the debate was cancelled and not rescheduled.
“I don’t think it’s fair for me or any other candidate to be able to run an ASB campaign without having to defend our own platforms and ideas,” Jennings said. “I think it’s important for us to know our platforms backwards and forwards, and the debate cancelation prevented us from showing how strongly we feel about our ideas.”
Jennings’ opponent Loden Walker said university officials and Attorney General Kelly Savage made the right decision with canceling the debate due to inclement weather, but wished he was able to speak to the student body.
“I’m disappointed I didn’t have the opportunity to speak to the students in an actual debate,” Walker said. “Thankfully we have found other means, such as social media to reach out to all students.”
Savage said it is important for students to engage with each other in debate as it gives students a chance to hear why the candidates are running for that position.
“I was disappointed,” Savage said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for students to hear more about the candidates than just their sticker color or them being funny in a video.”
There are many people involved in scheduling the debate, including reserving a spot in the Overby Center, contacting the physical plant for a podium and other utilities and coordinating with the candidates and the public, according to Savage.
“When I reached out to the Dean of Students office to see what we could do, they said it was an absolute impossibility to hold the debate that night,” Savage said. “We weren’t really given another option.”
With the cancellation of classes Thursday, there was not time to reschedule for Friday because campus offices were closed.
After speaking to some candidates, many of them were using Monday to walk greek houses and meet with other organizations. This made rescheduling Monday another conflict for the candidates, according to Savage.
Savage said the voting day itself could not be rescheduled because voting can only take place on a Tuesday or Thursday, and this Thursday is too close to spring break. Also, the newly elected members of ASB attend a conference the week after spring break.
The cancellation of the debate was a challenge for both the candidates and those organizing elections, according to Savage.
“My wishes would have been to reschedule,” Savage said. “I deeply regret it, but it was something that was unfortunately out of my control.”
