The forums for the student body elections ended with a fizzle. There was very low turn out by students and candidates alike for both days of the forums, which took place May 7 and 8 from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Smith Center.
The forums were meant to give the student body an opportunity to get to know the candidates and their platforms.
Monday’s forum was for the presidential and vice presidential candidates. Tuesday’s forum was intended for the Student Fee Committee chair position and the treasurer position.
There are two people running for the treasurer position: Samuel Frahm and Erin McCarty. McCarty was not present for the forum on Tuesday.
Chris Moller is running uncontested for the Student Fee Committee (SFC) chair.The SFC member candidates are as follows: Quin Collett, Tracy Earll, Tiffany Jenks, Ilkyu Lee, Milton Ortega, Olivia McClelland and Joshua Steedan.
Typically the SFC member candidates do not speak at the forum. However, since Frahm and Moller were the only two that showed for the forums the election committee members made an exception.
Those SFC member candidates who spoke were Collett, Lee and Steedan.People were able to state who they were and why they were running. The audience then had the chance to ask questions of each of the candidates.
Frahm, treasurer candidate, has experience working with student groups and did the books when he was the vice president for his fraternity.
Frahm described his function would be to prepare the budget and to know where the funds should be allocated.
Moller, SFC chair candidate, is a current member of the SFC.”I never thought of myself as a leader,” Moller said. “I just listen to people and give everyone a fair shake.”
Moller stated how important he felt that this committee is on campus. The SFC takes the student fees that students pay and allocates that money to various student groups and projects.
Portland State University students currently pay $127 in student fees each term.
Moller pointed out that Portland State University has the second lowest student fees in the state.
Collett, SFC member candidate, would like to focus on the communication issues concerning the students and the administration. He would like to see the administration more involved. Collett is also a current SFC member.
Lee has had experience being involved with the SFC for two years. He plans to draw upon that experience and build on it.
Lee said he would like to educate individuals on campus that the student fee funds are “our money.” Lee said he wants to ensure that the university has student control over student fees.
Steedan is a returning student, who said he wants to have a better understanding of what people are interested in at Portland State University.Steedan felt that students groups are important to the school community.
The student body elections will take place online May 14, 15 and 16.