Inclusivity, sustainability among topics discussed at USF SG presidential debate

*Moderator Dora Rodriguez asked same-ticket presidents and vice presidents different questions to ensure both members were fully up to date on what their plans were. ORACLE PHOTO/JUSTIN SEECHARAN*

Extended Bull Runner routes, international student council and escape rooms – could these ideas become a reality at USF?

This was the question four tickets debated during Thursday’s Student Government presidential and vice presidential debate.

The event was scheduled from 5-7 p.m. at the Marshall Student Center (MSC) Oval Theatre but didn’t start until 5:20 p.m. Around 40 students showed up to get to know the candidates’ plans.

Presidential debates have previously been moderated by The Oracle’s and The Crow’s Nest’s editor in chiefs. The 2024 debate moderator, however, was Dora Rodriguez, SG’s Election Rules Commission (ERC) supervisor of elections.

Rodriguez said ERC made this change during their last meeting because of the committee’s “excitement” to handle and moderate debates in its own way.

The four tickets running for the spring election include:

Juniors Connor Avila and Tianyi Li Bueso
Sophomores Jordan Franklyn McCann and Kaitlyn Rodriguez
Sophomores Alexa Matos and Rithvik Lee Pack
Junior Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and senior Sumit Subhash Jadhav

Sustainability efforts, budget allocation, student engagement with sports and inclusivity were brought up during the debate.

One of Matos’ goals is to open up communication through all three USF campuses. Matos and Pack said they were livestreaming the presidential debate so all students could watch it, regardless of the campus they were on.

The duo also mentioned cross-campus transportation, with the Bull Runner buses available to students at the Sarasota and St. Pete campuses.

“If we can afford a stadium, we should probably be able to afford a cross-campus Bull Runner,” Pack said.

If elected, Avila said non-students will talk about USF with a hint of jealousy, because the ticket will do things that are “far beyond the norm.”

One of the ticket’s goals is to reduce student costs by providing free laundry and cheaper fees when registering for additional classes. Another goal is to create escape rooms where students could engage with and meet new people.

“I think we should be looking towards more ambitious things that don’t cost much,” Avila said. “They integrate students and raise their level of satisfaction and interconnectedness within the campus.”

McCann advocated for accountability as the biggest part of his and Rodriguez’s campaign. He said some departments should know how to work well as teams and be held accountable for their own actions.

“I hear countless stories of people having to fight tooth and nail to get certain things done within some departments,” McCann said. “We’re going to regularly check up on these people to make sure everybody’s doing their job for you guys.”

Rodriguez said there needs to be a council to fully represent the international students at USF.

Gottipati was not at the debate since he had an exam. His vice president, Jadhav, said he wants to ensure the ticket provides a safe platform where students are represented and can safely express their views.

“We want to make USF great, and that can’t happen without collaboration,” Jadhav said. “Inclusivity comes with empowerment, and this happens to give us a better USF.”

Students were given the opportunity to ask candidates questions near the end of the debate.

The candidates answered a student question regarding to what extent SG should interact with state-level political actions that concern students.

Conversing and communicating with students is the president’s responsibility in this scenario, Avila said. Jadhav said it is important to use proper channels to communicate in case of new regulations.

McCann said SG should immediately be involved to defend students when something affects them. Matos, however, said she understands when USF is supposed to take a step back to analyze how to represent students effectively while also maintaining professionalism.

The gubernatorial debate will be next Thursday from 5-7 p.m at the MSC Oval Theatre.