SU Election Forums

By Joanna Farley

He got in without a fight, but no one’s going to give him an easy ride.

On Fri., March 8, newly acclaimed Students’ Union president-elect Matt Stambaugh took the floor at the presidential forum to explain his plan for next year.

Not surprisingly, Stambaugh’s acclamation was a hot topic for debate.

Current Events Commissioner and Senate candidate Oliver Ho asked Stambaugh if he would resign so that a new race for president could be held in a by-election after an awareness-raising campaign.

Stambaugh, although appreciative of Ho’s point, felt it would be problematic if he did so.

“We may not be able to have an effective by-election until September,” he answered. “I feel that’s a very unhealthy position for the SU to be in, without a president for most of the summer, a president coming in for a seven-month term, and then not being able to really accomplish anything. I don’t feel that my stepping down right now would be in the best interest of students.”

Ho then asked if Stambaugh would resign in September when a by-election could be held. Stambaugh again declined.

“I don’t think, unless I’ve proved myself a absolutely horrendous president and horrendous supporter of student rights, I should resign in September,” he said.

Stambaugh revealed his more creative side while explaining his approach to tuition.

“It’s time we had creative solutions to this problem,” he said. “I’m looking at designing a covert tuition system where once you come into university, you have four years of a tuition freeze. The tuition you pay in your first year would be the same for four years, after which it would increase.”

Stambaugh also offered his opinion on differential tuition, a critical issue for next year’s SU.

“I see differential tuition as a very negative thing for this institution,” he declared. “I don’t think economics should have anything to do with what faculty you enrol in. This is an academic institution and academics should decide where you go and what faculty you choose.”

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