Editor’s note: Ticket series will be printed in alphabetical order based on the presidential candidates’ last names.
Check out lsureveille’s SG presidentail election page for more coverage
Candidates of the “NOW” ticket for Student Government president and vice president say they want to “protect the voices” of students on campus and ensure equal opportunities for all students.
SG presidential candidate Aaron Caffarel, current speaker pro tempore, and vice presidential candidate Sen. Alli Robison, UCAC, say they’ve tried to place themselves into the shoes of others as members of SG Senate.
Both voted in favor of SG’s recent resolution to form a black caucus and the resolution to add “gender identity and expression” to the nondiscrimination clause of the equal opportunity policy.
Caffarel said his experience in SG Senate gives him an “over-arching” broad experience both within the legislative branch and with other branches.
Caffarel and Robison said though this is only Robison’s second semester of involvement in SG, her involvement in Senate and “passion for serving students” supplement her short experience. Video: Interview with Caffarel & Robison
Caffarel and Robison said they’ll concede their personal priorities if elected as president and vice president under their ticket.
Caffarel, a mellophone player in the University’s Tiger Band, said he would “retire” from the band if elected because the time constraints are “not conducive” to fulfilling his presidential duties.
Robison, an LSU Ambassador, said she would finish the spring semester as an ambassador but take alumna status next fall if elected vice president.
Caffarel said the best way for SG to gauge students’ wants is to hold the senators accountable for interacting with students from the colleges they represent. He said senators fill the role of a “trustee or delegate.”
“We need to place a priority on the delegate aspect,” he said.
Caffarel and Robison outlined changes they would make to current SG President J Hudson and SG Vice President Dani Borel’s administration.
Caffarel said he wants to change the organization of the executive staff, particularly in the department of First Year Experience and that he saw “room for improvement” in dealing with the budget cut situation. Caffarel said he wants to further fight the crisis by developing solutions with state and government officials.
Caffarel said he will advocate budget cut proposals from the Department of Economic Advising within SG. Some of his major concerns are ensuring “constitutional and statutory reform,” consolidating the various boards of education along with the number of four-year universities in the state and pushing for more autonomy of each university.
While Hudson and Borel have said they support tuition increases, Caffarel said he would look to a tuition increase as a last resort.
Aside from fighting budget cuts, Caffarel and Robison said some of their possible solutions to increase voter turnout and lessen student apathy regarding SG are their initiatives for “SG in the Quad,” “Bengal Bonus” and the “Students’ Pushcard.”
Caffarel said SG in the Quad will differ from Hudson and Borel’s “Straight Talks” because while Straight Talks emphasize products like Scantrons and blue books, SG in the Quad would be one day each week when Caffarel and Robison work in the Quad with their laptops and cell phones instead of in the Union’s office.
“It’s important for them to see you at work,” Robison said.
Robison said Bengal Bonus could increase the University’s low voter turnout because it aims to increase student participation in smaller athletic and cultural events. Bengal Bonus would be similar to the priority points system in that students will gain points when they attend athletic or cultural events deemed Bengal Bonus opportunities by SG. Once students accumulate a certain number of points, they will be eligible for prizes.
The Students’ Pushcard, for which Caffarel said he has already received ideas, will focus on initiatives recommended by other students.
Robison said everything on her and Caffarel’s pushcard is “110 percent” feasible.
 
 
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Contact Andrea Gallo at [email protected]