Issues surface in USU debate
The two remaining ASUSU presidential candidates — Hannah Blackburn and Christian Thrapp — participated in a final debate Wednesday.
Held in The Hub in the Taggart Student Center, the debate was moderated by Erik Mikkelsen, the current student body president.
The debate format differed from previous debates, allowing Blackburn and Thrapp time to respond to each other’s responses.
“The debate will follow what they do for the presidential debates,” Mikkelsen said.
Mikkelsen said after the first question was asked, the first candidate had 90 seconds to respond. Then, the other candidate had 60 seconds to respond to the posed question, and then each candidate was given 30 seconds to comment on the other candidate’s response.
Mikkelsen began the debate by asking Thrapp, a USU lobbyist and recruitment ambassador, about his plan to revamp ASUSU and unify the student body.
Thrapp said he would like to get more input from groups on campus.
“One thing I want to talk about is the executive face time. It’s the executive council going around to each college, the club presidents and having prepared questions about what they want from ASUSU,” Thrapp said about his plan to have students’ voices heard.
Blackburn, the current ASUSU public relations specialist, said she wants to increase the visibility of student government by promoting the “Go and Get Involved” campaign, which began with window decals in the TSC.
“It’s looking at those options and making them innovative and creative,” Blackburn said. “I want to make the info booths in the TSC virtual and interactive.”
Blackburn said she wants to send a weekly email to students about events on campus.
“Both of you have expressed the sincere desire to represent the voice of the students,” Mikkelsen said. “Which group do you feel is most underrepresented, and how do you plan to reach out to them?”
Thrapp said he would reach out to multicultural and international students.
“It’s a matter of recognizing them on campus and helping them get what they would actually like,” Thrapp said.
Blackburn said she thinks ASUSU can co-sponsor and do things with Access and Diversity, because its administration, leadership and organization can help the underrepresented students.
“In my opinion, the underrepresented students are juniors, seniors and graduate students,” Blackburn said. “The further along you get in your education, the more the target audience is always on the freshmen. I feel that ASUSU really needs to remarket their advertising strategies to juniors, seniors and upperclassmen.”
Blackburn said she would work with the Residence Hall Association and focus on co-sponsorship with ASUSU, instead of creating new programs.
Mikkelsen asked both candidates to define their greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses.
Thrapp said his experience was his greatest strength. Blackburn said her greatest strength was her “passion and experience with the program.”
“You can’t do anything if you’re not inspired and motivated,” Blackburn said. “How are you going to motivate the officers if you aren’t motivated yourself?”
Thrapp said one thing that gives him experience is having been an ambassador for USU. Thrapp said he’s had the opportunity to get a lot of students involved in their high schools and participating in the Aggie Leadership Extravaganza.
“Coming from a member of the president’s cabinent, I’m not a part of ASUSU, but I can bring fresh ideas to ASUSU,” Thrapp said.
Regarding their weaknesses, Blackburn said she gets stuck “in the box” and focuses on what has worked in the past or is most efficient. Blackburn said she would utilize her administrative assistant and public relations director — who she described as “creative-minded people” — to think of new ideas.
Thrapp said his weakness is letting people figure out what they want to do or how to attain their goals on their own.
“I feel that I should help them out a little bit more and direct them,” Thrapp said.
Mikkelsen asked the candidates what two issues they would address first, if they were elected.
Blackburn said the first issue she’d address is the proposed Aggie Recreation Center, but she feels the most important issue is “third-floor mentality,” referring to the third floor of the TSC.
“This is a student center,” Blackburn said. “I find it fascinating that students don’t feel comfortable talking to the officers or being on the third floor, because they feel like it’s the hub of the officers. How can I make it more student friendly? It’s something that I can address and accomplish next year.”
Thrapp said his major issue is student fees.
“I can’t promise that I can lower them, but I can promise that I will work my hardest to keep them where they are at,” Thrapp said. “Any president is going to work their hardest to find donations. We are going to work our hardest to do our best to get what students want in the ARC”
After Mikkelsen finished asking questions, audience members asked candidates questions.
One audience member asked the candidates what motivated them to run for president.
Thrapp said his love and passion for the university motivated him to do everything he possibly can to help out the university.
“I can’t believe how incredible this university is, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” Thrapp said. “Because of the love I have for this university and the student body, I want to do absolutely everything I possibly can. I’ll bring new ideas to ASUSU.”
Blackburn said her motivation is seeing what ASUSU has the power to do. She said she wants to see USU succeed on a natio
nal level, and if ASUSU is responsible and uses its money to provide diverse and quality events, that will help USU receive national attention.
Mikkelsen asked the candidates if they would rather spend a weekend on Noah’s ark or at the USU ARC.
Thrapp selected Noah’s ark because he loves zoos, and he said, “It would be the coolest zoo ever, floating on a boat out in the ocean.”
Blackburn selected the USU ARC, because, she said, “There are going to be some really exciting things that are going to be developed.”
At the end of the debate, Mikkelsen gave the candidates one minute each for final statements.
“I pledge to do what I say — what I promise to do in my platform and goals,” Blackburn said. “You will never question why you voted for me. I will be efficient and you will see results. I’m excited for ASUSU and so excited to see what the new officers can do. I am passionate and ready to lead today.”
Thrapp began his statement by thanking students for voting and being involved and wanting to do the right thing.
“What I want to do as president is make sure you have the best university experience possible,” Thrapp said. “Not only getting a good education, figuring out who you are and who you want to be, developing life experiences that will go beyond college and go beyond just this education, but in your family and your job.”
– cnmoffitt@gmail.com