SGA Debate allows executive board candidates’ voices to be heard

By: Paige Hogan
Posted In: News

Campaign posters will soon disappear and the student executive ballots will soon be calculated, but the Salve spirit was alive and hopeful at the first ever Student Government Association Debate on Tuesday night.

The debate was hosted in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall and allowed the 2006-2007 executive board candidates a final opportunity to voice their intentions, goals, and agendas for office.

SGA President, Bobby Gondola and SGA Public Relations Coordinator, Tarra Del Chairo opened the evening by introducing the format of the debate which allowed for three rounds of questioning and an opportunity for candidates to introduce themselves and their accomplishments.

A common theme of the evening was the collective goal to improve student involvement and gain a sense of unity on Salve’s campus.

The public relations coordinator candidates hope to build student and faculty relations by providing more open forums which will include student perspectives.

Candidates also hope to build a sense of community by promoting sports events and campus activities.

Alyssa Scotti ’09, who is running for SGA Secretary, summarized the spirit of the night in stating, “Participation is a two-way street that involves a goal and a will to achieve it.” She, along with all candidates, hope to encourage student participation in student government.

Dedication to the student body was shown by candidate Liz Duggan’s commitment to the debate. She was unable to attend due to a prior commitment and provided a pre-recorded assessment of her goals and agenda.

All candidates spoke enthusiastically of the upcoming year and plans to improve life at Salve. As said by candidate Kate Grenci, one of the presidential candidates, “This is our university and our community and without the student voice there is no sense of community.”

Look for the new Student Government Association executive board officers who will be announced later today.