SBP candidates debut platforms

After a week of petitioning for the support of about 4,000 students, the candidates running for student body president are ready to get down to the issues.

Today marks the shift from the first stage of the election season, as hopefuls submit petitions required for a position on the ballot and begin to discuss their platforms and campaign issues.

Despite tackling a wide variety of topics in their recently released platforms, the campaigns all share a common theme: reconnecting the executive branch of student government with the student body.

This year’s student officials have been criticized for losing touch with the average student. Now, the four candidates for student body president — Seke Ballard, Leigha Blackwell, Seth Dearmin and Tom Jensen — seek to rectify that schism.

“I would want to be visible and accessible to students,” Dearmin said. “I definitely want to connect with the average student. It’s essentially why student government exists.”

Dearmin promises to restructure student government to better accommodate student needs.

“Essentially, I want to introduce a more fun atmosphere in student government,” he said.

The collaboration of student government and the electorate is an underlying theme of Ballard’s campaign as well.

Titled “26,878 students, 1 unified vision,” his platform promises to collaborate with every student.

“What I want the average students to gain is being impassioned toward a common goal,” he said.

One plank of his platform is the creation of an Internet poll to be conducted through student government’s Web site.

“This is purposed in being able to quickly garner student opinion,” he said. “It sort of acts like an online referendum, so to speak.”

The theme of reconnecting with students also is present in Blackwell’s platform. In running for president, she aspires to establish student government as a hub for students, organizations, events and general information.

“Students just don’t know what’s available to them,” she said. “My platform deals with various things to publicize what’s already available.”

One of her major platform points is the creation of a campus television channel that will act as a calendar of events.

“Student fees are paying for these things; (students) should be able to attend.”

Candidate Tom Jensen also seeks to reach out to students and to help them cushion their wallets.

“I want to pay less money for things we’re getting now, and I want to get better services for things we’re paying for.”

He is seeking to cut the allocation of some student fees and reallocate a portion of alumni donations to subsidize tuition.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.