Tensions high at SA presidential debate

JACOB BOYKO News Editor

Candidates for Students’ Association president and vice president had one final chance Monday to make an appeal to students before the contentious election season wraps up Thursday.

Hunter Eide, junior human biology major and his running mate, Carter Howell, took on business economics major Nick Grote and his running mate, ag business and political science major Trinity Peterson.

During the debate, Grote took shots at Eide for an ethics complaint earlier this month. The complaint accused Eide of code of ethics violations at an SA Finance Committee meeting. The SA Board of Directors found Eide in violation of seven codes (1, 2, 3, 9, 11, 12, 13), resulting in Eide’s resignation from the committee. The violations include Eide not maintaining confidentiality of

STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION BRIEF

JACOB BOYKO News Editor

At the March 20 South Dakota State University Students’ Association meeting, senators passed a resolution recognizing food insecurity on campus, discussed the upcoming SA election and heard from Faculty Senate President David Wiltse.

Wiltse:

SDSU’s Faculty Senate is an elected body made up of representatives from each academic college. The Senate aims to have one elected representative for every 20 faculty members in any college. Wiltse, an associate professor of political science and director of The SDSU Poll, serves as Faculty Senate president.

“We articulate any kind of concerns or demands the faculty are making from the administration, [and] administration filters ideas down to us … they will vet certain things and certain ideas before it goes into policy,” Wiltse said about the Faculty Senate’s role at the university. “… the most important function of the body is to be that conduit of information.”

In some cases, SA holds a larger influence than the Faculty Senate. SA commands a budget of about $12 million yearly, while the Faculty Senate doesn’t command any money.

Wiltse said he hopes to see SA and Faculty Senate work more closely next year to solve issues affecting students.

“I would say the issue of student mental wellbeing is one of the best areas to focus on over the next year or two, because let’s face it; students are under stress,” Wiltse said. “Faculty members think we’re under stress —we are —but students are facing pressures that we never did as students, quite honestly.”

SA President Blake Pulse encouraged SA presidential candidates Hunter Eide and Nick Grote to work with Faculty Senate.

“I would recommend to whoever is in this position next year to keep in contact with them frequently,” Pulse said.

Amendments and Resolutions: personal and professional information acquired about colleagues in the course of service, discussing professional matters in an unprofessional manner, using coercive or threatening means in order to influence professional decisions of colleagues, willfully contradicting the needs or desires of students to serve self-interest and criticizing a colleague before students.

The Senate unanimously passed a resolution recognizing food insecurity at SDSU and expressing support for SDSU’s student food pantry, Jack’s Cupboard.

According to Resolution 22-29-R, food insecurity is a problem that 36% of the college population faces, and that college students overall face an increased risk over the national average.

“Lack of nutrition can aggravate and may even lead to stress and depression, severely impacting a student’s mental health,” Resolution 22-29-R reads.

At the Feb. 7 SA meeting, Jack’s Cupboard Club founder Nicole Schilling told the Senate that the food pantry is struggling to keep food on the shelves. Jack’s Cupboard also decreased operating hours this year to just two days per week.

The Senate also amended the bylaws to allow legislation to be recorded as a commemoration. Previously, legislation was either an ordinance or a resolution.

The Senate also approved a $1,000 special allocation for the Men’s Hockey Club. The funds will be used to support the cost of referees and ice time at the Swiftel Center for one game, according to the request.

The candidates were asked by a member of the audience if their administrations would provide “strict standards relating to how presidential candidates conduct themselves when speaking to the public.”

Eide responded first.

“We believe it’s important to truly have clear communication about what’s going on and we believe in the importance of transparency,” Eide said. “As students, we deserve to know what’s going on behind those closed doors … The general activity fee is something we all pay … by the time we’re done with all four years of college it’s $6,000 … So making sure your general activity fee is [being spent] in the best way possible, making sure that each candidate has truly clear communication about what’s going on and full knowledge about what the candidate is about.”

Howell said there already is a code of ethics in place and candidates should continue to adhere to that.

“Obviously when a misstep is taken, action has to be taken on the other side,” Howell said. “Obviously that’s something we completely agree with and respect and continue to uphold. Everybody makes mistakes and it’s important to get a second chance and render those mistakes resolved.”

Grote called out Eide directly for the code of ethics violation in his response.

“We have an entire list of things you do not violate when you are a senator,” Grote said. “I’m sure, Hunter, you know, you violated five … seven of those codes of ethics when talking about [Peterson or myself]. That is something that we will not tolerate in any way, shape or form. That is grounds for removal and that can be really, really bad.”

The SA election begins Wednesday at 8 a.m. and wraps up Thursday at 5 p.m.

Students can vote by going to saelection.sdstate.edu.