Video: Sheikh, Wu face off in SA presidential debates

By Seth Brown     2/18/10 6:00pm

Student Association presidential candidates Selim Sheikh and Tiffany Wu debated Monday night after the SA senate convened. Thresher Design Director Eric Doctor moderated the debate, which included questions from himself and the audience. Sheikh, currently the SA internal vice president, and Wu, the SA treasurer, were allowed one minute each for opening statements and question responses, two minutes each for closing statements and 30 seconds each for rebuttals. Certain answers are paraphrased for conciseness, and quotation marks signify direct quotes.

Opening Statements

Selim Sheikh: "I've been actively involved over the past two years, and I've worked on various projects to improve the Rice experience; I'm also active in other organizations, all [of which] have helped bring me an inspired and versatile perspective."

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Tiffany Wu: "[My] philosophy is to meet student needs, address student concerns. [It's] about the students, not me."

Questions

What is the role of the SA president?

SS: Threefold: A motivator, inspiring students; a facilitator, gathering and expressing student opinion; and a representative of student opinion to the administration.

TW: Most importantly a representative, but also a leader, who needs to give students the best possible experience.

What role should the SA play in ensuring the new colleges continue to be integrated?

TW: They should provide services and make themselves available if requested.

SS: The SA should welcome new college presidents and senators and watch out for troubles the colleges will experience.

What is the state of SA-college relations, and what is the relevancy of the SA to the student body?

SS: This relationship has been on an upward trend over the past few years; the SA remains relevant by discussing issues such as the Master Plan that are pertinent to all students.

TW: The relationship is good. The SA needs to provide a forum for student opinion to be heard and deal with campus-wide issues to remain relevant.

What role do you see college presidents playing in the SA?

TW: They should facilitate, along with the senators, transfer of info from SA to students.

SS: They could be utilized more in involving students, for example, by bringing up issues at Cabinet.

If elected, what is your primary goal?

TW: To make the SA more accessible to students - [there is] currently a disconnect between what students know and what the SA does.

SS: I would improve accessibility, make it easier for students to get involved and have SA executives visit college cabinets.

Would you support having the blanket taxes decided by an independent auditor?

SS: No, I would not. Blanket tax monies are paid by students and [we're] accountable for deciding what's done with them ourselves.

TW: Students have the most relevant info about what each blanket tax is going towards; an independent auditor does not have the same knowledge.

What is your spirit animal?

TW: Kangaroo

SS: Dragon

How do you feel about active discussions during senate meetings being dominated by senators?

SS: I would like to restructure, get the NSRs more involved and publicize meetings more.

TW: I would restructure, possibly add new components such as a 30-minute mixer to start off meetings at which students could discuss their concerns.

Media Credit: Lauren Schoeffler Brown College junior Tiffany Wu, current SA treasurer, answers a question while Martel College junior Selim Sheikh, current SA IVP, prepares his response. Elections began yesterday at 11:59 p.m. and will run through Wednesday at 2 p.m.

In recent history, all blanket tax proposals were voted down. What do you take from this?

TW: If the three proposals this year fail, we need to consider status of blanket tax system.

SS: The SA should encourage those trying to pass the proposals to campaign for them and let voters make informed decisions.

Given that the economy is in a recession, what will you do to ensure that the quality of student life doesn't fall?

TW: I would form a committee addressing university-wide budget cuts, increase transparency and accountability.

SS: I would form a committee addressing university-wide budget cuts and hold the president's office accountable to holding cuts to 5 percent across the board.

How do you feel about the NSR program? Is it effective, and would you have plans to change it?

SS: "I was in charge of the program, and great strides were made in the past year in working on projects - this year has had a lot more participation and [I would] encourage them and the internal vice president to continue these strides."

TW: I would focus on only a few projects, since splitting focus could reduce the impact of each one.

How do you plan to vote on blanket tax props?

TW: "To me, as treasurer, [they] have established a need, so I would say yes."

SS: I intend to vote for them, especially RESET's proposal.

How do you feel about use of referenda to bypass senate approval - for example, what was done with Beer Bike this year?

SS: "I believe this was put in the constitution for a reason. It's the first one I've seen. We'll see how it turns out. At this point I'm pretty much indifferent."

TW: The fact that students can get it to go through a different system shows a lot of student initiative.

What do you see as the optimal relationship between the SA and the colleges?

SS: Collaboration is essential for things such as gathering input on issues pertinent to all students.

TW: Colleges have a much more direct connection to students - they can get student input through senators.

Relations between RUPD and students seem to be deteriorating. How would you address this?

TW: The SA has enhanced its relationship with RUPD, and I would like to continue that.

SS: I would consider having a student poll about RUPD oversight at social events in the past year.

What ideas do you have regarding committee structure, including possibly revamping it to better address needs?

SS: The best way to revamp would be to increase student participation by better publicizing.

TW: The main committees have been underused - I would bring focus back to these.

What SA-related academic issues do you think are especially important?

TW: Involvement with minors and the academic calendar.

SS: Increasing the number of distribution courses, creating a faculty adviser evaluation system, helping freshmen understand Esther and increasing the number of minors.

Thoughts about future of campus social dynamic outside colleges?

TW: It can be improved - for example, through NSR projects and the creation of more central resources and meeting places.

SS: I would like to see more student interaction in central locations.

What were the greatest challenges the SA faced this year?

SS: Baylor merger discussions, bringing student opinion into Master Plan, Beer Bike Parade and involving the new colleges.

TW: Blanket tax reform and finding a new athletic director, alongside what Selim mentioned.

What will be the greatest challenges next year, and how will you handle these?

TW: "I think a lot of issues will still translate to next year - [we] need to follow through on the same issues that came up this year and go from there."

SS: A budget cuts committee is already in consideration; blanket tax oversight is also a committee; we need to ensure student support, integrate new athletic director and new colleges.

Closing Statements

SS: "Coming into Rice as a freshman, I was ready to push myself outside of my comfort zone. The SA is the most effective means to give back to Rice community. [The] SA is here to find ways to make our lives better, involve student opinions in major decisions. [We] need to build on successes building ties with administration. I would be honored to serve as SA president to help make best of experience for all."

TW: "We all have an idea of what we want from [the] Rice experience, [and I'm] here to help make this happen. You can trust me. After learning from past boards, watching the SA make great progress, I won't let achieved progress be in vain. [I'm] inspired to raise the bar, increase [the SA's] potential. [I] want to raise awareness about the SA. What students don't know has translated into what students don't care to know. [I] want to make students feel welcome and wholly a part of the SA. [I] want to expand ties to other university office and move towards having positive working relationships with those offices.

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