If anything was missing from last night's debate between Student Assembly presidential and vice presidential candidates, it was actual debate.
Before a crowd of 50 in the Collis Cafe, presidential candidates Frode Eilertsen '99, Scott Jacobs '99 and Unai Montes-Irueste '98 and vice presidential candidates Dave Altman '99 and Nahoko Kawakyu '99 answered questions from moderator Sophie Delano '98 and audience members.
The candidates so often agreed with each other that halfway through the debate one audience member asked the candidates to explain how they are different.
In their opening statements, all three presidential candidates borrowed pages from the Jon Heavey '97 campaign book -- at last year's debate Heavey left his seat to sit on the edge of the stage.
Eilertsen stood up from his chair at the table, saying he was "restless," Jacobs set his microphone on the floor, saying he did not need it and Montes-Irueste read a prepared opening statement and lamented that he was not allowed to use the podium.
Eilertsen said that his platform calls for the Assembly to distribute information to students, represent the entire student body and "define a vision for Dartmouth in the next 10 years."
Jacobs said little in his opening remarks, stating that the debate and his campaign were about the questions and issues that interest the student body.
Montes-Irueste said he would either make the Assembly an integral part of the College next year or dissolve it -- stating that the College should not be able to act without consulting the Assembly.
Many of the audience's questions sprung from recent discussion of apathy among the Class of 1998 -- no students names will appear on the ballot for the 1998 Class Council.
The three candidates agreed that there is not a lack of interest in student issues, but that many students do not see the Assembly as responding to the issues they find important.
Asked to explain what the Assembly does well and some ways it falls short, Eilertsen and Jacobs said it is good that administrators are interested in what the Assembly thinks, but the relationship between them needs to be stronger and more formalized. Montes-Irueste also said the College's interest is positive, but he said it is negative that the College could function without the Student Assembly.
Reaction to the debate was mixed.
"I still don't know how the hell they think they'll represent all the students. They need to show that to me and everyone else. They need to do it to get elected, and they need to do it to be effective," said Chris Swift '98, the current Assembly vice president.
The only issue that raised debate last night came from a question about affinity housing for gay and lesbian students.
Jacobs and Montes-Irueste said they support the idea. Eilertsen said he is unsure special housing should be given for "alternative lifestyles," but if elected Assembly president, he will support the opinion of the student body. He said special affinity housing could fragment the campus.
"I found Frode's answer very offensive," said Jennifer Dziura '00, a member of the Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance. She said she will vote for another candidate
Matthew Benedetto '00, on the other hand, said he supported Eilertsen after the debate but was undecided about the vice presidential race.
Altman said he is in the race as both an outsider who "didn't think there was much [the Assembly] could promise" in his freshman year and an insider who served on the Assembly's Membership and Internal Affairs Committee.
Kawakyu's opening remarks were riddled with silent gaps, as she told the audience she does not have much Assembly experience but has a lot of experience working with people.
Kathy Kim '00 and Ben Oren '00, who entered the race for president and vice president yesterday, did not participate in the debate but were present in the audience.
