Two themes eclipsed all others during last night's 90-minute debate among the four Duke Student Government presidential contenders held in the Sociology-Psychology Building: This year's DSG administration has been burdened and hindered by a lack of communication, and, in light of recent actions taken by the University administration, students are concerned with the direction on-campus social life is taking.
Following brief introductory remarks, each of the candidates-Trinity juniors Maya Corey, Daniel Lurie, Bianca Motley and Jeri Powell-answered questions posed by the event's moderators, Trinity junior Brandon Busteed, chair of the Campus Social Board, and Trinity senior Devin Gordon, editor of The Chronicle.
Most of the aspirants' introductions highlighted their previous accomplishments and glossed over their prior setbacks.
Corey, DSG vice president for community interaction and chair of the Inter-Community Council, fielded inquiries related both to her leadership style-which some have criticized as too philosophical-and to her roles in the young trustee process and the formation of the Upperclass Residential Planning Group's proposal.
Corey maintained, however, that her leadership style combines both ideology and pragmatism, noting she was able to help establish a 10-percent employee discount last semester on all goods sold at the University.
Corey also spoke about the recent e-mail message she sent to the Black Student Alliance in which she stated she was the only "politically black" DSG vice president. "The part in which I made reference to myself probably was unclear," she said, explaining that her message was clouded by emotion. "I absolutely do not think I am the only politically black [presidential] candidate."
Lurie, who served last year as the Class of 1999's president, said that, although he currently lives off campus, does not have DSG experience and studied in Florence last semester, he is still in touch with campus climate. Like all the other candidates, Lurie repeatedly cited DSG's communication problems this year as a topic he hopes to address. "It's all about working together," he said. "This is a 'we' position. This is not something where I will go in and do what I want to do."
After Busteed and Gordon asked the candidates two questions apiece, the contenders asked questions of one another. During this interim, Lurie mistakenly said that the Panhellenic Council had joined the BSA and the Interfraternity Council in their counter-proposal to the planning group's housing report. Before responding to his question, Corey noted that the third party in the counter-proposal was actually not Panhel but the National Panhellenic Council, the umbrella organization that oversees black greeks.
During the same segment, Motley asked Lurie how, specifically, he would deal with the alcohol policy and the dearth of on-campus social opportunities its alteration has engendered. Lurie answered by saying that kegs need to remain on campus-a goal Motley, DSG vice president for student affairs, and her committee already have achieved.
Motley, whose responses were mostly policy-oriented, spoke extensively about her role as a member of the residential planning group.
After Powell questioned the seeming contradiction in Motley's support for the planning group's proposal and her concomitant interest in elements of the counter-proposal, Motley explained that the planning group's report was a package deal; at the time of the vote, she was not able to ferret out those parts of the proposal about which she feels ambivalent. One such part, she continued, is the proposal's time schedule; perhaps, as the counter-proposal suggests, the space allotment changes should not be instituted immediately after the new West Campus dorm is complete, she said.
Powell, DSG vice president for facilities and athletics, offered the least detailed agenda. In response to a question posed to all contenders by Trinity junior and DSG Chief Justice Josh Schaffer about the significance of the DSG judiciary, Powell answered glibly: "I think the judiciary should be what Josh Schaffer wants it to be."
Powell's response to an audience member's question about planning group's proposal was equally vague. Without outlining a clear vision, Powell said she would like to see the expansion of selective living groups, but added that perhaps some of the existing ones should be abolished.
During both her introductory remarks and the question-and-answer periods, Powell maintained that some of her opponents were involved in DSG politics for self-aggrandizing reasons. "I was comfortable with working on resolutions I knew wouldn't be resolved before election time," Powell said.
The event, which was sponsored by The Chronicle and the ICC, was attended by about 50 students. Trinity sophomore and Class of 2000 Vice President Kristy Gonowon, also a member of the CSB, said she thought the forum was beneficial, but added that she would have preferred to see more audience participation.
"As the voting members of the community," she said, "it just makes sense that we should be the ones asking the questions."
The election for all DSG executive positions will be held Thursday, March 5.
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