The Associated Students of Michigan State University, or ASMSU, held a debate between presidential candidates Abii-Tah Bih and Dylan Catalano Tuesday night via Zoom in preparation for the new general assembly's vote tonight.
The debate was moderated by Chief of Staff and Election Commissioner Johanna Pendley and incoming Chief of Staff Andrea Bair.
Beginning the debate was the topic of what it takes to be a student leader.
Catalano said leaders need to listen to those they are serving. While working with the new general assembly members he said he has been trying to listen to their needs and issues.
“I understand this job as you go forward is largely built by what the assembly deems as important and I’ve been asking them, ‘What’s important to you?’ because now that is important to me in running for ASMSU president,” Catalano said.
Bih said leaders must empower those they lead.
“Even in my campaign platform I have sought to empower every single student on campus,” Bih said. She additionally referred to her campaign’s ‘100 point plan’ on initiatives she plans for MSU.
In response to racist incidents on campus, such as in ASMSU's 'Ask President Stanley' event, both candidates noted the need for education in diversity equity and inclusion training.
Bih said her work on a bill that passed in December advocated for a mandatory annual training — something the university announced was in progress last month.
"I think we all understand we do not live yet in a world where bias incidents are not going to happen on our campus, we saw that this past year, we lived those experiences as a student body together," Catalano said.
He said in the past, ASMSU did not respond or reach out to these organizations until these incidents happened, and in the future should reach out to the Council of Racial and Ethnic Students and the Council of Progressive Students to understand how to support them if more incidents occur.
Both candidates expressed the need for a connection with the next provost in order to enact some of their goals.
Catalano said one of his goals was to work toward a permanent fall break while continuing the development of the planned multicultural building.
Bih said she hopes the new provost will be able to promote more diversity as well as implementing a one-credit Graduate Record Examination, or GRE, course.
In terms of ASMSU's budgeting they discussed the usage of the tax and its promotion.
The candidates agreed to listen to tax concerns from students not only in a tax renewal year like this one, but every year.
Catalano said ASMSU needs to advocate for diverse perspectives within every college.
With a presidential election approaching in November, Catalano said he hopes ASMSU's efforts to increase student voting continues.
Bih said the possibility of COVID-19 affecting the election should not be ignored.
"We cannot guarantee that during the 2020 elections we will not be in the situation with COVID-19 as we are right now," Bih said. "We cannot work under the assumption that students will be able to go out and vote."
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She does not believe students should be faced with the dilemma of risking their health in order to vote, but instead be presented with more effective ways of voting from home.
ASMSU's 57th General Assembly Session members will be voting for president, vice president for finance and operations, and vice president for academic affairs Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The rest of the Office of the President will be elected Thursday night.
