People’s Party candidate Nicolas D’Alto (left) participated in a debate Monday night against Refresh Party candidate Jared Moses (middle) for the upcoming student government elections. Both candidates decided to run a more civil debate than last year’s heated
election.
Past University of Memphis student government elections have turned into character attacks rather than political debates, this years’ presidential candidates are promoting a more civil election.
Last years’ election got heated, as it was full of racial slurs, rumors of death threats and phone hacking.
“I didn’t like it at all,†Nicolas D’Alto, a sophomore representing the People’s Party, said. “It is one of my main reasons for running this year.
I was so unpleased with the way SGA was last year, and I want to make that change.
These debates are not supposed to be harsh; they are to benefit the university and the students.
I want to do my best to show students it is very possible.†D’Alto and his vice president candidate Jarad Jirari were both unsettled by the behavior of last years’ candidates.
The unprofessional speechmaking motivated the two young men to run together. D’Alto and Jirari are cousins but refer to each other as best friends. Their relationship makes executive decision easier. D’Alto said SGA has been “lacking within realms of student involvement.â€
He feels SGA does not do enough for the students, as of now. Both he and Jirari have been involved in SGA since their freshman years at Memphis and think they know where to fix problems.
“I want everyone to know I’m running for them, not me,†D’Alto said. “I want to hear their voices, let them know their voices are being heard. We’re listening.â€
If D’Alto wins, he wants to put suggestion boxes around campus for students to leave ideas. He wants “students to want to be on campus.†Refresh Party candidate Jared Moses, junior, agreed the debate should be more civil this year.
“A clean race. Something nice, well mannered and tactful,†Moses said.
The previous elections left he and his vice president candidate Natalie Moore wanting more for the university.
“I want people’s issues debated, not people’s character,†Moore said. Moses and Moore came up with Refresh as the name for their party after brainstorming together one night.
“We love the university as it is and feel it has a lot to offer,†Moses said. “But we think there are areas we could refresh it, make them even better.â€
Neither Moses nor Moore have been involved in SGA previously, but both are involved in Greek life. Moses is in the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, and Moore is a part of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.
They met freshman year through Emerging Leaders, a leadership program offered at the U of M.
“We have been in several organizations together and accomplished group projects,†Moses said. “We work well together.â€
Community and campus pride is a main focus for the Refresh Party. As a diverse, commuter campus, Moses hopes he can bring more connection to the U of M throughout students.
“Campus pride. Such as trying and get people to wear less clothing of other colleges and more Memphis gear,†Moses said. “We want people to be proud of where they are.â€
Moses wants more of a family feel around campus.
“Centralizing initiatives around campus, so no one student feels better or succeeds more than another,†Moses said. “I want everyone to feel equal.â€
Moses holds a 3.52 GPA as a business management major. D’Alto maintains a 3.98 GPA as a double major in accounting and finance.
Both candidates have started their personal campaigning on campus as well as on social media sites like Twitter.
The election committee is making it priority to keep the meeting as clean as possible and with “as little drama as possible,†Jacob Wheeler, a senior at the U of M and the SGA election commissioner, said.
The commission may not have the power to completely control what is said between parties but hopes to “not see or hear the rhetoric like last year.â€
“We are highly encouraging civility in this election,†Wheeler said.
