Marion Kimble
Student government candidates were given a chance to duke it out April 8, in what may have been the Associated Students Organization’s largest election forum in recent years.Speeches were delivered by 10 candidates to a crowd of about 50 students in the new Student-Community Center, which was opened just for the event, even though its development is not quite finished.Presidential candidates Skyler Grant and Christian Marfil presented their platforms during their speech time.In summary, Marfil’s theme is “awareness.””Not just small local awareness on campus, but worldwide awareness,” Marfil said.Some points he touched on were bus prices and recycling.For passes, Marfil plans to fight to bring prices down from $30 a month to $10 a month.”I don’t want to make them free,” he stressed. “Money has to come from somewhere.”His recycling plan is to create a system focused on minimizing paper waste on the part of instructors and administrators.”I want to start a system of paper recycling just for the teachers,” Marfil said. “It would show I’m not just for the students, but for the campus.”Grant’s theme was “hard work.””The amount you get out of it is about how much you put in,” Grant said.Points of focus for Grant involve student unity and involvement in campus activities. He has plans to look into the budget and create a new plan, start an ASO rush to recruit more students into the ASO and start an online forum to give students a place to voice their concerns, as well as having set office hours.Presidential candidates Sallay Manah and Adam Wade were not present, nor was Babak Zaker Sharak, a candidate for student trustee.”It’s kind of disappointing,” said Tessa Moss, current ASO president. “It really shows their dedication and time management skills.””They have known about this for a month and a half,” Moss continued. “If they couldn’t make time for this, then how are they going to make time for the important things?”Overall, the ASO viewed the event as a success.”It was better than ever before,” Moss said. “The last one we had, there was only one person in the audience.”The claims were supported by Lara Kalaidjian, ASO vice president.”Just from talking to people, I hear that the speeches have changed their minds about who they are going to vote for,” Kalaidjian said.