While Northwestern Associated Student Government vice presidential candidates Ash Jaidev and Jazzy Johnson have different platforms, both agreed in a debate Thursday night that ASG needs to solicit and respond to student voices more effectively.
“What ASG needs to do better is take what matters to students and make it matter to student government,” Weinberg junior Jaidev said.
Johnson, a Communication sophomore, said her platform’s main priority is increased student involvement in ASG.
“We need to empower students to know the student voice is being heard,” Johnson said. “But for action to happen, we need to make sure we’re taking care of house first.”
Jaidev’s running mate is Weinberg junior Austin Young, and Johnson is running with Medill junior Matt Bellassai.
About 20 people attended the debate Thursday night in the Wildcat Room of Norris University Center. Candidates made opening and closing statements and were asked questions and given two minutes to answer, followed by the opportunity for rebuttal. Students and alumni submitted questions via email prior to the debate. The debate was moderated by Weinberg senior Reed Wilson.
Only one student, an ASG senator, attended who was not with campus media, the elections commission or a campaign.
“I thought they had similar visions based on platforms,” Weinberg freshman Alysa Cortes said. “But after listening to them talk, I got the impression that there was a division between priority of engaging and working with students and lobbying with the administration.”
ASG senator Cortes said she believed Johnson’s campaign stressed service to students while Jaidev discussed working with the administration.
Both candidates promised increased community outreach and immersion to give ASG more access to student ideas. “Dorm Dialogues,” a proposal of Jaidev and Young’s campaign, would bring ASG members to residential halls and colleges to discuss issues with students.
Jaidev said his time as director of the New Student Center Initiative and as a member of ASG’s Finance Committee combined with Young’s experience give the pair a unique familiarity with the NU community.
“Austin has a broad vision,” Jaidev said. “What makes us a great team is I hope to apply his broad vision and apply my management style to ASG as an organization.”
Through her work in “grassroots” movements in social justice and as president of her ministry, Johnson knows how to talk to people, and Bellassai’s experience in ASG would make him a good president, Johnson said.
“He knows how to work the system,” she said. “You have to know how to maneuver the system to leverage to get what students want.”
If elected, Jaidev said he hopes to use ASG to build up the NU community, while Johnson said she wants to use resources to provide students with the best experiences possible.
Jaidev and Johnson disagreed over the need for a Human Resources member of the ASG Executive Board. Jaidev said existing ASG positions can maintain student and ASG relationships, and Johnson said a Human Resources member would make ASG more efficient.
Still, not all moments were serious. Each candidate’s name was posted on a sheet of paper with a cartoon unicorn and hearts, and candidates were asked what their spirit animal would be.
“A lion,” Johnson said.
“She took mine!” Jaidev said. He then changed his answer to tiger.
The presidential debate will be held Monday. The time and location are still to be determined.
