UF College Democrats hosted the third and final Student Government debate before elections Tuesday.
Moderators from the political group asked the president and vice president candidates questions before all nine candidates on three tickets answered questions submitted by audience members Friday night in Little Hall. Here are the main issues addressed during the debate:
In light of the recent school shooting in Parkland, what will you do to ensure the safety of students on campus?
All three presidential candidates emphasized a need for gun reform. Impact Party candidate Ian Green, Inspire Party’s Revel Lubin and Janae Moodie, from Challenge Party, said they would lobby in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., for students.
Moodie said she was disheartened by the time it has taken UF administration to respond to the tragedy with a memorial event.
Lubin said the law enforcement on campus, such as Gainesville Police and University Police, makes him feel safer.
“I’ve never felt unsafe on campus as it relates to gun or any other type of violence,” he said.
What distinguishes you as a candidate from the others?
Green said he loves UF and has done “tangible work,” including increasing student jobs and making student codes understandable.
“There’s no one that bleeds more orange and blue than I do,” he said. “That’s for sure.”
Moodie said she is a woman and an ally to those who need it. She said she keeps herself educated on diversity.
“I know what it’s like to want an ally in a situation where I felt oppressed or I didn’t feel respected because of one of my specific identities,” she said.
Lubin said his story is unique. He was orphaned at a young age, and his sister took care of him, he said.
“I could have gone down such a dark path, but there was people who came into my life,” he said.
All three parties throw around “sexual assault” as a buzzword, but what is your party’s plan for dealing with this issue?
Moodie, Green and Alyssa Bethencourt said their parties support an online program called Callisto, which would improve the process of reporting a sexual assault and identify repeat offenders. Bethencourt said the party wanted to make rape kits more available and implement a week of awareness.
Chase Werther told Impact candidates to address their platform, which doesn’t name Callisto.
“Just because it’s not on our platform doesn’t mean it’s not something we aren’t interested in getting done,” Green responded.
Would you give up your salary if you won?
Green said David Enriquez and Stefan Sanguyo wouldn’t give up their salaries. He said he would use the money deposited into his bank account for a youth program in his hometown, Marietta, Georgia.
Shayli Patel would give up 50 percent of her salary, while Moodie and Werther are still looking into it, Werther said.
Lubin said his ticket hasn’t discussed giving up their salaries, but he wouldn’t be able to afford to lose his salary.
Contact Meryl Kornfield at mkornfield@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @merylkornfield.
