<sday night, the loudspeakers crackled on, and the CSA debate began.
A crowd of about 30, composed almost solely of CSA Representatives, Senators, and Executives, huddled around the makeshift stage in Sayles’ northwest corner.
Executive position candidates spoke primarily about two topics; transparency of the CSA’s complex funding process and diverse representation for a diverse student body. Marielle Foster and Sam Hinh, the only candidates for the CSA presidency, set off the evening.
Foster takes a rare approach to the topic, forefronting socioeconomic diversity, which she calls “one of the most overlooked and least diverse aspects of our campus” in her online platform.
Foster spoke eloquently, comfortable behind the microphone. Her experience as CSA Vice President, Foster said, gives her “a good picture of what things we can fix and what things are working really well.”
Foster did not discuss her proposal of monetary compensation for CSA executive positions.
Hinh’s platform centers around the fresh approach he’d bring to the CSA. “Being an outsider, it gives me a little bit of an advantage.” Hinh said in an interview.
Hinh proposed anonymous polling, so that students could voice their opinions on CSA measures “without judgement.”
Hinh elaborated on the goal of the plan in an interview Thursday night. “I think we have to go out there and get their opinions, rather than [students] giving them to us.”
Running for CSA Vice President, Nayely Martinez cited her position as Chair of the CSA Senate Forum on Diversity and Inclusion as an advantage, allowing her to be familiar with ongoing CSA projects.
Adam Canady, her opponent for the position, referenced his experience trying to receive Dev-X funding as informing his aim for more fluidity and transparency in the CSA Budget Committee.
Candidates for upperclass-person representatives made themselves scarce; one was at a physics conference in California, another, as Giles let slip, was studying for Price Theory. Sabastian Mugazambi ‘17 campaigned for both himself and Josh Pitkofsky, promoting better WiFi and better student disability services. Mugazambi’s online platform contains, perhaps ironically, reference to reopening the tunnels.
The Class of 2018 Representatives debate took a far more dramatic reform. Suit-and-tie candidate Seth Harris, is running on a campaign for increased printer access and electronic add/drop cards, while Luigi Trenti-Paroli broke into an excited demand for a small business incubator at Carleton. The sole female candidate for 2018 Representative, Carly Dunn, proposed weekend SHAC hours in a very down to earth demeanor.
Sharaka Berry, favored by Carleton’s Organization of Radicals and Leftists, elaborated on the class of 2018 debates. “Because we’re freshmen we’re a little wet behind the ears, a little new to CSA.” said Berry in an interview Thursday night. “The thing about the 2018 debate was that it was a little more lively, which I wish we had seen in the earlier debates. It got to the point where it sounded like they were all repeat- ing the same ideas; diversity, some transparency…
“When I talk about diversity,” Berry said, “I’m saying it’s one thing to have diversity, but you have to have diffusion of it.” Berry proposes more events that encourage students of different cultures to interact with one another.
While the crowd was sparse, a few spectators looked on. Archibald Fraser ‘18 attended the event on purpose. “I was not going to just vote for my friends,” said Archie. “I wanted to what [the candidates] are interested in.”
While the CSA debates espoused greater transparency and involvement with the general student body, the polls will show how involved students want to be. Last winter, about 55% of the student body voted in the CSA election.
The polls opened Thursday night and will remain open until Sunday.
