Special Election Debate Summary

STUDENT CENTER – THEATER. Earlier this afternoon, Student Government hosted its Special Election Debate, featuring the two candidates running for Executive positions. Unlike in previous years, where the debates were livestreamed by Wildcat Media, this debate did not appear to have been either publicly recorded or livestreamed.

(Wildcat Media currently has no officers; Student Government President Noa Lolona Haro has declined to nominate anyone for its lead officer position, Wildcat Media General Manager. However, the weekly Senate meetings are still being livestreamed on Wildcat Media’ Youtube channel.)

The special election covers the following vacant Student Government positions: Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Justice, and student representative to the College Council. The only two students running, Aidan Pena and Alexandra Payne, are running for Treasurer and Secretary respectively.

The debate was divided by position. Each candidate was asked to briefly introduce themselves, then was asked prepared questions by the debate moderator (Election Committee Chair Maximus Azzarello), after which the moderator opened the floor to audience questions.

Aidan Pena introduced himself as a junior majoring in Computer Engineering Technology. He had ran for and been successfully elected Treasurer last spring during the regularly scheduled Executive election, but was unable to assume the position due to his GPA at the end of the year. (Student Government officers must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA.) Aidan addressed this during his introduction, mentioning a dispute that had occurred with one of his professors last spring, and stating that he had reconciled the issue with his professor.

When asked what skills or experiences had prepared him for this position, Aidan spoke on his time serving as a sophomore senator last year, briefly being the treasurer of the Entrepreneurship Club, and handling financial receipts while working at a delicatessen over the summer. Aidan described the newly added requirement of preparing monthly financial reports and his goal of growing engagement with Budget Committee, as well as greater proactivity with announcements, in response to how he planned on keeping students informed.

Alexandra Payne introduced herself as a senior studying Computer Science, with a minor in Cybersecurity. She stated that it was her first time running for “..something like this,” adding she was excited. After introducing herself, she was first asked how she planned to ensure Senate meeting minutes are accurate, detailed, and timely. Alexandra replied that she would first come up with a basic ‘plan’ or template, and then follow this in order to ensure that Student Government’s documentation is organized, accessible, and correctness.

While these debates have historically seen low turnout, this afternoon’s debate was notable for the comparatively low number of students who attended – excluding the Election Committee members in attendance, there were only three students in the audience. Additionally, while the debate was scheduled to last from 12pm until 1pm, it concluded after just seven minutes – only several questions were asked by the audience, and little of the event’s advertised “thoughtful discussion” was had.

Voting for the special election is expected to open on Thursday, October 1st, and will remain open for one week (provided that the minimum voting threshold, roughly 150 students, is achieved). Any questions regarding the election should be sent to sgu@sunypoly.edu.