Experience was the most heated issue during yesterday’s students’ union presidential debate between candidates Megan Thomson and Fernanda Damiani.
Thomson, this year’s president of St. Thomas University’s student union wants re-election but Damiani is emphasizing the importance of change and new faces.
“Change is always good,” Damiani said during the debate.
Thomson addressed this by saying it was false and added that, “improvement is always good.”
Thomson began the debate by pointing out the accomplishments done by the students’ union this year.
“We’ve increased student engagement… and next year I want to raise the bar,” she said.
Damiani stressed the importance of communication between the student union and the student body.
“People could know more about STUSU. It is for them and better communication will help them feel more part of the student union.”
She believes this is an issue that has not been managed well this past year.
Ben Graham, vice-president of administration of STUSU, was moderator during the debate and also raised the matter of communication.
He asked Thomson why so many members of STUSU were dissatisfied with it this year.
Thomson replied that “communication is hard” but said if re-elected, she would improve this. She recognized that complete lack of communication with her councillors during summer was the biggest mistake done throughout her presidency.
Both Damiani and Thomson agreed mental health and job opportunities for students are two areas that need more attention on campus.
“I believe STUSU can talk with the administration to get internship opportunities for students,” said Damiani.
Thomson replied that “one of the ways we can increase work opportunities is hire more students.”
The audience asked how Damiani plans to integrate more internationals students on campus and how unfair it is for them to be charged with extra fees if they stay in campus during winter.
Damiani told her she will do her best to talk with the administration to reduce these costs.
The moderator asked Damiani if she’d had previous leadership roles and experiences.
“Here, this would be my first experience. But in high school I was vice president of the student union,” she said. “During these experiences the most I did was talk to students about what they wanted. I got things done.”
Thomson emphasized the difference between being the president of the student union and having previous leadership roles in high school.
“There are overlapping aspects. But a university’s students’ union is much more complex. And never having interacted with our student union, I would be worried,” she said.
Elections begin tomorrow at 8 a.m. and last until Friday.
