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Question 1: What do you believe is the most pressing issue currently facing the student body at Elon and what would you do to address it?
The gist: Ryan Budden suggested the university should put in place a hotline that students can reach at any time should they need assistance of any kind, as well as co-sponsored forums where students can interact with students from other backgrounds and embrace their differences. Darien Flowers said the affordability of higher education should be addressed and, as executive president, he would work with University Advancement to instill a culture of annual giving that begins as students, not alumni. Alicia Johnson said a key problem is the disconnect between the university as an institution and the student body, which can be remedied not only through conversation, but also taking time to listen. Ben Waldon suggested the creation of a common, public space for gatherings to avoid what he called the common problem of people segregating themselves into organizations and groups of friends.
Question 2: What do you consider the greatest achievements of the current senate and how will you improve upon these changes?
The gist: Darien Flowers said the response of SGA to the instances of discrimination against Elon students in the fall was the organization's biggest success, particularly leading the campus in engaging and proactive discussion. Alicia Johnson said in the internal development of the organization has been its greatest accomplishment, including finding flaws and identifying ways to fix them. Ben Waldon said he would work to further strengthen the transparency of SGA by regularly producing video updates and inviting students into the SGA office. Ryan Budden said the agility of the organization to learn what they are capable of has been most successful.
Question 3: What do you believe is the most important task the executive president serves and how do you plan to enhance this role?
The gist: Alicia Johnson said the most important role of the position is to be entrusted with the voice of the student body and to fairly represent it. Ben Waldon said serving as the face of student government is inherent to the position and he would expand the role to be more available . Ryan Budden said the responsibility of the Executive President to appoint student representatives to join committees between faculty and staff is most important. Darien Flowers said, as a liasion between the administration and 5,000 students, it is important for the Executive President to serve as an advocate.
Closing Statements
The gist: Ryan Budden said SGA is his passion and he loves being informed about the university and having the opportunity to create change. Darien Flowers said his campaign is founded on experience, transparency and relevancy and he plans to tackle the issues head on. Alicia Johnson said she hopes to have the opportunity to give students a voice at Elon and encouraged them to recognize the power they hold. Ben Waldon reiterated his belief that a key facet of being Executive President is serving as a student representative to the faculty.