Two candidates for Associated Student Government president and vice president debated key campus issues, including the arena project on Cook Field and the potential impacts of Senate Bill 1 (S.B. 1), in the Fritz Pavillion in Armstrong Student Center on March 11.
On the ballot is Daniel Martin, running for president alongside Kirsten Osteboe, and Gracie Grady, running for president alongside Nya Hodge.
Grady, a junior political science major and American studies minor, said she is running because she doesn’t want “fake promises and surface-level claims.”
“Students want commitment,” she said. “They want leaders to stay committed to the cause of bettering the university … even when it’s hard or unpopular.”
The candidates first discussed their slogans. Grady, and her running mate Hodge, a junior creative writing and history double major, are running on the platform of “Committed to Miami, Committed to You,” while Martin, a junior diplomacy and global politics major, and Osteboe, a junior diplomacy and global politics major and French and economics minor, focused their campaign on the slogan “Your Voice, Our Mission.”
During the Q&A portion of the debate, the candidates were asked if they thought student body presidents and vice presidents should respond to controversial issues, including state legislation.
“First, I’d like to say that the things inside of S.B. 1 should not be considered inherently controversial,” Hodge said. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are what make this school great. Gracie and I believe that the student body president and vice president have the right to speak on behalf of [our] constituents.”
Martin answered the question by referring to his and Osteboe’s out-of-office hours, one of their key campaign initiatives.
“When it comes to something like this … we want to make sure we have the student body behind us,” Martin said. “We want to make sure we are getting every opinion possible … we’ll be doing that through our out-of-office hours. Everyone within the student body should have a voice and a say in what our stances are.”
Candidates were then asked about the next phases of the Cook Field project, and how they would ensure that student voices are heard in the planning process.
Osteboe answered first, saying, “Everything with Cook Field happened before students were aware of it … before students were really able to voice their minds.”
She said one way to promote student voices was by implementing student suggestions into the arena, including incorporating sustainable efforts to aid in Miami’s goal of being carbon-neutral by 2040.
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Hodge then spoke for her ticket, saying that she understands why students were so frustrated, and she is excited to incorporate students into the next phases of the process.
“I’m looking forward to getting student input involved in the next phase of the planning process,” Hodge said. “It would be a privilege and an honor to help navigate what comes next.”
The debate floor then opened up to audience questions. One audience member asked about the constitutional amendment up for a student body vote, in which ASG would be required to “act in a non-partisan manner at all times.”
“While I will be voting no, we are living in a time when partisanship has been conflated with people’s civil rights,” Hodge said. “For the most part, being nonpartisan is to the betterment of ASG.”
Osteboe said that no matter what happens, she and Martin will continue to emphasize the importance of student voices.
“We want to take it in stride,” she said. “Should the bill pass, it’s really important that you guys, students and senators, are playing a big role in these conversations.”
Students can vote on the amendment and the presidential decision from March 17-19 on The Hub and in-person in the Armstrong Student Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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