WARTBURG SENATE DEBATE RECAP

SILVIA OAKLAND, TRUMPET EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

TYLER JOHNSON, TRUMPET STAFF WRITER

A student debate was held in the McCaskey Lyceum Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The debate was organized by the Student Senate Election committee one week before Wartburg students vote for a new student body treasurer, vice president and president for the 2021-2022 academic year. The event was held virtually with the audience on Zoom and the current senators in the McCaskey Lyceum.

There are two sets of candidates running for each position. At the beginning of each segment, the candidates introduced themselves and their experience, as well why they are running for the position and what their platforms consist of. At the end of each segment, they answered direct questions from the crowd that were not specifically discussed in their introductory.

The debate started off with the candidates running for treasurer. Candidates Peace Iteriteka and Lauren Trewin sparred over who would be the most effective treasurer on campus if elected.

Iteriteka proposed of using effective communication between students and administration to better understand the increase in fees for students and working with student organizations to understand the needs of funding that Senate provides to those organizations.

While Trewin spoke on wanting to increase student organization allocation on campus, she also vowed to work with students on the rising tuition and called for more transparency in the school’s budget and events.

The next debate began, allowing Olivia Hobson and Connor Moore, student body vice president and president candidates respectively, to share their experiences and platforms. Moore, during his first year in the Senate, served on the Political Action Committee and the Bylaws Review Committee. Hobson served and chaired the Academic Policy Committee and was an emergency volunteer at the Waverly Health Center.

Moore called for leaders of student organizations to be included in Senate meetings. This is to “brainstorm ideas for unheard students on campus.”

Hobson echoed Moore and added that their ticket will call for more effective communication on campus for students who are struggling to be heard. Hobson voiced of hosting safer events during the ongoing pandemic and called for transparency while working with communication-based organizations on campus.

“We wish to work with the Trumpet and Knight Vision for transparency with students,” Hobson said.

Before the debate ended, the candidates then took questions from the audience on a variety of issues ranging from connections on campus to diversity.

To view Hobson and Moore’s platform in full or to view the treasurer platforms, visit https://info.wartburg.edu/Student-Life/Student-Senate