SGA held a pre-election debate Thursday afternoon in the Student Center University Rooms. SGA candidates were given the opportunity to introduce themselves and discuss their platforms.
The SGA presidential candidate, three other executive board positions and 13 senate positions are running uncontested.
The lack of opposition means that Nursing major Katherine Street will replace Rosalyn Hedgepeth as the new SGA President and, International Business major Franklin McCullough will become treasurer.
There are three students competing for the position of vice president. Biology major Jamel Williams, Political Science major Khylil Chestnut and International Business major Aaron Roberson are all competing for the seat.
The debate, which began at 1 p.m. in front of an audience of about 30 people, took the form of an informal town hall meeting. The candidates were each given five minutes to introduce themselves, list their credentials and persuade the members of the audience to vote for them. Afterward, the candidates took questions from the moderator and the audience.
Presidential candidate Katherine Street spoke first. She said she has served in the SGA for five semesters, holding the position of senator for the College of Health and Human Services. She was also appointed to be the Director of Academic Affairs.
“I am taking the role of president very seriously,” Street said. “My job is to represent the students of Kennesaw at a local, state and national level.”
She said one of her goals as SGA president is to promote conversation, information and involvement with students in the community. She also said she wants SGA to become more of a student-driven organization, proposing that SGA send out emails to students in order to keep them informed.
“I would like SGA to focus on three particular areas,” Street said. “Those areas are academic excellence, community involvement and lasting tradition.”
She also said KSU’s new football program provides “huge opportunities to create traditions.”
The vice presidential candidates then discussed their platforms. The three candidates have similar SGA experience, all of them having served on the SGA senate for a term of one semester.
Aaron Roberson said his role as SGA vice president will include aiding the president, cultivating the senate and listening to the concerns of students.
Vice presidential candidate Khylil Chestnut said, “SGA must invest in new and innovative technology.” Chestnut also said SGA must bridge the gap between itself and the student body.
“How can you say we represent the student body when only 300 students voted in the last election?” Chestnut asked.
Jamel Williams was the last of the vice presidential candidates to speak. He is running on the platform that student interests take precedent over his own.
Treasury candidate Frank McCullough said he didn’t feel it was necessary to prepare a speech.
“I’m running uncontested,” McCullough said “That’s a really big problem. One of the biggest problems we have here at Kennesaw is a lack of involvement from our students. Three positions have run uncontested on the executive board and that is absolutely abhorrent.”
He said that as treasurer he will do more with the organization’s funds. He mentioned sequestration and budget cuts at the state level, adding that the SGA will feel that heavily.
McCullough is a 29-year-old disabled veteran with extensive academic leadership experience.
The candidates were then asked questions about pressing issues that included: House Bill 512, which would allow student to carry concealed firearms on campus, the proposed campus-wide ban on smoking, and whether or not they supported KSU’s football program.
Katherine Street said that if the bill passes, Kennesaw State will adapt accordingly by training students, faculty and staff. She said resident advisers would also have to be trained and security would need to be increased at athletic events.
The vice presidential candidates then voiced their opinions on the proposed smoking ban on campus. A smoking survey was sent to student email accounts to get the general opinion of the student body.
All three vice presidential candidates seemed to oppose the campus-wide ban on smoking cigarettes.
The five debate participants all supported the creation of KSU’s football program.
After the meeting, Business major Mike Zeman said the vice presidential candidates did very little to distinguish themselves from one another.
“It’s insane that we can’t get at least 10 percent of our student body to care enough about student government to vote,” Zeman added. “300 is an abysmally low number.”
