The WSA presidential debate held Sunday night gave candidates Arijit Sen ’07 and Jesse Watson ’06 an opportunity to clarify their positions on topics ranging from gender-neutral housing to dining services. While Sen emphasized more WSA accessibility among students and administrative accountability, Watson advocated a new WSA executive committee and extended shuttle service to Middletown bars.
Each candidate gave a two-minute opening statement, fielded questions from current WSA President Emily Polak ’05 and audience members, received one minute to answer each question, and then gave a closing remark.
Sen discussed the WSA’s internal structure and outreach his opening statement.
“The assembly takes place in the larger structure of Wesleyan,” he said. “People feel like they aren’t part of the decision making process. We need to open the WSA to more student input.”
Watson’s opening statement addressed the possibilities of implementing a new executive committee within the WSA, the need for a multicultural dean, and improving the campus shuttle service by extending its route to the bars in Middletown.
Polak acted as moderator, explaining the rules, asking preliminary questions, and fielding questions from the audience. Her questions focused on the WSA’s mission to increase transparency and accountability within the Administration.
Sen called for more student participation and the need for “informed dissent.”
Watson remarked that it was important to solicit information from students more directly by increasing the amount of forums and surveys the WSA initiates.
One audience member asked the candidates what they would do to make WSA meetings more efficient so that they would attract more students.
“My strategy is for the Executive Committee to suggest time limits on agenda items at the beginning of each meeting,” Watson said.
He also indicated his distress at members resigning and over the low numbers of candidates. This year there is only one candidate for senior representative, four for junior, and eight for sophomore.
Sen disagreed with Watson’s idea of time limits, saying that it could limit discussion on important issues.
“Most of the power resides in the executive committee,” he said. “This is frustrating for regular members.”
In response to a question about the recent controversy over senior vice-presidential candidate Taylor Bentley ’06, who was taken off the ballot after hanging an election sign within fifteen feet of a computer, both candidates said that they felt the rule was outdated.
“It is unfortunate in our constitution that we have rules that are forcing us to do things that we wouldn’t otherwise do,” Watson said.
“The candidate didn’t do it in bad faith,” Sen said. “It hurts the candidates to cancel the election.”
Both nominees expressed concern that there is not enough student participation in the WSA.
“We need a systematic way to solicit opinions of people who aren’t speaking out,” Watson said.
Sen suggested a weekly Argus article by the WSA president to update the school on current issues as well as office hours for the WSA president in a public place.
Both Sen’s and Watson’s closing statements touched on the need for gender-neutral housing, a multicultural dean, improvements in dining services and campus safety, and increased transparency and accountability in the administration.
“I will fight for greater commitment and passion from [WSA] members,” Sen said. Watson highlighted the formidable opportunity for positive change within the administration next year when Maria Cruz-Saco becomes the new Dean of the College.
“I think the debates presented a good picture on what may be similar about the two candidates,” Polak said. “It also highlighted some differences that might be hard to recognize just through the week-long campaigns.”
Some were left disappointed by the turnout, which consisted of 25 students, most of whom were WSA members.
“I’m pleased that attendance was greater than last year’s debate, but still wish more people had attended or e-mailed me with questions to ask,” Polak added.
Students had mixed responses as to why they did not attend the debate.
“I didn’t know it was happening,” said Janie Stolar ’08.
Others knew about the debate but chose not to go.
“The debate was inside, and it was 75 degrees and sunny outside,” said Daniel Meyer ’08.
Voting opened Sunday at 12:01 a.m. and will end Friday night at 11:59 p.m.
Students can vote at http://wesleyan.edu/wsa/voting.
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