SGA holds debate

Executives take the stage to debate for this year's open SGA positions

The Trojan Center ballrooms were the site of this year’s SGA Executive Debate, allowing candidates to personally introduce themselves and their campaigns to voters last Friday. 

The debate began with each candidate introducing their campaigns and their slogans, followed by a few general rounds of questions from the moderator, some known and some unknown to the candidates. After a short break, they moved on to taking questions from the students in the crowd, hoping to create a more personal connection. 

“A lot of the time on social media and through their campaigns you’re not really going to get to hear every single detail [...] and I think being able to have to opportunity to kind of ask questions and use our freedom of speech was a really great opportunity for the student body to make the debate their own,” said SGA Director of Elections Brad Smith, the moderator of the event. 

Executive candidates sit together on stage. (Emma Wasden photo)

This final round of student questions gave the students the opportunity to analyze each candidate past what they and their campaign team curate to be posted on social media and around campus. 

“I’m looking for how confident they seem to be in their responses and how well versed they are with what they’re talking about,” said Caroline Jaye, a junior education major from Fairhope, Alabama. “If they feel strongly about it, they’re going to act strongly so ultimately, they’ll fill their position really well.” 

Another student attendee had similar thoughts on the candidates answering the questions live. 

“I appreciated that the candidates were pushed to think critically and respond in real time,” said Markcus Cooper, a junior global business major from Bainbridge, Georgia.

“That’s when you really see leadership style, values and preparation shine through.” 

These deeper connections don’t just affect the students in making their decision; they also help the candidates influence those very decisions. 

“It’s one thing to just look on social media and see all the stuff they’re posting, but it’s another thing to go off and truly hear what they have to say,” Smith said. “This is the time to get into the nitty-gritty and truly show the initiatives you’re going to take, how much desire you have to change Troy for the better.” 

For Jaye, the major benefit from the event was the ability to take a more personalized approach to the Troy community though the student leadership on campus. 

“Troy is really what you make it, and if it is built on great people, obviously you’re going to have a great experience and you’re going to feel like you handcrafted the experience more,” Jaye said.  

Candidates for executive vice president and executive secretary positions ran unopposed, but on election day last Wednesday, students had the opportunity to vote for president, vice president of internal affairs and vice president of campus affairs.