Zach Kolodin ’07 and Adit Shah ’08, presidential candidates for the 2006-2007 Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA), squared off in a debate on Sunday afternoon in PAC 002.
Current WSA President Jesse Watson ’06 moderated the debate, asking the candidates questions about their leadership experiences, funding, dining, student of color issues, and other University issues and policies. The candidates had two minutes apiece to respond to each question, and one minute each to respond to the questions from audience members that followed.
Kolodin and Shah both emphasized the need for the WSA to represent student concerns and stand up to the administration throughout the debate, though the most heated moments came late in the debate, when Kolodin’s appointment to the WSA and Shah’s poor attendance at WSA meetings were called into question.
The debate began with the candidates talking about their experiences as leaders on campus.
Kolodin, a member of the Education Policy Committee (EPC) for two years and the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) this year, talked about the role of his group incorporating student input into the decision to hire Dean of the College Maria Cruz-Saco, as well other administrative decisions.
“I was a pretty strong advocate for getting double beds in senior houses,” Kolodin said. “[I also have] personal relationships with administrators, I know how to talk to them, and I know how to get what we need from them next year.”
Kolodin, who started his own campus photography group, also discussed his role in planning WesFest activities and getting student storage for next year.
Shah, the president of the South Asian club, Shakti, was also a member of the EPC. He discussed his frustration with the administration and the WSA, emphasizing his desire to “bring the WSA back to the student body.”
“As WSA President, I’m looking to enact real change in the student government,” Shah said. “The majority of the campus does not know what the WSA does.”
The candidates then discussed student advising.
“The biggest problem we tried to tackle was advising on campus,” Shah said. “I was paired with an advisor who had no idea what basic curricular requirements were […] I felt, as a freshman, that I had fallen through the cracks.”
Shah suggested monetary compensation for student advisors, as well as advisor evaluations from advisees.
“We’ve done a lot of things to address [advising] this year,” Kolodin said. “[Advisors] are actually dealing with less students at once.”
Kolodin also discussed the ongoing effort of the WSA to implement a program in which students advise each other.
The next question involved dining.
“We need to take advantage of what the new University center provides for us, and be committed to giving students choice,” Kolodin said. “The only healthy options we have right now are Vegan Café and Kosher Kitchen. We need to offer better-tasting and healthier options.”
“We need to make [the new University center] a place where there are enough places to sit down [and there can be] connections between faculty and students,” Shah said.
Shah expressed that late night dining and breakfast options need to become available to freshmen.
Both candidates agreed that more fundraising needs to be done. Shah pointed out that trustees should be giving more money to the school, and Kolodin added that the Student Budgetary Committee (SBC) should not have its power taken away by the administration, as in the recent case of the decision to change the spring fling performers.
Kolodin and Shah both expressed concern about student of color issues. Kolodin expressed the need to empower the Dean of Diversity advisory committee, as well as the need to make people aware of existing problems like racist graffiti.
“As a student of color, I understand that not enough has been done by the WSA to address issues facing students of color on campus,” Shah said. “The amount of dialogue [about these issues] going on in WSA meetings needs to increase.”
The final question from Watson involved the University’s financial plan. Both candidates supported the long-term financial plan, in which cuts would be less drastic and less noticeable to students.
Members of the audience, which consisted of approximately 25 students, most of whom were members of the WSA, were then allowed to ask the candidates questions, which were critical at times.
Kolodin was criticized because he was appointed to his position on the WSA this year, rather than elected. An audience member specifically implied that he was appointed because he is a white male CSS major.
“Freshmen and sophomore year I was elected, but I wasn’t in that position this year because I was abroad,” Kolodin said. “I’m not asking to be anointed, I’m asking to be elected.”
Shah’s motivation for running was questioned, based on his poor attendance record as a member of the WSA and the fact that his attendance this year was poor enough to warrant impeachment proceedings.
“I resigned,” Shah said. “The reason why was because of this inner frustration I had. I felt the WSA wasn’t accurately representing the student body or even WSA members […] I feel like, as president, I wouldn’t want that frustration to be felt by anyone […] It wasn’t best way to approach it, what I did.”
An audience member also mentioned that Shah was fired as a Resident Advisor earlier in the year, but Shah said that he does not hold a grudge against the office of Residential Life. He took full responsibility for the incident and said that it would not affect his abilities as president.
Shah also mentioned that he wants to change and improve the system of the WSA. He suggested more publicized office hours for the president and a close relationship with the Argus, both of which a WSA member in the audience said were already in existence.
“I’m sure we can think of other things, if we make this a goal,” Shah said.
Another question concerned each candidate’s experiences with administrators.
“I met with Bennet freshmen year and [we have] developed a working relationship since then,” Kolodin said. “[We] managed to get a lot of student input in [the hiring of Dean Cruz-Saco]. The administration respects me enough to listen to me, and I’ve been able to take strong stances.”
Shah, a science major, discussed his working relationship with Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Joseph Bruno, and said that he has spoken to Bennet about student issues during his open house.
“[Being the WSA president] is more than having a relationship with administration,” Shah said. “[The WSA president] should be a strong leader who stands up and won’t back down when trustees push some issues to the side.”
The candidates were asked if there were any major issues on which they disagreed, but there was little disagreement. Both candidates also said that they would run for an at-large bid if they were to lose the presidential election.
“Our biggest resource is motivation,” Kolodin said. “People now on the WSA need to stay next year and share knowledge and experiences.”
After the debate, Watson discussed his experience as WSA president.
“Most of the time [the WSA president is] involved with the behind-the-scenes negotiating with students, staff, and faculty,” Watson said. “You have to know the issues when they come up. You have to have experience in order to answer questions and know how things work. It’s also important to be able to maintain a kind of credibility at some level.”
Watson was disappointed, though not surprised, by the low attendance at the debate.
“It tends to be like that,” he said about the low attendance. “Hopefully people here will talk about it with the students at large.”
Members of the WSA have varying opinions about the presidential candidates.
“Adit has a completely different perspective from anyone currently on the WSA,” said Katie Kalafus ’09. “I support him as a candidate because he will bring something completely new to the WSA, which is exactly what it needs.”
“Though he showed a strong interest in educational issues, Adit had serious problems with commitment and attendance,” said one member of the EPC, who wished to remain anonymous. “Last year there was talk of impeaching him due to poor attendance, but he improved his record during the second semester. However, this fall semester he again began missing meetings, which contributed to his lack of productivity as a WSA member. Adit was a friendly, engaging member of the WSA, but his record does not qualify him to be president.”
Elections for the 2006-2007 WSA president, vice president, and class representatives will run from midnight tonight until midnight on Sunday night. To vote, go to www.wesleyan.edu/wsa/voting.