SBP candidates split endorsements in second and third debates

After hearing a complaint from Travis Broadhurst against the UNC Board of Elections, the UNC Student Supreme Court has halted the student body president elections until further notice. Students will still vote on the graduate governance referendum Thursday.

Broadhurst, who the BOE determined did not gain enough signatures to be on the ballot, filed the complaint with the Student Supreme Court Tuesday. The complaint asks the Student Supreme Court to review the signatures gathered by the Elizabeth Adkins and Maurice Grier campaigns.

Adkins and Grier were the only two candidates to make it on the ballot, after Joe Nail and Matthew McKnight were disqualified.

“Everything is up in the air again essentially,” BOE Chairperson Paul Kushner said.

Before the injunction Tuesday night, Adkins and Grier attended two campus debates.

The UNC Young Democrats and The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies hosted the debates.

The Young Democrats endorsed Adkins and The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies endorsed Grier.

Sexual assault

Both candidates said sexual assault is the most important issue that the Board of Trustees should address.

Adkins said she wants to form a committee on sexual assault in student government so that when people who are vocal on the issue graduate, sexual assault continues being discussed.

Grier said he wants to tear down the narrow heteronormative definition of sexual assault, and thinks, as a survivor of sexual assault, he is suited to be a leader on the issue.

He wants to create a discrete reporting system on campus.

Grier’s sexual assault plan involves placing the burden on the entire community, as well as the Greek system.

“We don’t wanna say you’re the only one doing it,” Grier said.

He said giving students engraved PID bracelets would be one of the steps in his sexual assault plan.

Environment

Grier said he thinks UNC should convert its energy system from coal to renewable energy, and the dining hall shouldn’t use plastic utensils.

Adkins said UNC should look to other universities for ideas to improve eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness on campus, like putting computers on sleep mode when they are not being used.

Mental health

Adkins said she wants to fight the stigma against sexual assault on campus. She said the LFIT curriculum should change its curriculum so the eating section is not triggering to people with eating disorders.

“It’s OK to not be OK,” she said. “It’s OK to need help.”

Grier said he has suffered from depression and thinks UNC should provide vouchers so students can seek mental health services off campus.

Diversity

Both Adkins and Grier said they will advocate for UNC to be a “sanctuary campus” for undocumented students if elected.

Grier said he will advocate for the University to take a stance against HB2.

He said areas designated for minority groups — like Pride Place in Cobb and the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History — should be moved to the center of campus.

Adkins said she reached out to minority groups and asked them what they wanted, then incorporated realistic goals into her platform based on their suggestions.

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