Steven Taliaferro, Staff Writer:
Benjamin McNamee, a candidate for the position of student representative to the Connecticut State University System’s Board of Trustees, said his strategy for a debate is to be friendly.
“I don’t expect there to be any mudslinging,” said McNamee, “there won’t be any attacks on each other. My strategy is just to say what I feel about the position and to let Dave (Langer) say what he feels about the position.”
McNamee, 21, a history secondary education major, and David Langer, a liberal studies major, are two Southern students, running against each other for the position. On Friday, the two student candidates appeared in a debate held in the Michael J. Adanti Student Center’s theater. The third candidate, Brianna O’Neill was not present at the debate and later dropped out of the race.
The debate ran for 20 minutes and consisted of McNamee and Langer saying what it would mean to them to become a trustee and answering questions from students and faculty who attended.
Langer, 20, said being a board member is a very important position.
“It’s basically the voice of the students to all the administrators of the university and the university system,” he said. “It’s very crucial that we have it.”
McNamee said he had no feelings of anxiety before the debate took place.
“I’m glad that we get this opportunity,” said McNamee, “and that students can come out and see what myself and Dave have to say about this. It’s really vital for them to be informed as to what the candidates have to say about the position in order for them to vote next week.”
Denise Bentley-Drobish, director of Student Life said the debate went “well.”
“I think that their comments were on point and I am interested in hearing what the student body has to say in their votes,” she said.“Certainly both of the candidates that spoke today are well informed about the issues and they seem to understand that we’re at a pivotal point in the CSU system and that’s what we need the trustee to understand.”
Another member of the audience was current representative, Andrew Chu.
Chu, a business administration graduate student, said he enjoyed the debate.
“The candidates that I was given an opportunity to hear speak, I think, are great candidates for the position,” he said. “If I was an undergrad student I would happily choose from one of those two, I think either one would be a perfect candidate.”
Chu said he was also impressed by the quality of the candidates’ responses.
“I think the responses were very good responses and well rounded,” he said. “The biggest thing for me is that they always kept the community idea alive in all the responses and the fact that they wanted to focus on CSU as opposed to a single individual university.”
Chu said he feels the two candidates are both ready to take on the responsibilities of representing the university on the CSU board of trustees.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that either one of the candidates I saw today wouldn’t be perfect for the position,” he said. “I think either one would represent the university as well as the CSU system well or I have faith in both.”
