Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Syracuse University’s Student Association held its annual Executive Debate Wednesday evening, during which the candidates for president, executive vice-president and comptroller shared their perspectives on divisive issues on campus — such as the university’s impending academic freedom statement.

During the debate, which was held in the K.G. Tan Auditorium in SU’s National Veterans Resource Center, the nominees — presidential candidate German Nolivos, vice presidential candidate Reed Granger and comptroller candidate Alexis Leach — shared their campaign goals for the upcoming academic year and answered questions from SU community members.

“Today we’re going to hear from people who want to represent you, you will hear from all of our candidates about why they feel they are the best fit for the next year,” said Ericka Love, a CitrusTV reporter who moderated the event.

The three candidates who spoke at the event are running uncontested in their respective elections. Instead of having a traditional debate, each took the time to answer questions from the two student moderators — Love and Benjamin Schiller, another CitrusTV reporter.

The debate occurred ahead of SA’s spring general elections, which will run from April 1 to 5. Along with the three uncontested executive positions, the association is also electing several student representatives across SU’s colleges. The ballot will also include a referendum to SA’s constitution.

Throughout the event, the candidates addressed issues the association has been working to address this past semester, such as concerns surrounding academic freedom, campus dining options and transportation.

The lone candidate for comptroller, Leach — a business analytics and general accounting major — was the first to speak. Throughout her remarks, she highlighted how her experience working at a local hospital, as a server and with SU’s Food Recovery Network has equipped her to handle the role of comptroller despite her lack of experience in SA.

“I am a 22-year-old sophomore, so I have a lot of experience before I made it to college,” Leach said. “I know how to manage finances to the best of my abilities, and I think that will transfer well because of the knowledge.”

Leach emphasized the importance of the comptroller position, calling it the “backbone” of the association. She also said she plans to prioritize addressing concerns and accepting constructive criticism from students when dealing with the school’s finances.

After Leach’s speech, presidential candidate Nolivos, who currently serves as SA’s vice president of community and government affairs, took the stage with Granger, his running mate and SA’s current chief of staff.

Nolivos focused his opening statement on his commitment to “listen, learn and lead” from the Syracuse community. He believes his administration will bring a “unique blend of experiences, passion for advocacy and unwavering dedication to addressing the lack of commitment for minority students in our campus.”

Granger’s opening statement reinforced Nolivos’ devotion to amplifying the voices of students who are “often overlooked” to bring about a “more equitable orange experience” on campus.

“The moment that German and I joined the Student Association, we upheld a strong commitment to uplift every student’s voice whether it was organizing groundbreaking events like the first ever Calentón Music Fest or facilitating crucial discussions within the Student Association,” Granger said. “Our goal from day one has been to listen to student voices and address their concerns.”

Nolivos and Granger were also asked about academic freedom and safety on campus in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and its impact on the university community.

The candidates said they attended SA’s Freedom of Speech Town Hall, which they believe sheds more light on how the association itself looks to address these concerns.

As a Venezuelan immigrant, Nolivos said he holds freedom of speech close to his heart coming from a country with significant censorship and wants to ensure students can have conversations where they can “disagree respectfully.”

“As a political refugee, I know how it is when you don’t have the freedom to express your opinions. That’s why I left my country, that’s why I’m currently in the United States,” Nolivos said.

Granger said they have a strong belief that students’ ability to express their beliefs is “vital” on campus as long as they follow the written guidelines for student protest.

When asked about housing and dining options on campus, Nolivos and Granger spoke about their goals to improve the housing situation at SU, citing their own negative experience with housing and dining.

“It’s not a secret that housing is a big problem for students,” Novilos said. “Currently being a south campus resident, there’s a lot of little stuff. For example, there’s spiders in every corner of those apartments, we have buses not arriving on time and kids missing class. We support renovation to some of these dorms.”

Granger expanded on their administration’s goals regarding dining options, particularly with expanding options for students with dietary restrictions.

Novilos and Granger said they support proceeding with communications with the administration to ensure students’ dining options are fair for every single student regardless of their financial situation. Both candidates emphasized how current dining hall food needs improvements to its affordability, accessibility and quality.

Novilo and Granger spoke briefly about several other issues on campus, voicing their support for student workers’ unionization efforts, increased safety on Marshall Street and improved communication between students and administration.

Novilos and Granger ended their speech by reiterating their commitment to the Syracuse community and their mission statement of listening, learning and leading.

“We are committed to fighting for systemic change and to work with the administration on collaborations to our campus overall,” Granger said. “We are not solely here to ask for your support, but for your partnership.”

Published on March 28, 2024 at 12:58 am