At the student issues forum hosted by the Student Government Association and Elon News Network on Sept. 5, students and faculty discussed concerns they had about the election and what was at stake for them personally. Political science professors moderated and provided further commentary on responses about media, immigration and DEI initiatives. The forum was described as a way to engage in topics focusing more on issues and less on candidates.
Political science professors Julianne Liebenguth and Matthew Young moderated the session, beginning with questions about the emotions felt during this presidential election. Students said they were concerned and overwhelmed. Young said he believes that our community is affected by things “beyond our control” as information about the elections is consumed at a rapid speed on social media.
“We’re moving into the last couple of months before this election,” Young said. “One of the things I feel burdened with as a faculty member is students care so much about sending different things and many of you feel like you have to change the world.”
Political science professor Matthew Young, one of the moderators for the Student Issue Forum, guides conversation throughout the event Sept. 5 at East Commons.
Liebenguth and Young also asked about immigration and global connections, to which students shared a variety of global perspectives. A student from Mexico talked about his experience of having to keep up with the politics of his native country during an election he cannot participate in.
“I can’t vote. There’s not much that I can do, but I want to keep living in the U.S.,” the student said. “It’s so split when it comes to politics. Arguing doesn’t get you very far. I let them say whatever they want, and I’ll say some things as long as they’re comfortable with listening.”
The most common topic of discussion was media coverage online and on social media. Students were concerned about how easily misinformation spreads from one feed to another. Another participant said he believes he consumes too much news in the digital age but feels uninformed when having put his phone down to not read.
Students sit and participate at the Student Issues Forum held on Sept. 5 in East Commons.
“There’s no real balance to it,” he said. “It’s either I read the news and I feel like everything is happening in the world and I can’t do anything about it, or I don’t read the news and I feel like I'm missing out on something or I need to stay informed on things that are happening, even if I don’t want to.”
Taylor Cote, Elon's Student Government Association student body president, introduces the event and says the space will be a nonpartisan forum for discussing politics.
SGA community outreach senator MJ Johns was concerned about Elon University’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives after the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill removed its DEI offices in May. As a private institution, Elon follows guidelines that mainly obey expectations for these institutions, such as Title IX resources, Naeemah Clark, associate provost for academic inclusive excellence, said. Clark also said Elon’s DEI initiatives have “recruited over 100 African American students in a year.” Elon's most diverse class is the class of 2028, a goal that Clark said Elon has been trying to achieve for 10 years.
“We were trying to offer programs that would appeal to students to get them to call,” Clark said during the event. “We were intentional around that. The president has been very clear that we are not changing that work that we’re doing.”
The moderators ended their discussion by encouraging students to visit Elon Votes to register for the upcoming elections, participate in Elon election events and to visit the town of Elon’s forum for school board candidates.