Twenty-one students fighting for a place on the Associated Students Inc. board of directors have been battling and debating for the student vote since last week. Candidates had the chance to voice their platforms at debates, ultimately trying to win over students who can vote them into office on election days Tuesday and April 30. The candidates who participated in the debates were often seated next to empty spaces where their competitors were supposed to sit; however, many candidates did not participate in the debates. Candidate for graduate director Shawn Smith did not show up for the debate on April 15. Smith said he did not attend “due to work and preparation for a group assignment.” Smith is running uncontested and will be elected into office with one vote as long as he is not disqualified. Candidates can be disqualified if they do not follow the election rules or if the election committee receives a valid complaint. Candidates for director of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Christina Steuart and Timothy Sirard did not show up for the debate on April 16. Their opponents Brittany-Arpel Thomas and incumbent Fely Sita-Makaba answered questions before a crowd of about 15 students. Sirard said in a prior interview on April 12 that he would not attend the debate because it was scheduled during one of his classes.

“I would like to be there,” Sirard said. “I’m not really benefiting my college if I’m skipping out on the very classes I’m learning about.”

Steuart said she had an exam during the debate that she couldn’t reschedule with the instructor. She hoped word of mouth and association with slate Imagine Revolution would allow students to learn her platform. Raye Lynn Majoewsky, candidate for director of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies, did not show up to the debate on Thursday, during which competitors Terry Martin and Lauren Haley addressed a crowd of about 10. Majoewsky could not be reached for comment and did not respond to e-mails for another interview regarding her candidacy. Erika Alatorre, director for the ASI office of Governmental Affairs, said candidates were given the opportunity to attend the debates, but attendance is optional.

Alatorre moderated the debates and asked each candidate questions about the lack of voter turnout, retention rates, ambitions if elected into office and methods to increase student interest in ASI. Each candidate was given the opportunity to make an opening and closing statement about his or her candidacy, reasons for running and current involvement on campus. A block of time is also set aside for audience members to ask the candidates anything from their views on issues, such as the budget cuts, to ways they will help students. Current ASI directors with experience in the campaign process felt the debates are important to students who want to vote. ASI President Christina Romero said the purpose for the debates is “so students can see how knowledgeable the candidates are and whether or not they’re good representatives for a student’s specific college or even as executives within ASI.” Vice President of University Affairs Walter Wallace felt the debates are important for students to personally address the candidates and learn what each slate stands for. Despite the perceived importance, fewer than 20 students showed up to each debate held April 15 through Thursday to hear the platforms of candidates for nine positions for directors of each college at Sacramento State. All the colleges, including the college of Arts and Letters, Business, Education, Engineering and Computer Sciences, Graduate, Health and Human Services, Natural Science and Mathematics, Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies, and Undeclared have a director position on the ASI board. Debates for the five executive officer positions, including president, executive vice president, vice president of Academic Affairs, vice president of University Affairs and vice president of Finance, began Tuesday and will continue through Thursday. Each Sac State student will be able to vote for each executive officer and the director for his or her college. Romero said a lack of student attendance at the debates has been a pattern in at least the last three years she was involved in the ASI elections. She said busy schedules prevent students from having an interest in debates. “Lots of times (students) end up passing by a flier or the actual debate themselves without realizing they’re going on. It’s just that everybody’s involved in what they’re doing,” Romero said. Curtis Grima, vice president of Academic Affairs, said ASI and its new marketing department strived to increase student participation this year through advertising and promotion. Grima said there was a lack of student participation in past debates either because students were uninformed or decided not to attend. Wallace participated in the debates for the past two years as a candidate and said he didn’t see active student participation. “There were mostly parents supporting their kids running and there were people involved in ASI (who) were there and probably about two or three students who were supporting the candidates,” Wallace said. “I would like to see more students who don’t know any of the candidates, but are just interested in finding out what they stand for.” Ashley Downton can be reached at [email protected].