Ohio U Student Senate holds first debate ahead of upcoming election
Photo via TNP Staff
Tuesday night's first Student Senate debate saw candidates on two different tickets, Vote Action and Vote Change, discussing a variety of subjects, including their qualifications, goals, and commitment for the fall semester. The debate questions for both tickets highlighted the quality and representation of the Senate, and their goals for the upcoming semester, as well as safety and advocacy for students.
Vote Action is current Senate President Dan Gordillo, running again for president, International Affairs Senator Taras Tarasun for vice president, and Luke Fredericks for Treasurer. The Action ticket prides itself on highlighting leadership experience, commitment to student representation and ability to handle crises effectively. The goals for next semester involve maintaining the safety initiatives set in place with Gordillo’s “Safety Walks” and improving parking on campus by working with the city for more space or marking down the prices of parking violations.
Vote Change is Mia Grossholz for president and Reagan Daley running for vice president. The Change ticket centered on efficient communication, student engagement and fresh perspectives. They stressed experience in student participation, with vice president candidate Daley claiming she’s "been getting involved since day one.” Their actions centered on campus safety, including expanding Cat Cabs hours, raising awareness of services such as fentanyl strips and nightcaps and warning students of possible crises through social media.
Gordillo, the first to speak at the debate, spoke on his strengths of maintaining leadership positions with transparency. He highlighted his post of approval ratings, something no other senate has done, to ensure he listens to the student body and resolves conflict. When asked about his quality of experience in being dependable and supportive of students, Gordillo states, “I’m not here for myself.” On the same question of leadership, Gordillo answers, “I know I would want people to hold me accountable…No bullshit, no drama, no controversy.”
Tarasun spoke on handling conflicts by recognizing capabilities of students and finding compromise to solve problems. In disagreements, he believes in speaking up and taking action. He values compassion in leadership, stating, “You can be a leader but not lead,” and sees this as a way to move forward with the Senate.
Without a dedicated treasurer, the Change ticket underlined personal financial experience, with Grossholz mentioning she learned money management from a young age. They emphasized long-term financial sustainability, savings and smart allocation, stating, “You don’t always have to put everything into one bucket, see how everything grows as we go.” Fredricks, Action ticket’s running treasurer, said he was inspired by how his father conducts his own business, "He has shown me how to use money efficiently.”
Both tickets highlight openness, campus safety, and financial accountability. Vote Action focused on experience and formal policies and Vote Change emphasized new leadership and community-driven initiatives, prioritizing “new faces” in the Senate. The next debate will focus on questions by opposing ticket members.