UOSA President, Vice President Candidates Debate Campus Issues
Reforming student government central to candidates' platforms


UOSA President and Vice Presidential candidates (left to right) Nicholas Harrison, John Surles, Jay Kumar, Jess Eddy, Ally Glavas, Zac McCullock, Franz Zenteno and Cory Lloyd discuss how they would solve issues facing UOSA Wednesday and what they plan to do if elected. OU Daily editor-in-chief, Jamie Hughes (center, podium) moderates the debate.

Freshman and vice presidential candidate, Jay Kumar, shakes hands with a student after the debate. Kumar is the youngest of the president and vice presidential candidates.

Click here to read the profiles of each of the UOSA presidential candidates

All four UOSA presidential and vice presidential candidates highlighted their intent to make student government more relevant to the student body during the presidential debate on Wednesday, March 24.

The debate, hosted by Student Media and moderated by OU Daily editor-in-chief, Jamie Hughes, took place in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom of the Oklahoma Memorial Union. The audience consisted mainly of specific supporters of each campaign.

Much of the debate focused on how the candidates would accomplish student interest and involvement in UOSA.

Presidential candidates, Franz Zenteno and Ally Glavas, said current UOSA representatives do not actively reach out to students and student organizations.

“We are student government and we are responsible if these students don’t know about us,” said Zenteno, international and areas studies graduate. “If I can get elected, that’s my main point. I want to reach out to every OU student and advocate for them.”

UOSA must dispel the thought of many students that UOSA representatives are just trying to beef up their resumes, said presidential candidate Nicholas Harrison.

“There’s the belief out there in a large part of the student body that student government is really just about trying to improve themselves, and that’s a problem,” Harrison said. “I think we have to show them that UOSA has the power to tackle issues that are important and relevant to them.”

Presidential candidate, Jess Eddy, felt the other candidates’ made good points, but students could not expect a change simply given their ideology or mindset. He said specific programs should be created to encourage student involvement.

“UOSA must set up programs that encourage academics, that encourage community, that encourage involvement, that encourage diversity,” said Eddy, religious studies and political science sophomore. “These are the kinds of programs that we can bring students to that UOSA members will be present at, and will bring us together in a closer relationship with these students.”

Harrison and his vice presidential candidate, John Surles, were the only candidates who announced support of a referendum, authored by Harrison last September, to create a Student Organization Senate.

“Oftentimes the current governmental bodies that exist don’t want to make these changes if they’re not in their own interest,” said Surles, multidisciplinary studies junior. “I don’t think it’s right that organizations that may be smaller or maybe don’t have the same amount of popularity on campus should suffer because of that.”

Glavas’s running mate, Zac McCullock, said he understood the motives behind the amendment, but that it goes about solving the issue the wrong way. He said creating an umbrella organization for each of the student organizations could solve the issue.

“This way, student organizations can present a simpler voice to student government to make sure that [UOSA] advocates for their interests,” said McCullock, international business and entrepreneurship junior. “I don’t think student organization presidents want to become representatives in another branch of student government.”

Cory Lloyd, Zenteno’s vice presidential running mate, said UOSA must do a better job of working closely with student organizations.

“We need to make sure student government is representing the student organizations in the right way,” said Lloyd, advertising junior. “The way you approach one organization might be different than how you handle another organization.”

Jay Kumar, Eddy’s vice presidential candidate, said existing problems, such as currently vacant seats in student congress, should be addressed before creating another branch of student government.

“Creating another branch, I fear would create more void, and possibly add to the problems that are already existing in UOSA,” said Kumar, University College freshman.

None of the candidates said they would support an amendment introduced last fall intended to increase stipends for the UOSA president. Eddy said if he were elected, he would use the current stipend for UOSA presidents to create a scholarship for the highest performing member of the executive branch.

UOSA elections are March 30 and 31. Students can vote online at elections.ou.edu or at polling locations in front of Dale Hall, the College of Law, the Oklahoma Memorial Union, the University Bus Stop, and areas around Couch Restaurants, according to the elections Web site.