Student Assembly presidential candidates Josh Green '00 and Daniel Rygorsky '99 and vice presidential candidate Case Dorkey '99 debated last night in Collis Common Ground, despite the absence of one vice presidential and one presidential candidate and paltry student attendance.
Presidential candidate Dan Powell '00 and vice presidential candidate Rob Auten '00 did not participate in the debate. Auten was in class at the time of the evening debate, but in a BlitzMail message he called for a second forum to address issues raised by his platform and those of the other candidates.
The debate came on the day of the official announcement of candidates, and elections will be held next Wednesday and Thursday.
In years past, about a month was allotted for candidates to campaign and debate, but the Election Advisory Committee decided this year to limit the campaign period, citing candidate exhaustion in the past as one reason.
The small audience turnout last night, which followed an hour-long candidate fair, was mentioned by both presidential candidates as something they would work to remedy should they be elected by increasing student interest in the Assembly.
Rygorsky said he will seek to raise awareness of and involvement in the Assembly by making it more of a "student service organization" that would lobby for dorm room cable and more student parking.
"The main purpose of the Assembly is to make day-to-day student life better on campus," he said.
Green said that, in addition to working on "tangible student service projects" like a new student center or a course evaluation guide for students, the Assembly should be willing to tackle "big issues," including race at the College.
The Assembly "has to matter," Green said. "As it tackles tougher and tougher issues in and outside the Greek system, [The Assembly] will get more and more people who care."
Both candidates addressed the appointment of Provost Jim Wright as the next College president and the challenges and opportunities a new president and new administrators will bring to the College and to the Assembly.
Rygorsky said he was worried about what position Wright may take on the Greek system, and said that, as Assembly president, he would want to "serve as a protector" of the system.
He also stressed his willingness to fight for the student opinion and agenda should they differ from the administration's.
"You're always going to know where I'm coming from," he said.
Green called the new administration "an incredible opportunity," and said that in the next year the Assembly has to be ready to accurately represent the interests of the student body.
"Next year is unique," Green said. "It's as big a year as it gets."
Dorkey also said the administrative turnover and the election were good chances to bring up student issues important to him, including using the abandoned Hovey Grill space and instituting a longer reading period before final exams.
In addition, Dorkey said he hopes to raise Assembly respect among the student body.
"The [Assembly] has fallen short in making students believe in us," he said.
Dorkey said he chose to run for vice president after three years of Assembly service because the job of dealing with Assembly membership and internal affairs appeals to him.
"I have a theory about holding the minimum position possible to achieve my goals," Dorkey said. "As you get higher up sometimes you lose flexibility, but you need a title sometimes to get things done."
Green and Rygorsky both said they think they each would bring enthusiasm and experience to the office of president.
Green, who has served as an executive on three Assembly committees, including this year's Visions committee, called his "enthusiasm" both his biggest asset and challenge.
"With Visions, I've seen people get enthusiastic about something I'm enthusiastic about," he said. "It doesn't get any more exciting than that."
An at-large representative since his freshman year, Rygorsky touted his "people" skills the biggest asset to his candidacy. "People are not afraid to come and talk to me," he said.
Rygorsky said that, if elected, he will use his people skills to improve communications between new members and Assembly executives and between the Assembly and the College community.
All three candidates stressed the need for more publicity of Assembly activities, whether through mass BlitzMail updates or cluster conversations with representatives.
