About 25 students sat scattered throughout Peabody Hall's lecture room as candidates answered questions about issues such as raising funds for minority student groups, student empowerment and curriculum diversity.
Student body president candidate Warren Watts emphasized the need for more minority student input in student government. "The student body president must become more accessible to people on campus," he said.
He added that many students he has talked to want to get involved in student government but do not know how.
Watts also said student government will assist campus organizations in their fund-raising efforts.
Candidate Eric Johnson said he wants to institute a program of issue-based recruitment into student government. This program would allow individual students to work with student government on issues that are important to them.
Curriculum reform is another issue in which Johnson said he plans to be involved. He cited the upcoming retirement of many faculty members and the curriculum review as chances for change.
Candidate Justin Young said he feels that his experience as the only minority in certain campus organizations has prepared him for the task of fighting for minority rights. "I would like to talk about the issues of race and hit the issues of race head on," he said.
Young also would donate his $2,000 stipend to create a Student Empowerment Endowment, which will provide money for student groups and projects.
Candidate Annie Peirce said she would support minority representation in student government. She also said she consulted students before writing her platform. "Every single thing on my platform was given to me by you."
