Runoff candidates stick to issues at forum

Nearing the conclusion of a contentious election season, both student body president candidates said they were relieved to focus on the issues in their final debate Wednesday.

The University’s Admissions Ambassadors hosted the forum but declined to endorse either Mary Cooper or Ian Lee because of low turnout.

Both candidates delivered opening statements and demonstrated their willingness to put the Board of Elections hearings and Student Supreme Court suits behind them.

“The issues have not been discussed at all since Feb. 7,” Cooper said. “I’m just excited to be out talking with students about my platform again.”

Cooper and Lee answered a variety of questions from the ambassadors and attendees, ranging from the level of involvement they will pursue with the recently scrutinized UNC Association of Student Governments — an organization that takes $1 from all students to represent UNC-system schools — to where they would first take martians on a tour of campus.

Cooper said she would take martians to the steps of South Building at sunset, and Lee said he would bring them to the Pit at peak traffic hours.

Lee said the item on his platform he is most excited about is opening up the Rams Head Deck for free student parking after 5 p.m.

“It’s something that every student can look at and see something tangible that student government has produced,” he said.

Cooper focused on her platform points of expanding CCI printing to North Campus and forming a “Tuition Dream Team” to increase transparency about student fees and tuition.

“We need to break down the barriers in students’ eyes about student government and show what Carolina can do for them,” she said.

Both advocate for a flat-rate taxi service to enhance students’ safety and late-night transportation options, as well as a group in student government specifically tasked with addressing student concerns.

Lee’s would be called “Fix My Campus,” and Cooper’s would be called “Triage.”

Lee said while he agrees with several of Cooper’s platform points, he will focus more on solutions for students rather than the process to achieve those goals through new committees and groups in student government.

“The average student doesn’t care about how we get something done,” he said. “It’s up to the next student body president to find what the solution is.”

Cooper said her platform demonstrates a more thorough understanding of the most important issues students face.

“While our ideas are similar, the depth of my ideas extend beyond the big four points in my platform,” she said.

The runoff election will be held Friday until voting closes at 10 p.m.

Cooper garnered 39 percent of the votes in the initial election, finishing ahead of Lee’s 25 percent.

Domonique Garland, a member of the ambassadors’ executive board, said students will have a difficult time choosing the next student body president.

“Both have good ideas but will carry them out in different ways,” she said. “It’s going to be very hard to choose who I want.”

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