The major point of contention of this year’s AssociatedStudents, Inc. election is undoubtedly the Recreation WellnessEvents Center, and the candidates for ASI executive offices provedit at a debate April 13 at the Riverfront Center.The debate, attended by more than 100students, established a rift between the yellow and red slates, asthe candidates discussed their positions on the $110 per semesterstudent fee increase to fund the RWEC and their qualifications.Yellow slate executive office candidates, halfof whom are Sacramento State athletes, clearly support theRWEC.”A part of increasing that value (of aSac State degree) is building the RWEC,” said Brandon Kline,who is the yellow slate candidate for president. “Myadministration will be committed to doing that. I think it’stime that we actually build facilities that students canuse.”Red slate candidates spoke against the RWEC,claiming that the $110 per semester fee increase will financiallyhurt many of Sac State’s minority students. Matthew McPhail, the yellow slate candidatefor vice president of finance, stressed the ability of the RWEC tochange the campus.”We have the potential to be adestination campus,” said McPhail, who is a member of themen’s rowing team. “(We need to) change to a placewhere people want to be.”Chris Lange, the yellow slate candidate forexecutive vice president, emphasized the fact that student fees forthe facility will only increase by $10 until construction begins.Lange is a member of the men’s basketball team.”The RWEC, which would increase studentfees by $220, is something that’s going to hurtminorities,” said Joshua Wood, the red slate candidate forpresident. “It’s going to hurt people of lowsocioeconomic status, and it’s going to hurt the diversity ofthis campus.”Angel Barajas, the red slate candidate forexecutive vice president, said that if elected he would fightstudent fee increases, including the RWEC fee. He said that at pastASI elections, students have failed to pass similar referendums.Barajas also said that if passed, students would not control theRWEC.”Two times before at ASI elections, themajority voted no,” Barajas said.Barajas believes the administration and theathletic department, not the students, will control thefacility.Immediately following the debate, ASIPresident Peter Ucovich spoke in promotion of the RWEC, duringwhich the members of the red slate began packing and leaving.Apart from the yellow and red RWEC conflict,the two slates also clashed on the importance of previous ASIexperience.Each of the members of the red slate currentlyhold a position in ASI, and brothers Joshua and Luke Wood both holdexecutive officer positions.Throughout the debate, red slate candidateslisted the accomplishments they have achieved through their work inASI.Luke Wood is currently the vice president offinance, and is running for that position again as a member of thered slate. He said that as this year’s vice president offinance, he has written next year’s budget. If re-elected, hesaid he would be able to immediately begin working.Barajas also cited his past work in ASI as hisqualifications.”Seventy percent of the boardlegislation was written by the Wood brothers and I,” Barajassaid.In contrast to the red slate, the members ofthe yellow slate are relative newcomers to the ASI political scene;none of the yellow slate candidates currently hold an ASI executiveofficer position. However, many yellow slate candidates cited thegroup’s collective lack of experience as the reason studentsshould vote yellow.”None of (the yellow slate) is currentlyincumbent,” Kline said. “We think that it’s timefor a new direction in this university … with students whohaven’t been sitting up in the ASI office for the last two orthree years, but actually know what students need.”