Suited For Office

The presidential candidates bit the bullet -- bullets of sweat, that is -- as they were faced with students' questions at the final presidential debate on Tuesday.


Jonathan Hemingway was dressed as before in a kilt but matched Duke Di Stefano with a tie and a dress coat.

Each question Associated Students of Utah State University President Celestial Bybee and members of the audience asked forced the candidates to get specific and proved whether or not they did their homework.

Concerning Di Stefano's platform, Bybee asked how he intends to keep students informed about issues facing ASUSU.

He said he plans to utilize the Student Relations Table to get input from the students and form a diverse President's Cabinet Advisory Council.

"I think it's important to make sure students know what issues are on the table. A lot of times the students don't know what's happening with the council," Di Stefano said.

Bybee asked Hemingway whether he thinks students would want to pay an increase in fees to get quilted toilet paper in the bathrooms on campus.

"No, I don't think students would want their fees increased for quilted toilet paper. It's quilted toilet paper. I think the far more important part of my platform is the cost of textbooks," Hemingway said.

He said he wants to lower the cost of textbooks and improve the USU Online Book Exchange.

However, ASUSU Activities Vice President Lindsay Lyman informed him that the Executive Council is already in the process of approving a new online book exchange for next year.

When the candidates were asked how they could represent the student voice, neither of the them were aware that the student body president is a trustee member and has a vote on the board.

During a typical day as president, Bybee asked what the candidates would do, how they plan to manage their time and what they would have to sacrifice.

Hemingway said, "Honestly, I have no idea. I would assume your main responsibility is it's your job to influence people by making decisions and reflect the student body."

He said he would have to sacrifice his social life in order to fulfill his position as president.

"The thing you have to always keep in mind is you've been elected by the students and you have to be the students' voice," he said.

Di Stefano emphasized weighing what is important and what isn't.

"It's definitely going to take a lot of time. One step I'm already making is quitting the job I have right now so I can be here with the students," he said. "It's all about balance. It's doing what is supposed to be done, when you're supposed to be there."

As for ways to making students realize that ASUSU is a legitimate part of the university, Di Stefano said it's all about increasing awareness to the students about what is going on.

Hemingway said he would walk around campus and ask students about certain issues.

"The hardest thing is ASUSU is pretty far removed from the students," he said. "I would like to have a personal relationship with as many students as I can."

A member of the audience asked what the candidates would do if the president had to decide which program he would cut to help with budget cuts.

Di Stefano said instead of cutting a specific program from the university, he would try to combine other colleges to save money.

"As a student representative, the important thing to do would be to look at other options, instead of losing the academic integrity at the university," he said.

Hemingway did not agree with Di Stefano that specific programs should be cut. Instead, he said fund-raisers would make up for lost funding.

"I'm a big believer that most programs should have the capacity to support themselves," he said.

Martine Celestin, a junior majoring in social work, asked Hemingway why he thinks someone would vote for him.

"I felt you made a joke of the elections and are playing with our emotions. How do you get someone like me to vote for you?" she said.

Hemingway said he tried to take a different approach in running for office.

"You can have a joke with things and also realize when things are serious and when they're not," he said.

With about 30 students in attendance, Ashlee Cutler, a senior majoring in public relations, said she felt there should have been more students there.

"To see such a lack of student attendance is really frustrating. They complain about ASUSU, but they're not willing to attend," she said. "I think the candidates were very well-spoken and had good ideas."

Laura Smith, a sophomore majoring in nursing, said she felt the same way.

"It's good to know this kind of stuff. These guys are important," she said.


By Marie MacKay; mmackay@cc.usu.edu
Photos by John Zsiray