Candidates rally for SGA debates SGA, SCCOCC hopefuls gear up for today's elections

Author: Scott Greene

Prospective candidates for the positions of Student Co-Chair of Community Council (SCCOCC) and Student Government Association (SGA) president came together to discuss smoking, on- and off-campus social life as well as diversity in the annual SGA Candidate Debate held in the new library on Sunday evening. The debate, broadcast live on WRMC and open to all students, gave the candidates the chance to distinguish themselves from their competition before voting takes place on April 20 and 21.

Presidential candidates Alex Stanton '07 and first-year Alina Levina, along with SCCOCC candidates Annie Williams '07, Ryan Tauriainen '08 and first-year Feb Mike Tierney spent 90 minutes answering questions and clarifying their prospective campaign platforms, though they shared similar opinions on many issues. The session primarily involved questions from a two-man panel consisting of Opinions Editor Jack Lysohir '08.5 and WRMC DJ Starrett Berry '09. The panel addressed the candidates with questions for the first hour before drawing questions from the audience.

The issue of several candidates' limited experience dominated a large portion of the debate. Levina defended her status as a first-year, claiming that it would not be a hindrance to effectively running the SGA.

"I'm a freshman with fresh ideas," she answered, claiming that her early connections with Dean of the College Tim Spears and Middlebury College President Ronald D. Liebowitz have empowered her and assured her of her ability to work with the College's administration and make a positive impact.

Stanton countered by highlighting his three years of experience on the SGA.

"I think that fresh ideas are really important in student government," he admitted, "but experience is also important."

All three candidates for SCCOCC dismissed their lack of experience. None of the three candidates has ever served on the Community Council, but Tierney claimed that this hasn't held him back at all.

Williams agreed, noting that current SCCOCC J.S. Woodward '06 never served on the Community Council before his election two years ago.

"I'm comfortable working with members of the faculty, staff and administration," she said, "and I think I'm the right candidate to broker compromise in the Community Council."

Tauriainen similarly downplayed the experience factor, saying that "being a member of this community makes you qualified."

When asked about the issue of smoking on campus, the candidates echoed the SGA's recent soft-radius recommendation, which suggests that "smoking be kept a respectable distance from entryways." All five students agreed, to some degree, with the moderate stance of the SGA.

"It's a slippery slope if we make rules about students participating in things that other people don't like," said Stanton. Levina concurred, emphasizing Middlebury's need for mutual respect.

"I think it's a difficult position for the SGA to limit people's activities on campus," she claimed. "The truth is, we can draw a line, and maybe that line is respect."

While all candidates touched on the notion of respect, SCCOCC candidate Michael Tierney presented an alternative in which certain doorways would be considered smoke-free and others would be open to smoking.

"I think that having certain regulated places fosters an environment where community is encouraged and we do have mutual respect," he said. Similarly, Tauriainen made clear his desire to mold Middlebury's rules after "the laws of the land."

"The soft-radius should only be a suggestion, and is really only necessary when it comes to residence halls," he said.

Much of the debate focused on the issue of "community" at Middlebury College, in terms of the vitality of on-campus social life and the commons system. On these issues, all five candidates agreed that more improvements could be made to Middlebury's on-campus social dynamics.

"We could do a lot more to get students interested in attending Commons-sponsored events," Williams suggested. "People need to start looking at them as a viable alternative to going off-campus."

The issue of off-campus social life surfaced numerous times, especially when the panel prompted those in attendance to ask questions. These questions revolved around the effect of the SafeRides program on the student body's newfound preference to party off-campus.

Tauriainen said that if elected, he would "push to make sure that the parties students are going to are on-campus," but he maintained that "to not promote the SafeRides would be an atrocity at this school."

Williams agreed. "I don't think SafeRides promotes off campus parties," she said, claiming that "there are many other things that already promote off-campus partying."

Presidential candidate Stanton defended off-campus partying, asserting that it is not necessarily a bad thing. "The problem with them," he said, "is when people start getting drunk and driving home."

However, his opponent strongly advocated a re-birth of the on-campus party.

"I want to have a committee made of social house members that will work to petition the law," Levina said, noting that the "guest-list" rule does not fairly account for college campuses. She added that drunk driving does not happen only with off-campus parties, citing that because KDR is far away from campus, many students drive to and from the house.

The candidates spent much of the session debating with each other rather than against each other, especially over the concept of diversity and racism on campus. An overwhelming majority of students feel Middlebury is too sensitive to political correctness, but the candidates defended this sensitivity.

"Sensitivity towards diversity is a good thing," Stanton maintained. "We can't become diverse and have a culture of respect without growing pains."

Tauriainen established a similar view. "We need not only to promote diversity but to promote tolerance," he added. "I think it is a testament to this school that we are sensitive to these issues, and I think there isn't a way to be overly sensitive to these issues."

The debate provided those in attendance and those tuning in on radio with an opportunity to evaluate the potential of next year's student leaders. Stanton said he hopes that a lot of people took advantage of this opportunity and listened.

"Debates should be about the issues," Stanton said, observing that "It's a beautiful thing when you can see five students come together and argue towards progress."