SA Presidential Debates 2012

Candidates: Ben Chou, Ben Hawriluk, Sanjula Jain and Jonathan Stewart/Kevin Bush (Joke Candidates)

Moderated by Chance Marshall, SA director of elections and Seth Brown, Thresher news editor

Opening Remarks:

Chou: Thank you to everyone for showing up today. I'm a rising senior at Martel. The turning point [at Rice] is rising tuition costs. At the end of the day, if student that comes from working or middle class family can't afford to come here, we don't benefit. Each person is paying $50,000 in tuition. That's doubled from 2003.

Hawriluk: [Starts out with a joke] I want to focus on the revamping of the LPAP and waitlist system. Professors should be able to decide who goes into their class, not the administration.

Jain: I've been an Academics committee member, chair, and EVP. I know what the SA does. I represent you. I want to reach out to you. I want to bring the SA to you.

Bush and Stewart: [After a late entrance, taking back the chairs on the panel from two stand-ins.] Thank you to the presidential seat warmers! The parking is terrible here!

Q: What makes you the most qualified candidate?

Chou: I want to work to make sure that you don't have to pay tuition if your family makes less than $120,000 per year.

Hawriluk: I want to revamp the waitlist and LPAP systems. I want to increase the green initiative. I want to work on installing sleeping pods at Fondren.

Jain: I want to take the time to be involved on campus. I'm here to listen to you.

Bush and Stewart: Dr. Cox should have to pay us when we turn in problem sets.

Q: Will you remain involved at the SA if not elected president? In what way?

Jain: Yes, I will remain involved. I have been involved for 3 years. I think that we are all Rice students. We have an SA identity as well as a residential college identity.

Stewart: Yes! Please elect me as parliamentarian again!

Chou: Even if I don't win, I will continue to push to lower tuition. I will also push entrepreneurship.

Hawriluk: We all have a chance of winning. But if I don't win, I will work with the administration to keep working on LPAPs and the waitlisting situation.

Q: If you were in a no-holds-barred UFC cage match with President David Leebron, what would you use to defeat him?

Bush: Defeating Leebron is inconceivable!

Chou: He loves Asians.

Hawriluk: I would use Ping as a decoy.

Jain: I would challenge him to a dance-off.

Q: Have you spoken with the administration about achieving your goals?

Chou: Yes, I've talked to some people on the administration, and my goals are achievable. I will talk to Vice President for Finance, Kathy Collins.

Hawriluk: I've talked to senators and masters about achieving my goals.

Jain: I meet with President Leebron and administrators all the time. My goals are feasible.

Stewart: The SA has been my family! I know them well.

Q: How would you as SA president support varsity athletics and help to mend the disconnect that many people feel exist?

Hawriluk: I've talked to Coach Bailiff about hosting tailgates. People shouldn't be afraid to attend events.

Jain: Through social events. There's an athletic talent show coming up. I would also bring back the varsity-student liaison position.

Bush: Free St. Arnolds on tap at every game.

Chou: We've done tailgates and rice rewards, and they haven't seemed to do anything. We need to put everyone in one room, and encourage people to meet. We could do this through events like Lunar New Year.