SGB candidates face off

Three board members of the Student Government Board and one outsider, all of whom are… Three board members of the Student Government Board and one outsider, all of whom are running for SGB president, defended ideas for students at a debate last night in Towers lobby.

Shady Henien, board member and candidate on the Integrity slate, wants Mobile Campus at Pitt. Mobile Campus would alert students immediately of any changes of venues for club meetings or of canceled classes by sending text messages to their phones. Students would also be able to access Courseweb from their phones through the program.

Henien would also like to put ads on computer paper cover sheets from the printing labs. Will Powers, of the True slate and a board member, wants to instead put a calendar of events on the papers.

“I’m not trying to sell out the University by putting ads on the paper,” Powers said.

Henien later explained that he wanted to run free student advertising on half of the page while selling ads for the other half to local businesses.

Powers wants students to have the option of printing from their own room to one of the computer labs on campus.

His idea was challenged by the suggestion that computer labs would be even more backed up than they are now.

Powers came back by saying that a print room would open in the William Pitt Union, making more printers available to only those who would use this service.

He said the printers would also be less backed up because the printing would be spaced out more over the day rather than having a heightened busy time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., like there is now.

Elan Strait, who served as President of Hillel for two years, introduced the ideas of a student representation body and putting a grocery store in Oakland.

The student representation body would have a representative from every floor of every housing facility at Pitt, as well as representatives who live off campus. They would be able to propose ideas for students and have a say in what the students want.

Strait wants to bring a Giant Eagle or some other grocery store into Oakland, but Henien pointed out that Pitt and Sodexho would not allow for a store to be built. Henien then mentioned that he wants to get a special shuttle running from campus to the Giant Eagle in Shadyside.

Strait is running on the New Era slate.

Joe Leinbach, board member and part of the Dedication platform, said it is important for students to regain a seat on the Board of Trustees. He said the student would get to deal with questions like tuition costs and the development of new buildings.

“Students need to have a tangible say,” Leinbach said. He further explained that if they did, they wouldn’t have worry about being discriminated against, or worry about safety or have concerns about the tastes of campus food because someone would be able to speak for them.

He had to defend the idea of online scheduling from Henien, saying that students would still have to meet with their advisers before scheduling, but that it would be easier and more convenient for students to get what they want if they registered from their rooms, without having to travel to schedule.

Cassy Rubino, a sophomore who attended the event, said Powers and Leinbach had the most affect on her.

“I was impressed by Will [Powers] and Joe [Leinbach],” Rubino said. “They seemed the most professional and educated about their positions, and they had the most sound ideas.”

Brigette Dejardins, who also attended the debate, said it was helpful in making the candidates seem more real.