Campaign Wrap-Up

Last night, when election commissioner Corey Cooling delivered the news that Tom and Blake had done the unthinkable and toppled KaLeigh and Alicia in the runoff election, all of those in attendance went silent. There wasn't even a roar of cheering or applause from the winning candidates' campaign team. No one knew what to do or how to react, because, with all due respect to Tom and Blake, no one thought they'd be able to pull it off after finishing second last week to KaLeigh and Alicia in the first election.

But somehow, in a week where almost everyone seemed to think the outcome of the runoff was a foregone conclusion, Tom and Blake proved that you can never underestimate an underdog.

So what happened? Your guess is as good as mine. KaLeigh and Alicia, after coming so close to obtaining a majority of the votes in the first election, saw their vote total drop by 137 in the runoff. Tom and Blake, on the other hand, retained all of their votes from the first election and saw their vote total increase by 118 in the runoff, allowing them to overtake KaLeigh and Alicia by a mere 14 votes. People like to roll their eyes when that old "every vote matters" adage gets tossed around but, in this case, it was true.

You can speculate all you want trying to figure out what KaLeigh and Alicia may have done wrong or what Tom and Blake may have done right, but the end result is all that matters. More than a few people present at the announcement last night had flashbacks to 2011, when a surprising election outcome was discovered to be the result of an egregious miscount in the votes, but the results of this runoff election were automated, removing the possibility of human error. So whether you want to believe it or not, the votes have all been tabulated and Tom and Blake are your next student body president and vice president.

Now, this will be my last post as the writer of this blog, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to personally address each of the candidates and offer up a few final thoughts on their campaigns as we close the book on this election season.

Tom and Blake
Wow. You did it! When defeat appeared imminent, you refused to give up. You kept your voters engaged and even managed to pull in a few extra votes, enough to put you over the top. You proved all the doubters wrong, and I tip my hat to you. Bravo! But once the honeymoon is over, you've got some work to do. I have no doubt that you are both capable of handling the responsibilities that come with being student body president and vice president, but I've been critical of your platform and you both know it (and even responded to it). I think you do have a lot of great ideas, but I also think there are some areas of your platform with room for improvement. I look forward to seeing you work with the current administration to ensure there is a smooth transition and that NISG continues to be a positive, engaging and active representative for students. You've got your work cut out for you, but I can't wait to see what you both have in store for this campus.

KaLeigh and Alicia
There is losing, and then there is losing in a runoff election by 14 votes after being a few percentage points away from certain victory in the first election. I can't imagine what either of you is going through right now, but I would hate for either of you to let this defeat get the better of you. You are both still leaders on this campus and your work in NISG is far from over. As the current student body vice president and the Director of Diversity and Student Life, make the most of the time you have left, and maybe, when you're able to put this election behind you, even consider applying for cabinet positions next year. I would urge you to work together with Tom and Blake to ease the transition between administrations and ensure that the goals and objectives from this year's administration are also priorities for the future. I know that it hurts right now and that throwing in the towel might seem like the easiest option, but you'd be doing a disservice to this student body if you didn't continue to be strong, outstanding student leaders.

David and Katie
I received a bit of flack for criticisms of your campaign that were perceived by some as ignorant or bigoted, but I want you to know that, out of all three of the tickets, I thought you were by far the most fearless. You weren't afraid to speak your mind and I respect you for that. You didn't shy away from the issues that were most passionate to you, even if those issues appealed more to the minority than the majority. Some might point to that as your downfall, but I think your willingness to stand behind what you believe is something to be proud of. And I know that, as student leaders on this campus, this election will be nothing more than a small stumble in your pursuit of accomplishing the goals and objectives laid out in your platform. I doubt that this will be the last we hear of David and Katie. I would also like to take a moment to commend Katie for how she handled herself during the election after suffering an unimaginable personal tragedy.

I would also like to congratulate the men and women who will hold a seat in senate next year. Your positions in NISG are arguably as important as the president and vice president, and I wish you good luck! You are all going to be important student leaders on this campus and I urge you to not take for granted the tremendous opportunity you've been given.

As I bring this final post to a close, I'd like to also take a moment to recognize Kari Braumann. Kari is the executive editor of the Northern Iowan (and the editor for this blog) and she does not get nearly the credit she deserves for all of the hard work and dedication she brings to this university. I want to thank her so much for the opportunity to write for this blog, because it really has been a fantastic experience and I am grateful to her for it.

Thank you to everyone who has been reading this blog over the past couple weeks! And thank you to everyone who voted! NISG is a very important but undervalued part of this university and I hope that those of you who followed the election this year continue to encourage your peers to take an active interest as well.

With that said, this is Blake Ruane, signing off. See you in the funny papers.

BREAKING NEWS: Runoff Election Results Are In!

Election commissioner Corey Cooling has announced the results of the runoff election -- and Tom and Blake will be your new student body president and vice president! After finishing second in votes to KaLeigh and Alicia in last week's election, Tom and Blake were able to stage a stunning comeback and claim victory in the runoff election. They deserve a lot of credit for not giving up when they were down.

Final Runoff Election Results
Tom Madsen and Blake Findley, 709 votes (50.5%) Elected
KaLeigh White and Alicia Jessip, 695 votes (49.5%)

In the runoff election for the final senate seat in the Graduate College, Ellie Hail was able to beat out Michelle Czarnecki, tallying 28 votes against Michelle's 22.

Congratulations to all of tonight's winners! I'll be posting a final campaign wrap-up tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who has been following the blog!

Who is Eric Boisen?

All is quiet on the election front, as the runoff looms. You could feel the anticipation last week, but everything seems to be at somewhat of a standstill this week. It'll be interesting to see the decrease in total votes after the runoff, since interest in the election appears to have dropped significantly.

Just a reminder that voting will begin on MyUNIverse tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. and then close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The results of the election will be announced Wednesday night at the bottom of the Grand Staircase in Maucker Union.

With so little excitement in terms of the runoff election, I thought it might be a nice change of pace to turn the spotlight toward the senate, specifically Eric Boisen. Eric was elected to the position of senator for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences in last week's election, but I first took notice of Eric for what he did before he was elected.

In the weeks leading up to the election, Eric was passing out buttons and posting campaign profile pics and cover photos to Facebook. Unlike a lot of his fellow candidates, Eric was actually campaigning, and I was a bit taken aback by that.

Much of this blog, in the few weeks of campaigning, has been devoted to the presidential/vice presidential election, with the senate elections forced to take a seat on the back burner. So, in an effort to shine some light on what it means to be an NISG senator, I thought I would take this opportunity to ask Eric a few questions and pick the brain of an enthusiastic senator who seems to take his role in student government very seriously.

Q: Why run for senate? What does that position mean to you?
Eric: I actually ran for senate last year, but being the uninformed freshman I was, I was totally unprepared for the election. I had no idea what I was doing. I wasn't too sure on what NISG even did, and lost pretty handily in the election. I really didn't want that to keep me down though, and I made a decision after that election that I was going to run again. The position of NISG senator means a lot to me, but mainly it means that I am the voice of the students of the CSBS and that I represent UNI. I really love UNI, and in the brief two years I have been here, it has helped me grow in more ways than I can think of. The opportunities UNI has given me have helped me grow so much as a person. Being a part of NISG is just a small way to help give back to the college that has helped me so much.

Q: You were one of the few senatorial candidates who had promotional material on Facebook (i.e. profile pics, cover photos, etc.). You even made campaign buttons! Why put so much effort into it when your fellow candidates don't seem to do the same?
Eric: As I said, I ran last year and lost pretty bad. I wanted to make sure this year that that didn't happen again. You could say I over-prepared for this election. I've always wanted election buttons, so I decided to get some, and the chalking I did was to get my name out there. It was after I was done chalking that I found out that there were only two people on the ballot for three seats in the CSBS. When it comes to the Facebook banners, I enjoy making things like that (though some were crudely made), and just had fun with it. I wouldn't have done all the stuff I did with campaigning if I didn't enjoy doing it, just like I wouldn't have ran if I didn't enjoy it here at UNI. The other senate candidates were smart; they probably spent less time/money on their campaigns than I did and still got elected. But I would not change a thing I did.

Q: What are your goals for your first term as a senator?
Eric: I want to spend my first term as senator making good connections with the other senators, the future president and VP and their cabinet. The better relationship that the senators have with each other and the administration will make the year much more productive and enjoyable for everyone. I also want to make sure we get funding for as many organizations and events as possible. I would love to see UNI change from a "suitcase campus." That is a big goal, something that would take many years to change, but I would like to be part of the senate that starts to change that.

Q: For those who not know, can you explain why senate is so important?
Eric: The senate is where you go if you have an organization that you want recognized by the university or if an organization needs funding. If you have an event you or your organization wants to put on, then senate is where you should go. It is the voice of the students to the student body president and vice president. They bring up concerns that students have about things going on with the university. Just like the United States Congress, we keep the executive branch in check.

I hope that, after hearing from Eric, you have a greater understanding of what it means to be senator and maybe you'll even consider running for a position in your college next year!

So... What Now?

Imagine putting in over two weeks of sweat, blood and tears and then, on the night that all of your hard work is supposed to pay off, you're told that you'll have to wait another week. This is the situation that KaLeigh & Alicia and Tom & Blake now find themselves in after neither of them were able to obtain more than 50 percent of the votes in this week's presidential/vice presidential campaign, resulting in a runoff election that will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. So what are the candidates doing in anticipation of the runoff?

Let's find out!

Interview with Blake Findley
Q: What are your plans in the days leading up to the runoff election?
Blake: We plan to spend a lot of time connecting with students, especially those that originally voted for David and Katie. Hearing students' opinions on NISG and figuring out how we can answer many of their concerns continues to be an important part of our campaign. Our plans are to regroup and push very hard the last few days of the election, connecting with those those who had supported us in the original election and those who have not voted yet.

Q: You were second in votes to KaLeigh and Alicia. How do you intend to make up that ground?
Blake: We plan on being visible to all students not only in our meeting with student organizations, but in our day-to-day activities on campus and tabling. We hope to get our campaign team to really focus on getting everyone out to vote, regardless of who they vote for. We encourage all students to come talk to us whether in class, tabling, or if you see us in the Union or across campus. Also, students should feel free to contact us via email, our website or any other media possible.

Q: What have you learned over the past two weeks that will help you through this final week?
Blake: The past two weeks have illustrated how powerful a team can be. With the right dynamic and a balanced skill set, a group of people can do pretty much anything. As Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Our campaign team has epitomized this quote as we have overcome several obstacles that were beyond our control and still managed to obtain 33 percent of the vote. If elected, we hope to take this knowledge to our selection of our cabinet, so we can better serve the university. We have also learned how incredible the students are at our university. Time and time again, we have had several random students congratulate us or wish us luck. Sometimes we'll have students ask us how we've been doing or when we've last eaten (faculty and staff, too). We've also been able to meet so many more students than we previously knew, all of whom reinforce the belief that the students at UNI are the best students.

Q: Why you? Why are you two the best candidates to lead and represent this student body?
Blake: The election has had excellent candidates, but we bring a more diverse array of experiences to the table. Our significant NISG experience, in conjunction with our leadership roles in several other areas of campus, will allow us to better serve the students of the University of Northern Iowa. We have several ideas we want to try to implement to bring greater transparency and accessibility, sustainability and inclusivity to our great campus and will work to the best of our ability to see those through.

Interview with KaLeigh White
Q: What are your plans in the days leading up to the runoff election?
KaLeigh: Over the next few days we would like to continue meeting with students and spreading the word about voting on March 5 and 6. We are very thankful for the support we've received over the last two weeks and we hope to keep hearing from more students. We really want everyone to be informed voters and we are extremely thankful for every chance we get to talk with other students.

Q: You had the most votes, but failed to get 50 percent. How do you intend to build off of that?
KaLeigh: We are very happy about how the first part of campaigning went and so we hope to build off of that same foundation. We need those who voted in the first election to vote again and also help encourage their friends to vote. We think this runoff election really demonstrates how important every single vote is and we hope that will help motivate people to stay involved.

Q: What have you learned over the past two weeks that will help you through this final week?
KaLeigh: Over the last two weeks we have learned to just keep talking to people. There is an endless amount of ideas and passion on this campus and we really would like to capture that in the work we do. I think it is also important to just stay positive. We have been inspired by all of the support we have received over the last two weeks. Even though the process may be stressful at times, we are reminded every single day why we are running and that is because we love this university community. There are so many amazing and powerful students on this campus and we want to help them however we can.

Q: Why you? Why are you two the best candidates to lead and represent this student body?
KaLeigh: Alicia and I believe that our experience, dedication and passion set us apart. During my time as student body vice president and Alicia's time as executive director of diversity and student life, we have learned a lot and made extensive connections on campus and in the state. We have the experience that will allow us to make the most of our time in office. The year goes by very fast, which makes our experience and knowledge even more important, as it will allow us to be as efficient and effective as possible. Most importantly, Alicia and I are genuinely dedicated to serving UNI students. We care a lot about this campus and we only want the best for it. We will give everything we have to the jobs to assure that UNI students feel connected to and proud of their university.

And there you have it! The week between the first election and the runoff election is somewhat of a strange time. You've probably seen updated profile pics and cover photos being posted on Facebook, but other than what, what else can the two tickets do? For Tom and Blake, you've a got a week to close a gap of more than 200 votes, while also maintaining the votes they've received the first time around. And KaLeigh and Alicia, despite getting the most votes in the first election, need to hold their tenuous lead without dropping their vote total and allowing Tom and Blake to pull ahead. It is a slippery slope, to the say least. Everyone involved is exhausted and overworked, and I'm sure the days leading up to the runoff will be stressful for both of the tickets.

I have also received word from David and Katie and been informed that, in the interest of continuing to encourage student voices, they will not be endorsing a ticket. So, without an official endorsement, it'll be interesting to see where the votes for David and Katie will go in the runoff election.

Keep checking back for more coverage on the runoff election!

Graduate College Senate Runoff

I've reached out to both of the tickets that will be competing in Tuesday and Wednesday's presidential/vice presidential runoff election, but neither of them have gotten back to me yet in regards to their campaign plans for the next couple days. So, until I hear from them, I thought we might spend some time on the other runoff election that will be taking place between Michelle Czarnecki and Ellie Hail, the senatorial candidates who tied with 7 votes for the final seat in the Graduate College.

Only members of the Graduate College will be eligible to vote in this particular runoff election, so if you're a voting graduate student, I would advise you to read the interviews below and take a look at what each candidate has to say!

Interview with Michelle Czarnecki
Q: Why run for senate?
Michelle: Ironically enough, I was encouraged to run for senate by Ellie [Hail]. We share a passion for getting students involved on campus, whether that is through their academic work, structured student organizations or social justice initiatives. [Ellie] had served on NISG this past year, and when we were discussing the open Grad College positions, I mentioned that I might be interested in running for one, as I believe NISG has many resources they can continue to utilize for the benefit of UNI as an entire community. As I did not graduate from UNI for my undergrad, I thought running for senate would give me a better sense of how the campus culture works, so that in turn when I am engaging my peers, I can offer ideas that would apply to the populace rather than working off assumptions. Additionally, I am always excited by the number of UNI students who want to make a difference on campus, and I would love to get involved with that group of individuals as well.

Q: What makes you the most qualified candidate for the position?
Michelle: As a grad student studying Student Affairs, I am gaining quite a bit of knowledge about the inner workings of the college campus and administration, which I believe would be helpful in serving as a senator. Indeed, Ellie and I are also creating our own readings-based course in order to learn more about law and policy in higher education, which would prove extremely relevant to a role with NISG. Since I have never served on a student governing association, I would also bring a fresh perspective on any and all workings of the organization, and since one of my strengths is learning, I would be able to do so keeping the history of NISG in mind and its laws and ordinances.

Q: What goals would you have as a senator for the Graduate College?
Michelle: My goals would be threefold: 1. Coordination with the graduate college (the graduate life coordinator, the Graduate Student Advisory board) to voice the concerns and requests of graduate students from all departments, of all ages, and of all levels of involvement; 2. Champion open communication about inclusivity, diversity and the political process; 3. Work to promote opportunities for students to get involved with their passions in order to prepare them for the rest of their lives.

Interview with Ellie Hail
Q: Why run for senate?
Ellie: I saw that there were open seats, and I thought why not? Michelle and I are good friends, so we decided to both run!

Q: What makes you the most qualified candidate for the position?
Ellie: I would say we are both evenly qualified in our different experiences and skill sets. I have NISG experience in the last year, serving as the Director of LGBT Affairs for Jordan and KaLeigh. I served as a student leader in my undergrad at UNI in the student organization UNI Proud as President/Co for two years.

Q: What goals would you have as a senator for the Graduate College?
Ellie: If elected, I would focus on representing the three groups I represent at UNI: graduate students, student affairs and the LGBT community. I would support graduate students by representing their interests when bigger issues come to a vote in senate, issues that affect our education as a whole, such as tuition set-aside and tuition increases. I would support student affairs and student development by making sure the dollars students are spending go to the right departments in the right amounts. I would also encourage the senate to focus on student development when deciding on the funding of student organizations and events. Finally, I would support the LGBT community by continuing to push for appropriate services and resources for LGBT students on campus. The Campus Climate Survey, institutional research recognized by UNI, clearly shows that LGBT students do not have the same experience at UNI as their heterosexual and cisgender peers, and UNI needs to wake up and fix that!

There you have it! In the words of the two competing candidates -- who even appear to be friends! Be sure to vote for either Michelle or Ellie on Tuesday or Wednesday if you're a student in the Graduate College. Keep checking back for more coverage on both of the runoff elections!

Next Week's Runoff Election

By now, you've seen last night's election results and you know that none of the three tickets were able to get more than 50 percent of the votes. As such, the two tickets that received the most votes (in this case, KaLeigh and Alicia and Tom and Blake) will compete in a runoff election beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and ending at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6. Like last night, the runoff election results will be announced Wednesday night by election commissioner Corey Cooling at the bottom of the Grand Staircase in Maucker Union.

There will also be a runoff for one of the senate seats, as senatorial candidates Michelle Czarnecki and Ellie Hail tied with 7 votes for the third and last seat in the Graduate College. That runoff will be held during the same period as the presidential/vice presidential election, but only students in the Graduate College will be eligible to vote in it.

Now, for those of you who are less familiar with NISG elections, the prospect of a runoff might be a new concept, but for those of us who have been around a while, this is business as usual. Runoffs have become something of a regularity in these elections, especially when you have three tickets in the running and it becomes increasingly more difficult for one of the tickets to obtain a majority of the votes.

Last year, current student body president Jordan Bancroft-Smithe and vice president KaLeigh White received the most votes in the first election but were unable to obtain that coveted 50 percent, so the election commission held a runoff election between them and candidates Kyle Burns and Brendan Thompson. But the final result was the same and Jordan and KaLeigh were declared the winners.

There was going to be a runoff election two years ago between Spencer Walrath and Ian Goldsmith and Rhonda Greenway and Adam Beaves, but Trevor Boeckmann (who was one of two writers for this blog at the time) discovered an error in the way the off-campus votes were counted in the first election and, before the runoff could be held, the election commission announced that Spencer and Ian had indeed already won.

So, it was no surprise to this blogger that there was a runoff and now we all have another week of campaigning to look forward to! I'll be posting later today or early tomorrow about what the candidates will be doing in the days leading up to the runoff, so be sure to check back for more election coverage!

Final Election Results

Presidential and Vice Presidential Election
KaLeigh White and Alicia Jessip, 832 votes (47.7%)*
Tom Madsen and Blake Findley, 591 votes (33.9%)*
David Pope and Katie Grassi, 310 votes (17.8%)

*Because none of the tickets received over 50 percent of the votes, the two tickets with the most votes will compete in a runoff election beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and ending at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.

College of Business Administration (3 seats)
Tyler Moran, 186 votes Elected
Parash Upreti, 183 votes Elected
Tanner Westberg, 180 votes Elected

College of Education (4 seats)
Joshua Schoon, 30 votes Elected
Alyssa Turcsak, 29 votes Elected
Jenna Gerard, 8 votes Elected
Hannah Colpitts, 5 votes Elected

College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (6 seats)
Jacob Ferguson, 416 votes Elected
Paige Leytem, 413 votes Elected
Stef McGraw, 395 votes Elected
Michael Kelly, 395 votes Elected
Jordan Wilmes, 388 votes Elected
Carl Reitz, 41 votes Elected
Aaron Friel, 36 votes

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 seats)
Eric Boisen, 206 votes Elected
Kathryn Evans, 204 votes Elected
Dylan Keller, 16 votes Elected
Nathan Davis, 8 votes

Graduate College (3 seats)
Lauren Dietz, 14 votes Elected
Nate Schultz, 12 votes Elected
Michelle Czarnecki, 7 votes*
Ellie Hail, 7 votes*

*With a tie, the two candidates with the same amount of votes will compete in a runoff election beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and ending at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.

BREAKING NEWS: Election Results Are In!

Election commissioner Corey Cooling has announced the election results -- and there will be a runoff election! None of the three tickets were able to get over 50 percent of the votes, so the two tickets with the most votes (in this case, KaLeigh and Alicia and Tom and Blake) will compete in a runoff election. Voting will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and will end at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.

So we have another week of campaigning to look forward to! I will publish a post soon with more details on the runoff election, the official vote counts and also the winners of the senate elections. Thank you to everyone who voted!

VOTE!

Today's the day! Voting began in MyUNIverse this morning at 8 a.m. and will close tomorrow at 5 p.m. Not sure how to vote? Let me help you out!

1. Go to www.uni.edu, click on MyUniverse in the upper right hand corner and log in.

2. Click on the "Life @ UNI" tab.

3. On the right side of the page, there should be a box called "Voting and Surveys." At the bottom of that box should be a survey with the name of your college followed by "2013 Northern Iowa Student Government Elections." Click "Start."

4. Vote for president/vice president and then however many seats your college has, whether you select the listed candidates or write-in one or more of your friends. You can also vote on the removal of redundant material found in the consitution.

5. Once you are finished, click "Submit."

6. Congratulations! You've voted!

It takes all of 30 seconds, so please do it. Every vote matters!

The Final Push

This is it. Zero hour is almost upon us. Tomorrow, beginning at 8 a.m., voting in MyUNIverse will open up and students will have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday to cast their vote in the presidential, vice presidential and senatorial elections. Two weeks of campaigning, meeting with student organizations, putting up flyers around campus, handing out buttons and t-shirts and it all comes down to this.

With less than 24 hours before voting begins, let's take a final look at the candidates!

Tom Madsen and Blake Findley
Website: http://www.tomandblake.com/
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: Tom and Blake for UNI Students (226 Likes)
The Ticket: Experience, but with some new ideas for improvements. Tom and Blake both boast quite a bit of experience with NISG and they're both involved in a number of different student organizations and activities on campus. Their platform has a lot of new ideas on how to make NISG more visible and accessible to students, increase recycling initiatives across campus to make UNI more green and work to ensure that UNI and NISG are both welcoming and inclusive communities. Tom and Blake acknowledge that there is some work to be done in terms of improving NISG and, with their experience, they believe they know how to get it done. But are their ideas the best ideas? What, in terms of their experience, sets them apart?

David Pope and Katie Grassi
Website: http://davidandkatiearedifferent.com
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: David + Katie (400 Likes)
The Ticket: NISG is broken, and they're here to fix it. David and Katie have been the candidates most critical of NISG and view the current student government as a more of a megaphone for the administration than a voice for students. David and Katie would like to see that change and want to be a voice for the students who have been marginalized by student government in the past. They're different, in more ways than one, and they're not afraid to stand up and be at the forefront of a protest when it comes to advocating for students, especially in situations where programs are being cut without student input. But how do they expect to focus on the minorities without neglecting the majority? Are their platform ideas too limited in scope?

KaLeigh White and Alicia Jessip
Website: http://kaleighandalicia.com
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: KaLeigh and Alicia for UNI Students (315 Likes)
The Ticket: You've seen what Jordan and KaLeigh have done in one year. Now find out what KaLeigh and Alicia can do with a second. They're as close to an incumbent as we're going to get, with KaLeigh currently serving as student body vice president and Alicia holding the executive position of Director of Diversity and Student Life. Their campaign is centered about the idea of continuity, since KaLeigh has a year under her belt as vice president and has already-established connections and relationships that would allow her and Alicia to hit the ground running next year. Their platform is full of continuations of the feasible and achievable goals that Jordan and KaLeigh have been working towards over the past year. But are you satisfied with the current NISG administration? Are KaLeigh and Alicia playing it safe with a platform short on new ideas?

It's been a fun and interesting past couple weeks, and now the choice is yours to make. I'll be posting tomorrow with more specifics on where and how to vote, but until then I urge you to check out the candidates' website and read through the blog posts. Just be sure that, when you cast your vote tomorrow, you're making an informed decision.

Keep checkin' back! I will keep you updated as we inch closer and closer to electing next year's student body president and vice president.

Candidate Interviews - David and Katie (Part 2 of 2)

You'll recall that, about a week ago, I was able to interview David as part of series of sit-down interviews with the presidential and vice presidential. Unfortunately, Katie was unavailable for the interview due to unforeseen events, so we were forced to postpone. Fortunately, I was able to email her a few questions once she returned to campus and Katie was kind enough to send me back her answers. Without further ado:

Q: Why run for vice president? What makes you the most qualified candidate for the position?
Katie: I decided to run for vice president because of my deep love for the university and desire to make it even better than it already is. I have talked with some of my friends from other institutions and they describe how successful and efficiently functional their student governments are and then I think of ours and want to change it. I want to make a difference at UNI. I feel as though I am the most qualified candidate because of the unique experiences I bring to the table and the out-of-the-box perspectives. I carry with me years of experience from being an RA that no other candidate has. I also have years of experience in executive positions and see being vice president as a way to make things happen. I have great relations with the faculty here and the administration, not to mention the student body itself.

Q: You have no NISG experience. Do you see that as a positive? How do you intend to compensate for that lack of experience?
Katie: Yes, this is a huge positive to me. I have something none of the other candidates do. I have unique skills and experience to bring into the position and utilize to make a change in NISG. I am really excited to bring everything that I have learned as being an RA into the position and all of the other executive positions I have worked in. I don't believe I will need to compensate for any lack of experience as I just carry a different kind of experience with me into NISG.

Q: How will your experience as a resident assistant inform your goals as vice president?
Katie: David and I have strategic goals to create transparency with NISG and get the students more engaged to the process and procedures. We are really wanting more student input and that will be achieved through the student voice app and Petition the President initiative. I am really excited about taking on this problem with the current status of NISG because that is what I do in my job and have been doing for the past two years. My job, as an RA, is to listen to the concerns of students and meet their needs in whatever way possible! That is exactly what part of the position as vice president entails and what David and I wish to do in office.

Q: Can you talk about your training with the Campus Coalition Builders?
Katie: I am training to be part of the CCB, Campus Coalition Builders, here on campus which is UNI's smaller part of NCBI, National Coalition Building Institute. I am working with diversity folks like Karen Mitchell, Danielle McGeough, Ellie Hail and Victoria DeFrancisco. We are trained to facilitate discussion about diversity and to create personal change. We also facilitate workshops fro groups to create a more cohesive community and environment. Let me know if this explains enough or if you have more questions.

And there you have it, folks! The last of the candidate interviews. If you'd like to read the other interviews, you can check out Part 1 and Part 2 of KaLeigh and Alicia's, Part 1 and Part 2 of Tom and Blake's, and Part 1 of David and Katie's.

NISG Senatorial Candidates

For the past two weeks, this blog has been focused on the presidential and vice presidential election, but the senatorial election is no less important. When you vote in MyUniverse on Tuesday or Wednesday, you'll also be voting on the senatorial candidates below, depending on which college you belong to.
If you belong to the one of the colleges below who have fewer candidates than available seats or even one of the colleges that has the same amount of candidates as seats, I urge to consider a write-in campaign. If you want to get involved in NISG, this is how to do it. Otherwise, take a look at all the candidates for your college and be informed on who you're voting for!

College of Business Administration (3 seats)

Tyler Moran
Standing: Junior
Major(s): Accounting
Essay Highlights
- Believes that, through collaboration, the three elected senators of the CBA can reward funding to the student organizations within the college that need and deserve it most
- Served in senate for the past two semesters as an off-campus senator
- Will work to keep students of the CBA updated on the issues of NISG and use his vote and voice to maximize the representation of this college

Parash Upreti
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Economics
Essay Highlights
- Representing the CBA as a senator will give him the opportunity to represents the students that he is closest to within UNI
- Coming from a different culture, language background and race will allow him to represent a broader range of students
- His previous experiences include executive positions in International Student Promoters, International Club of Business Students, Economics Club and CBA President's Council

Tanner Westberg
Standing: Freshman
Major(s): Finance
Essay Highlights
-Wants to have an impact on this campus and is concerned with the issues that face this university
- Appointed to the Organization and Finance committee this semester and that experience has familiarized him with the budgetary guidelines
- Communication of what senate is and what it does for its constituents is a big issue and his goal would be to strengthen the connection between the two

College of Education (4 seats)
No candidates on the ballot. Seats will have to be filled via write-in candidates. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.

College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (6 seats)

Jacob Ferguson
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): English
Essay Highlights
- Very involved on campus and feels strongly about keeping all students engaged and involved in everything that is going on around campus
- Will be a good representative of all students because of his different involvements, which include musical ensembles, campus activities and organizations and professional and developments groups dealing with residence life
-  Believes that every student has a right to heard and knows that he will be the right voice to communicate on the behalf of students in the CHAS and UNI as a whole

Michael Kelly
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Philosophy
Essay Highlights
- Believes that he embodies the qualities of a senator for CHAS because, as a philosophy major, he sees the importance of fair and open discussion, can think critically and abstractly and holds himself to a high ethical standard
- Involved in performance music for 9 years, and jazz has taught him how to improvise, not fear creativity and given him an attention to detail.
- Wants to improve campus life and help out student organizations as a whole

Paige Leytem
Standing: Senior
Major(s): Biology
Essay Highlights
- Has had numerous opportunities to work with diverse groups of students and has learned a lot of campus politics as a result
- Both a resident assistant in Hagemann Hall and a UNI President Scholar, and a member of the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honors Fraternity, UNI Singers and the Honors Student Advisory Board
- Never been a member of NISG, but looks forward to bringing new ideas and a passion for helping her fellow students

Stef McGraw
Standing: Junior
Major(s): Philosophy and Spanish
Essay Highlights
- Currently in her second term as a senator and has taken the opportunity to step outside her comfort zone and speak up even when she disagrees
- Serves as External Relations chair, a committee that promotes student political awareness and activism through events such as Voterpalooza and UNI Day
- Cares more about voting for what is right than being in the majority and puts a lot of thought into her decisions, but also not afraid to ask for more information

Jordan Wilmes
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Biology
Essay Highlights
- Currently serves as a senator and, though he is proud to have been a part of it, there is still work to be he done
- Wants to continue serving on the Organization and Finance Committee, where he can help constituents understand the budget and funding process
- Represented the voice of students regarding the tuition freeze and student teacher fee resolutions, and is pleased with the progress on a permanent LGBT Center

No other candidates on the ballot. The final seat will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 seats)

Eric Boisen
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Political Science
Essay Highlights
- Students of the CSBS have a lot of great ideas and he wants to be the person these students can talk to about these ideas and how to improve NISG
- Involved in UNI Men's Varsity Glee Club, serves as the current president of Rider Hall and working on an internship with Southwestern Advantage
- Believes that his time as president of Rider Hall is proof of his leadership skills, and his ability to communicate with others and create a welcoming environment for new ideas

Kathryn Evans

Standing: Freshman

Major(s): Political Science

Essay Highlights

- Volunteered with local campaigns and has participated in Model United Nations, Political Science Society and Debate Team

- Has watched friends make a difference through student government and would like the opportunity to also help better UNI and the CSBS

- Wants to ensure student organizations get fair funding, keep students aware of academic resources on campus and fight for the issues that students care about

No more candidates on the ballot. The third seats will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.

Graduate College (3 seats)
No candidates on the ballot. Seats will have to be filled via write-in candidates. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.

Undecided/General Studies/Other (1 seat)
No candidates on the ballot. The seat will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win the seat.

NISG Election Debate Recap

First things first, if you have the opportunity, please thank election commissioner Corey Cooling and moderator Linh Ta for putting on an excellent debate last night! All three tickets represented themselves well and I was very pleased to see a large crowd of students in attendance. Thank you to anyone who submitted a question for the candidates, whether it was via Facebook, Twitter or in-person at the debate.

Each ticket was asked a specific question prepared beforehand, with the other two tickets being allotted time to answer the question as well, before opening up for the floor to student questions. So how'd it go?

1st Question: "Your campaigning style has caught the eye of many people on campus, with the handing out of condoms and your most recent drag video. Some people however may argue that it's a "get-up" and that it's unprofessional. How can you prove to us that both are not just attention seeking, and that you will be able to represent the student body in a professional manner?"

David and Katie
- The condoms were something practical and useful, and highlighted an important area of their platform.
- The video was a light-hearted and honest attempt to express their passions and ideas, especially in terms of gender identity, but they can understand if people did not like it.
- But they do feel that a clear double standard does exist and that no one would be asking these kinds of questions if they were wearing gender norm clothing.
- They want everyone to know that they take themselves, their gender identities and the voices of all students seriously.
- "I spent half my life in the closet, I'm not going back in." - David

Tom and Blake
- They both take this job and this opportunity very seriously.
- They've been involved and work with a number of different student organizations and believe that their experience outside of NISG will help them represent all of the students on this campus.
- Both of them have worked hard on their platform and will continue to keep students informed on their goals and ideas for the future of the university.

KaLeigh and Alicia
- They commended David and Katie for their video and complimented it as a unique approach to their campaign.

2nd Question: "Inclusivity is one of three important areas of your platform. How, specifically, do you intend to help make UNI and NISG a more inclusive community?"

Tom and Blake
- Diversity has become such an overused word that it leaves a lot of different student groups out, and they want everyone to feel included.
- They are passionate about helping the LGBT community, veterans and students with disabilities.
- They talked about NISG sponsoring Unity Week and holding workshops where our differences are celebrated, rather than focusing on the prejudices.
- They would like to see immediate funding available to student organizations hosting events where accommodations for students with disabilities are needed.

David and Katie
- Katie talked about her experiences as a Resident Assistant in Campbell Hall and how her job is basically to build a sense of community.
- What sets them apart is their passion for this campus. Katie mentioned increasing pride through athletics, explaining that part of the reason she came to UNI was because it was the smallest of the three state schools but still had a prominent athletics program.
- David talked about automatic funding for events in need of disabilities accommodations, similar to Tom and Blake.

KaLeigh and Alicia
- Alicia talked about how her experience as Director of Diversity and Student Life and her previous role in the lower cabinet has informed her belief that diversity is a wide range of differences.
- Alicia posed a rebuttal question for Tom and Blake: Inclusion refers to proactive behaviors that make students feel welcome. Are you not distancing yourself from the problem by focusing on inclusivity and distancing yourself from diversity?

Tom and Blake's Response: Diversity has a negative stigma, and it only makes students think of a few groups. They want to steer away from that and get students thinking about inclusivity, rather than the same old diversity. That is not to say diversity isn't important. We are all different, but we all have something in common too. That is where inclusivity comes in.

3rd Question: "Much of your platform appears to be a continuation of the current administration's goals. What specific new ideas are you bringing to the table next year?"

KaLeigh and Alicia
- They do have new ideas, but will concede that most of their ideas are focused on expanding and improving what they've seen from previous administrations
- Part of why KaLeigh is running again is because she has seen too many ideas and initiatives lost in the shuffle of a transition between administrations. They believe their NISG Strategic Plan will help alleviate the complications of transitioning from one administration to another.
- They want to see their goals and initiatives to reach their fullest potential.
- Their platform is not extensive, but they know what they want to do and how to do it

David and Katie
- They are both transparent, both about themselves and their identities, and that is something they'd like to carry into office, because student voices are most important to them.
- They cited the Student Voice App and the Presidential Petition as examples of how they intend to accomplish their goal of providing a voice for students.

Tom and Blake
- Their platform has a lot of new ideas that they'd like to try and they're not interested in doing the same old stuff, because there is always room for improvement.
- Both cited their experience in NISG and their relationships with different student organizations and faculty members across campus as reasons why they can succeed as a one-term administration.

There were several student questions, but I won't go through them all here for the sake of time and length (I believe there is an audio recording of the debate and I'm hoping to be able to upload it soon, so those who could not attend or watch the debate via live streaming can hear the entirety of the debate for themselves. I'll keep you posted!). Overall, I thought it was a fantastic debate, with no clear winner. I thought each of the tickets represented themselves very well and the debate helped better define each of the tickets in terms of how they're presenting themselves to the students. KaLeigh and Alicia are selling continuity and experience, Tom and Blake are all about experience and new ideas and David and Katie are a new direction for NISG that will place an emphasis on voicing the opinions of students.

There were some interesting moments in the debate, like when one student question asked the candidates which part of their platform was most unrealistic and why they chose to include it. Tom and Blake answered with the automatic light switches in each building, David and Katie responded with open housing and bathrooms across campus and KaLeigh and Alicia admitted it would be the additional late night run of the Panther Shuttle. Quite a few of the questions simply called upon the candidates to reiterate sections of their platform, but I think even those questions allowed us to see how familiar the candidates were with their platforms and whether or not they really even knew what they were talking about.

Some recurring themes from the debate were the stigma surrounding NISG as intimidating and unwelcoming to those who are not involved, supporting students and ensuring that their voice is heard in the university matters that affect them and the overall goal of making UNI and NISG more diverse and, in turn, inclusive communities. It is clear that all of the candidates are aware that NISG, in the wake of last year's program cuts and the enusing controversy, is in a position now where it is becoming increasingly insulated from the rest of the campus and this needs to change, sooner rather than later.

Closing Remarks
David and Katie
- Change is good, and they have a vision for the future of UNI.
- They are passionate about students and want student government to be open to all students, especially the minorities whose voices have been marginalized.
- They've been working towards these goals since they stepped on this campus.
- You can choose the same or you can choose something different.

Tom and Blake
- They love UNI and they want all students, both present and future, to have the same amazing experience that they've had at this university.
- They want to serve students and work with the faculty and administration.
- They want to reach out to students and get their opinions because students are what make this campus great. Students are what make this campus home.

KaLeigh and Alicia
- They want to be a voice for students, but we can only extend our hand and it is up to you to take it. Everyone needs to work together.
- Their platform is feasible and achievable, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.
- Their passion for the university has grown through their work with NISG and they want every student to feel involved and informed.

And there you have it. Who won? I can't quite decide, to be honest, and part of me feels compelled to refrain from tabbing any of the candidates as a loser in this debate. Each ticket took the stage and laid out what their campaign is all about, and I'm not sure what more could've been asked of them. I'm sure you could find nitpicks in how some of the candidates handled themselves (i.e. Tom and Blake standing up for each question), but overall I was satisfied with how the tickets presented their arguments.

What about you? For those of you who saw the debate, what do you think? Who impressed you the most? Let's hear it in the comments!

Tom and Blake Respond to Platform Analysis

Tom and Blake have posted a video on YouTube addressing the concerns and criticisms that I raised when I analyzed their platform. You could criticize them for spending so much time on the opinion of one person, but I must admit, I'm impressed. As candidates for president and vice president, you have to be able to take feedback and criticism and respond, and they've done just that. I encourage you to watch the video (which you can see below), especially if you took the time to read my platform analysis, and hear what Tom and Blake have to say. If anything, my platform analyses are intended to help the candidates identify weak points in their platform or points that might need clarification. I challenged them to be more specific in some of their planks and they've answered the call.

A Response

There has been quite a bit of backlash on Facebook, Twitter and the comments section of this blog stemming from the opinion stated in a recent blog post, "Why So Not Serious?" In this post, I criticized the recent campaign music video from David and Katie for being unprofessional, in my opinion. Several people disagreed with this opinion, and a few of them expressed their own personal views on the topic, which were contrary to my own, in a polite and respectful manner. Unfortunately, not everyone chose that route, and I have found myself the target of a number of different accusations from people who would rather attack my character than simply disagree with my argument.

Last night, in response to these accusations, I posted the following status to Facebook. I am sharing it here now for those of you who are not my friend on Facebook:

I am not a homophobe. I have no problem with people who identify as homosexual. None whatsoever. It breaks my heart to even have to defend myself on this issue, but I feel like something has to be said because the personal attacks on my character are getting ridiculous. In a recent blog post, titled "Why So Not Serious?", I did not attack the candidates. I criticized a campaign tactic. And because of it, I've been called small-minded, a suppressor of self-expression, a homophobe, a gay basher and a number of other things I don't care to include here. Most of the people making these accusations don't even know me. They're basing they're opinion of me off a single blog post.

If you are among the people who believe these accusations to be true, I invite you to message or call or e-mail or even Tweet at me. We'll go get lunch. Maybe a cup of coffee. And we'll chat. We'll have a civilized discussion. You think I'm a bigot? Find out for yourself. Get to know me. But I'm done sitting here and listening to people attack my character because they simply disagreed with my opinion.

I feel I need to remind everyone that this is a blog. And on this blog, I provide coverage of the election and express my opinions on the candidates and their campaigns and platforms. My opinion is not gospel, and I've never pretended that it is. You are free to disagree with me, but I please ask that you do so in a respectful manner. I respect your opinion and I believe everyone is entitled to theirs. All I'm asking for is the same treatment.

I will not be commenting on the recent release of KaLeigh and Alicia's new campaign video, because doing so would, unfortunately, continue a conversation I'm frankly no longer comfortable having. I would've loved to have had a civil, intelligent debate about the professionalism of campaign videos, but very few people seem interested in doing that. Instead, people have resorted to condemning me, attacking my character and throwing out deplorable accusations that are simply not true. You are free to express your views and opinions about KaLeigh and Alicia's campaign video in the comments below, but I will be excusing myself from the conversation.

I agreed to do this blog because I think NISG is important and I feel like this blog is a great forum for students to be informed about student government and engage in thoughtful discussion about the issues that matter to them most.

I stand by what I said in my previous post and you are free to disagree with me, but I'm not going to add more fuel to the fire when clearly people are not willing to listen to reason. It's just not worth it. Nothing in my post was meant to be ignorant or hateful and I truly am sorry that some people got that impression. But I also find it disappointing that, in an election where "Every Student Voice Matters" has become a rallying cry, that one student voicing his opinion has resulted in what ultimately feels like a witch hunt.

You have a voice. I implore you to use it. Not to bash or insult the character of other people, but to voice your beliefs and opinions. You can start by voting in the election on Tuesday. I can talk all I want on this blog about what I think, but what really matters is what you think and who you want as your student leaders.

I will continue to provide coverage of the election over the next few days to the best of my abilities. A recap of last night's debate will be posted later this afternoon. I hope we can all set aside our differences and remember that this election is not about the opinion of a single student. It is about finding the two candidates most qualified to lead and represent the students of this campus. Thank you for reading.

Blake or Blake?

There are appears to be some confusion about which Blake is writing for this blog and which Blake is running for student body vice president.

If you were under the belief that vice presidential candidate Blake Findley was the Blake writing this blog, I'm afraid you are sadly mistaken. Because Blake Findley is an academic writer for the Northern Iowan, several people have been under the impression that he is the Blake in charge of this blog, when in fact it is Blake Ruane (an opinion columnist for the NI) who writes for this blog.

To clarify:
Blake FINDLEY is running for student body vice president.
Blake RUANE is writing for this blog.

Hopefully this clears up any confusion. Apologies to Blake Findley! It is the unfortunate price of having a common name, I suppose.

A debate recap will be up tomorrow afternoon! Don't forget to vote in the poll!

NISG Election Debate Live Stream!

Can't make it to Maucker Union? Look no further! We are live streaming the debate! Don't forget to Tweet your candidate questions to either @BromissionerUNI or @NIonNISG.
Live streaming by Ustream Video feed and equipment courtesy of UNI Freethinkers and Inquirers!

Trolls And Pundits

If you've followed NISG elections in the past, then you're probably familiar with the @Panther_Pundit and the @NISGtroll, two anonymous Twitter accounts that become have staples during election season whether you like them or not. Opinion columnist Nate Konrardy of the Northern Iowan has written a column about the Panther Pundit and the NISG Troll, and you can read an excerpt below.

This year's Panther Pundit, though sporting the same username and picture as last year's, started their account from scratch. Either the Pundit's game has withered significantly over the last 11 months, or (most likely) this is a completely new Pundit riding the coattails of someone else's idea.

The NISG Troll came into existence last year shortly after the Panther Pundit started getting attention. The Troll adopted the persona similar to that of an angsty teen who just discovered his "e-balls" on 4chan.

For those unfamiliar with the term, "e-balls" refers to an individual who is willing to share their brash and hurtful comments as long as they are behind a keyboard and concealed by the veil of anonymity the Internet provides.

You can read the rest of the article by clicking here. Konrardy goes on to discuss the appeal of commentary from anonymous Twitter accounts and whether or not we should be rewarding people with our attention for saying whatever they want without having to attach their face or name to it.

I posted this article because of its relevance to the election and because I think it brings up a good point about speaking your opinion and putting your name on it. Just because I'm running this blog does not mean that I am the authority on all things NISG or the election. You might not share my opinions on the candidates and their platforms, and that is perfectly ok. If anything, I encourage you to voice your opinion and be heard, because your issues and concerns do matter. And I would encourage you to do so without the guise of anonymity.

You can start by coming to the NISG Election Debate tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the Maucker Union Coffeehouse. Be there and come prepared with questions for the candidates! This is a great opportunity to have your voice be heard.

A note about the role of the NISG elections blog

Hello all,

Recently, it seems there is some confusion about this blog and its relationship to the Northern Iowan. Just to clarify a few points:

1. All opinions expressed on this blog belong to their authors alone. They do not reflect the official position of the Northern Iowan or its staff members.

2. This is a blog. Blog posts are not newspaper articles. This means that authors can express their opinions. Writers' opinions do not belong in news articles; that is called editorializing.

For example, if the NI were to run a newspaper article (outside the Opinion section) about David + Katie's recent video, the writer of that article would describe the video in an objective way, then interview several individuals with a variety of opinions about the video, giving none weight over the others. The writer's opinion would not appear in the article.

Because this is a blog, Blake is allowed to express his opinion, with the understanding that he is not speaking for the NI.

I edit most of the posts in the blog for grammar and spelling and the like, but I do not edit or change Blake's arguments and observations. Essentially, I edit them the same way the copy editor and I edit letters to the editor.

I feel I should have made these points more clear at the outset of this election cycle, since it has been a year since the last time we used the blog and two years since the concept of the NISG elections blog was introduced. I apologize for any confusion on that end.

I encourage you to engage (respectfully and constructively) with the blog and with Blake. Please feel free to contact me at braumank@uni.edu if you have any questions.

Kari Braumann
Executive editor

Website Analysis: White-Jessip

This is the third in a series of three posts analyzing campaign websites.

Address: http://kaleighandalicia.com/

The White-Jessip website is is packed full of professionalism and Panther pride, much like the website constructed for Jordan and KaLeigh during last year's NISG election.  KaLeigh and Alicia are touting that they want to carry on what they've been doing this last year with a few new twists, and their website embodies this, as well.  Just like the other two websites, I was able to view their site on my iPad and Android phone without any issues.  (Props to all three campaigns having mobile sites! I think this is a first!)

What They Are Doing Uniquely

• Campaign News - Throughout their campaign, KaLeigh and Alicia's website has had a variety of important links with big, bold pictures and buttons on their homepage.  These links go to links relevant to UNI and the White-Jessip campaign.  While I'm not sure I would have called this section Campaign News (because not all of the links have related 100% directly to the campaign), I really like that this website is giving students current and pertinent information right from the home page.
• Displaying Sponsors - While it is possible that the other campaigns didn't acquire sponsors for their campaign, I am glad that KaLeigh and Alicia are not only displaying their sponsors on one page, but all of their pages.  This may have been part of the agreement between the White-Jessip campaign and these sponsors, but I also view this as another step toward transparency.

What They Are Doing Well

• Consistent Branding - The White-Jessip campaign has clearly established and consistent logo that is on absolutely all of their campaign materials (with the exception of the images on which they just use the secondary logo of Inform. Involve. Inspire.).  The logo is well designed, professional, and easily read.  The logo is even plastered across the top of their platform PDF.  If a student has been paying any attention to the NISG elections this year, there is no doubt that they have seen this logo more than once.
• Black and White Poster - While all of the White-Jessip downloads are great (they even have an image for the new Twitter profile banner!), having a downloadable black and white poster is by far their best thing available.  All students have access to free black and white printing on campus, so it is smart to have a downloadable poster that is optimized in grayscale so students can print off their own posters to put on places like residence hall doors.

What They Could Do Better

• Utilizing Space - The home page is laid out so well with big (but not too big) graphics and easy-to-navigate links.  However, all of the other pages on the website are kind of a letdown for me from a design perspective because the right column is so poorly utilized.  On some pages there is a link to tweet with the hashtag #NISGElections and a button to like their page on Facebook (which are great features to have), but I would have much preferred to see what is in the sea of purple at the bottom of the page in that column.  This may be seen by some people as a design preference, but I feel like the Twitter feed is relevant enough to be placed higher on the page, so why not put it where there is space?

Overall Thoughts
This is undoubtedly the best website of this campaign season.  It is attractive, professional, and easy to navigate.  KaLeigh made a smart choice by using the same web team that helped her and Jordan achieve victory last year.

NISG Election Debate

The debate is almost upon us! Tomorrow night, at 5:30 p.m. in the Maucker Union Coffeehouse, all three tickets will be in attendance for the NISG Election Debate. I will be co-moderating with Linh Ta, the news editor of the Northern Iowan, and Corey Cooling will preside over the debate as election commissioner.

How will it work? The candidates will answer questions from the moderators for a portion of the debate before we open up the floor and take some questions from the audience. So, if you're planning on attending, be sure to come prepared with a few general questions for the candidates! You can also tweet questions to Corey Cooling, whose Twitter handle, for the purposes of this election, is @BromissionerUNI.

This is an excellent opportunity for you to see the candidates live and in person and see how they handle themselves in a public forum. There are sure to be some tough questions, as well, so it will be very interesting to see how the candidates respond! You will also have the opportunity to maybe ask a question, so be sure to keep yourself informed by visiting the candidates' website or reading through our platform analyses, candidate interviews and website critiques for more information.

If you are unable to attend, there will be someone live-tweeting the debate, but I will try to have more specific information about that posted here for you tomorrow. I hope to see a lot of people there! Spread the word!

Why So Not Serious?

You'll recall that, earlier this week, this blog reported on David and Katie handing out campaign condoms to students in the Union in an attempt to grab the attention of voters, for better or for worse. Well, they're at it again, but this time they've decided to branch out in the form of a campaign video, which you can view below.

Before I talk about this video, I want first to be clear, I have no problem with men and/or women dressing up in drag and dancing to will.i.am's "Scream & Shout." I'm all for freedom of expression and if that means dressing up in drag and dancing across campus, I'm not going to stop you. You have that right.

With that said, this campaign video has no place in a student government election.

Allow me to explain. During the first week and a half of this election, David and Katie have made it clear that they're different. Different from the other candidates, previous administrations and a lot of the students at this university, but they're not ashamed of it, nor should they be. They've talked about wanting to be a voice for students, rather than a megaphone for the administration, and they are passionate about making minority groups a priority in student government. More than anything, they want to be taken seriously.

But after watching this video, I can't help but question that last part. These two individuals are in the running for student body president and vice president. Their responsibilities, if elected, will include, but not be limited to, creating a $2 million Student Services Fee budget and representing the student body to the mayor, governor and other important people. And their idea of proving to voters that they're the most capable candidates to handle those responsibilities is an amateur music video? While other candidates have used their campaign videos to introduce themselves and talk about their qualifications and specific plans and ideas for the future of UNI, David and Katie dressed up in drag and danced across campus, with text from their platform appearing at different intervals.

They can't be serious. In fact, some students, myself included, have wondered if David and Katie really believe that they can win this election, and aren't simply using it as a platform to raise awareness about their issues and get the conversation going. I'm not saying that this is the case, but it certainly looks that way to some people. Because as much as David and Katie claim to be a voice for the students, the only views they seem to be interested in expressing are their own. It is fine if drag is the outlet David and Katie use to express themselves, but when you're student body president and vice president, you're not in that position to express yourself. You are there to express the needs and concerns of everyone else. And is a drag performance really representative of the whole student body?

More than anything, I'm disappointed. This video mocks what this election is all about. Being student body president and vice president is not a joke. Yes, not everyone cares about NISG, but if you're running for a position, you need to take it seriously. And if you think a music video is the key to winning this election, then you're running for all the wrong reasons. This is not a popularity contest. This about finding and electing candidates who are qualified to represent and make important decisions on behalf of the entire student body.

I understand that David and Katie are different and want to set themselves apart from the other candidates. But there is a difference between being different and being unprofessional.

Platform Analysis - David and Katie

Quick Hits
Favorite Plank: "Petition The President Initiative. In order to keep UNI close to the students and to make sure no hot-button issue goes unresolved or unaddressed, we will start an initiative wherein a petition of 250 current UNI students would receive a response from our administration within one week of the petition being turned in."

Least Favorite Plank: "Fix Financial Aid. In our time here at UNI, we don't think we've met a single student who hasn't had an issue with their financial aid, and many have had recurring problems receiving the money they need to get an education. We will work to bring student concerns to the Financial Aid Office and see if we can solve any systemic problems so that students have access to their aid money with as little frustration and interference as possible."

Unique Plank: "Create A Student Voice App. As part of our promise to be the voice of the students, not the megaphone for the administration, we will create a Student Voice app that allows students to weigh in on important issues either online or through their mobile devices. We would regularly update the app with questions about bills and resolutions on the senate floor, as well as any major university decisions to give students a chance to give their input."

Platform Theme: They're different. You know it, they know it and they're not ashamed of it. In fact, they see it as a positive, never shying away from criticizing previous NISG administrations for acting on behalf of the university administration, rather than the student body. They see NISG as being flawed and want to draw attention to the issues that NISG has seemingly neglected, in their opinion.

Specific Analysis

Fight for Dead Days at UNI
Not going to happen. They can keep fighting for them, but I don't see them ever being implemented. It was even presented to the faculty senate this year and turned down.

Add Tables and Benches to Green Areas of Campus
The idea seems simple and achievable, but I'd like to know which specific areas they'd like to see these benches and tables added.

Student Cancellation
This one concerns me. Who in NISG will determine if weather conditions merit a campus-wide refusal by students to go to class? Will professors honor that refusal or count it as an unexcused absence? I think it sets a dangerous precedent and risks creating tension between the university administration and NISG.

No UNI Tuition Without Taking Classes
I can see where they're coming from on this one, but I don't see it happening. If you're enrolled, you pay tuition. And I don't see the university wanting to lose that tuition.

Political Involvement on Campus
This one is a no-brainer. More people need to stay informed and exercise their right to vote.

Create a "Student Voice" App
This sounds like a very interesting idea and a move towards getting students more involved by reaching them through technology. My only question would be the logistics of creating such an app.

Petition the President Initiative
They borrowed a page from President Barack Obama's playbook on this one and I love it. I think it provides a great avenue for students to have their issues and concerns addressed.

Fix Financial Aid
I'm sorry, but this one is absurd. I would hope that the full-time staff members and student employees of the Office of Financial Aid are doing everything within their power to streamline their services, and I have a hard time believing the candidates would be qualified to fix any "systemic problems." This plank is pandering, plain and simple.

LGBT Center
Out of the three tickets, this is one that I would count on to get it done. They have a vested interest and, as executive members of UNI Proud, they've been on the frontlines fighting for this one for a long time. This is clearly a high priority for them.

Offer Open Housing and Bathroom Options
I think this could cause more problems than it solves. Can anyone live in gender neutral housing? Would members of the LGBT community get priority placement?

Student Groups and Accommodations
I can't argue with this one. Better safe than sorry, as the saying goes.

Offer Free HIV Testing at the Student Health Center
I would think that the Student Health Center would already offer this if not for financial constraints, so I assume the sticking point here would be the cost of such testing.

Safe Space Ally Orientation
Another initiative that I can't argue with. But, as these types of planks begin to add up, I feel as if David and Katie are putting all their eggs in one basket. They advertise themselves as being a voice for students, but their platform seems focused on specific groups. They can't neglect the majority and expect to win this election.

Establish a Racial/Ethnic Diversity Orientation
Another no-brainer. I'm all for keeping everyone more informed.

Veterans' Issues
This isn't so much a plank as it is David and Katie expressing their support for veterans and the creation of the forthcoming veterans' center.

Women's Empowerment
Female condoms, self-defense classes and support for the Women's and Gender Studies program are what David and Katie have to offer in this regard. But the support for the Women's and Gender Studies seems more like a personal opinion and threatens to undermine the value of other minors.

Being A Sustainable, Green Campus
This is an area that is similar to the other candidates' platforms, but David and Katie do offer a few unique ideas, such as paperless professor evaluations and the presence of a regular farmer's market on campus.

Final Thoughts: David and Katie are different, that is for sure, but I fear they might be differentiating themselves a little bit too much. You can be different, but you have to be relatable too. I understand wanting to be a voice for the minorities they feel that NISG has neglected over the years, but you still need to put some effort towards the issues and concerns of the majority of students. I do have to give a lot of credit to David and Katie for keeping their platform simple and focusing on the issues that they know the most about, but that also exposes the limited scope of their platform. In addition to that, David and Katie do address a few issues that are popular among students, but those issues are more often than not ones that we won't see solved any time soon. David and Katie are clearly passionate about a lot of things and that is great news for people who share their concerns, but the real question lies in their ability to appeal to the masses.

What do you think?

Platform Analysis - Tom and Blake

Quick Hits
Favorite Plank: "To make NISG members more accessible to students, we hope to include a "Meet NISG" section on the website. It will include biographies and pictures of all senators, executive officers and Supreme Court Justices. This will give a face to the names the students see and will allow for greater opportunities for students to recognize, and therefore engage, student government leaders."

Least Favorite Plank: "Adopt-A-Garden. Student organizations will have the opportunity to accept responsibility of particular locations on campus with regards to plant life and visual appeal. In return, advertisement for the organizations will be displayed."

Unique Plank: "We want to restart the UNI I Am A Hero award to recognize faculty, students and staff who go above and beyond in their work. Recognizing hard work will encourage further hard work. NISG should recognize efforts by university members to better UNI's community."

Platform Theme: Quantity over quality. Tom and Blake have a lot of ideas, some of them more thought out than others, but they've grouped their platform into three specific areas of concern and brainstormed a variety of possibilities. If KaLeigh and Alicia are the face of continuity, Tom and Blake are the face of change.

Specific Analysis

Website
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the website is a mess, and I'm glad to see that at least two of the tickets have made it a priority in their platform. I love the idea of putting headshots and bios on the website for each of the directors, because the current setup isn't very appealing. The reinstatement of UNI I Am A Hero is also an interesting idea and I'm all for initiatives that will bring recognition to the hardworking people of this campus. On the other hand, I don't foresee anyone posting on Rate-My-Employer or Rate-My-Landlord and I question whether executive officers will have the time to keep weekly vlogs and blogs.

Senate Meeting Minutes/Transcripts
I like this idea a lot, mostly because I love reading the Live Tweets from the @NIonNISG Twitter account after the senate meetings.

Presidential Roundtables
Great idea, in theory, but instituting it will be a nightmare. Good luck finding a night where the leaders of student organizations are all available to meet. And then, of course, they'll have to actually show up.

Public Forums/Survey Students
I like the initiative to find new avenues to hear student voices, but setting these up and getting students to actually participate will be the challenge.

Presentations at Student Organizations by NISG
This is just not feasible, in my humble opinion. There are hundreds of student organizations on this campus and, even if the candidates acknowledge that reaching all of them is unrealistic, the question becomes which organizations do get a presentation. You can't pick and choose without leaving more than a couple of student organizations feeling neglected.

Funding for Sustainable Projects
Tom and Blake want to set aside a portion of the NISG fund for sustainability projects from student organizations. But how much do you set aside? How will that be determined?

On-Campus Composting/Recycling
I like the idea of forming a committee to begin an inquiry into composting, but I wonder about the logistics of increasing recycling availability on campus. Recycling in every classroom creates extra work for the custodial staff and move-in and move-out days are already a nightmare, and bringing in extra dumpsters might add to the chaos.

Blue Zones Community
I'm a fan. The more students that are informed about the Blue Zones Project, the better.

Automatic Light Switches/Energy Audits
Good luck. I just don't see this one getting much traction. But then again, I could see the university maybe considering this for the renovated areas of Bartlett.

Low Energy Use Competition
This is an interesting idea that I think would help raise awareness among students, but one that I'd also like to hear more from the Residence Hall Association about.

Unity Week

I love that they've included this in their platform. Unity Week was a great idea, but the execution wasn't quite there, so I'm glad that this ticket is interested in investing in it again.

Inclusivity Workshops

I talked with Blake about these in our interview from last week and, to me, it sounded like something he has a lot of great ideas for and is passionate about. I think a partnership between the Student Involvement Center and the Center For Multicultural Education would be huge in making these workshops a success.

LGBT Center

This is a popular topic among the tickets, as I've mentioned before, and here the candidates mention meeting with the Dean of Students Office, but offer very little specific information on how they intend to implement this center.

Disabilities Services

I would be more impressed with the bullet point plan the candidates have laid out for increasing accessibility and awareness for students with disabilities if it provided a little more specifics. I have to wonder if increasing access to lower levels of Maucker Union is a feasible idea and I'm also curious what a "Universal Accessibility Checklist" is. They've got a lot of ideas, but I'm left wanting to know more.

Area Beautification/Adopt-A-Garden

I admire the attempt to make our campus more visually appealing, but you're going to be hard pressed to find a student organization that is going to want to adopt a plant. And I'm also not sure if our campus really needs beautification, especially on top of the Union. I'm curious, readers: is this campus ugly? Let's hear it in the comments.

Rollover Funding

I agree that the surplus of unused funding is a concern that needs to be addressed and I'm intrigued by the idea of a committee of students being commissioned to consider how it should be distributed to help better the campus.

Panther Points

This program flamed out under a previous administration and I'd be interested to hear how these candidates intend to avoid suffering the same fate.

Merit-Based Scholarships

Tom and Blake do a terrific job of illustrating the crisis with merit scholarships, but again, offer little in specifics on how to combat it, other than contacting the UNI Foundation. This seems to be a recurring theme with Tom and Blake. Lots of lofty goals, but little in the way of a specific plan of action.

Veterans Affairs

Clearly this has become a popular issue after last semester's attendance grievance and I'm not surprised that Tom, a member of the National Guard, would like to see it addressed, but I'm disappointed by his lack of specific ideas.

Greek Life

Improving campus relations between Fraternity and Sorority Life and the rest of the campus seems to be a priority for this ticket, given that they have a Greek Coordinator on their campaign team. But I'd be concerned about NISG using the rollover fund as an incentive for increased collaboration with members of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

Final Thoughts: Like I said at the top of the post, this platform screams quantity over quality. Do not misunderstand me though, there are some good ideas in this platform, but most of them are vague and can be improved with a more specific plan of action. I liked that Tom and Blake focused their platform into three different areas, but that still did not stop them from spreading themselves out and trying to cover a lot of ground, with mixed results.
This platform tells me that Tom and Blake are interested in trying a lot of new initiatives in NISG and are open to new ideas, but the logistics of some of their ideas is a big question mark. I give them credit for thinking outside the box and presenting new ideas, but I would ask that all voting students out there continue to question these candidates about the specifics of their planks.
I think both Tom and Blake have the experience and qualifications for their respective positions, but a dubious platform makes me nervous.

What do you think?