The Political Awareness Committee of the Black Student Union hosted a forum Wednesday night for the Student Government presidential candidates Chaz Caiado, arts and sciences junior; Chris Odinet, political science junior; and Ryan Sands, theatre freshman, in the African American Cultural Center.
The committee invited the candidates for the upcoming election to discuss their platforms and answer questions about their plans for the next school year.
Caiado discussed his intent to implement a broader curriculum for the University including meteorology and hospitality management departments.
He said tourism is a large contributor to Louisiana’s economy, and a hospitality management department would “help Louisiana’s future, especially in rebuilding after the hurricane.”
He said he also wants to change the football ticket system back to the way it was because “it allowed more students to go to games.”
“If I have aspirations to do something, I’ll most likely get them done,” Caiado said.
Caiado spoke without running mate Michael Faucheux because he said “something came up.”
Caiado said he came “unprepared” for last night’s forum.
Odinet and running mate Christen Heaton, biological science junior, outlined a broad platform that includes implementing organizational flowcharts for degree programs, extending times for students to buy and sell their football tickets to other students, establishing a Mayor-Presidents Student Advisory Council, developing the North Gate area and cleaning up the campus lake.
Odinet emphasized the importance of the cultural competency training his administration would implement across campus that would allow students opportunities to tell administrators about culturally offensive incidents they have experienced on campus.
Odinet said he realizes laptops have become integrated into the University education experience, and he plans to set up a system where the University acts as a vendor from Dell and can sell students laptops for a more affordable price.
Derrick Petit, moderator and Political Awareness Committee chairman, asked the candidates about their stances on the purple and gold Confederate flag, their plans to increase University multiculturalism and their feelings about the University’s national image pertaining to minorities.
Caiado said the concerns about the Confederate flag were justified, but the people displaying flags were protected by the First Amendment.
He said he did not feel as though diversity should be overemphasized.
“I know, being a minority, I’m constantly having diversity shoved in my face, which can turn people off to the idea if it’s constantly being brought out,” Caiado said. “The best thing to do is having minorities involved in student organizations and office.”
Odinet said he thought the flag was “a symptom of a bigger problem” concerning race relations on campus.
He said he hopes to use his cultural competency training to “open doors and begin discussions” about improving the racial tensions.
Odinet said he felt the University has a good reputation with minorities despite recent protests.
“The changes we see as a part of student activism make the campus more attractive,” Odinet said.
When the questions were opened to the audience, students expressed some concern about the candidates’ platforms.
Fran Gibson, political science junior, said she wanted to hear what their plans, not opinions, were about the Confederate flag.
“You’re throwing out terms, but we’ve been getting that,” Gibson said. “We don’t want your big words. We want action – verbs.”
When Petit asked the candidates how they plan to protect student organization events from being taken over by administrators, Sands and running mate Steve Mayeux, English sophomore, joked, “We plan to build a wooden wall, depending on the budget maybe steel, but we’ll probably start out with wood.”
Candidates Sands and Mayeux arrived an hour late without a platform.
Sands said he was late because he had been “sabotaged” by someone who told him the wrong place and time of the forum.
When asked who gave him the incorrect information, Sands responded that it would be “uncool to say” but motioned suggestively toward Odinet.
Odinet denied the allegation and said the BSU sent out e-mails giving the time and location of the forum.
Sands later admitted that he was running as a joke and that voting for him would be “highly irresponsible.”
 
Contact Rebekah Allen at [email protected]