AS Candidate Debate Live Updates

Updated brief coming soon. More information on candidates and their platforms can be found here.

Vice President for Academic Affairs

The four candidates for VP for Academic Affairs are Jacob Molloy, Kyle McCaffery, Levi Eckman and Noble Solana-Walkinshaw (left to right).
The four candidates for VP for Academic Affairs are Jacob Molloy, Kyle McCaffery, Levi Eckman and Noble Solana-Walkinshaw (left to right).

The candidates all discussed the importance of holding the administration accountable.

Eckman highlighted the need for restructuring general university requirements, specifically mentioning the high failure rate for Math 112, and called for more student input.

McCaffery said Western should be focusing on hiring more faculty and addressing bottlenecks, rather than on hiring administration.

Molloy called for creating a student union, which he said would be distinct from the AS, calling it bureaucratic. He said he wanted to get rid of the vice president for academic affairs position altogether and instead have a student senate that would match the power of the Faculty Senate.

Eckman and Solana-Walkinshaw agreed there should be a student senate. Solana-Walkinshaw said if elected, he would support the restructure started by the current AS Board of Directors.

McCaffery said unionization is a fascinating idea, but that there is already an issue getting students to engage and apply to committees. He said the focus should be on showing students already existing opportunities.

Solana-Walkinshaw said he wants to be available for students, and would table once a week in Red Square if elected. In response to McCaffery, he said the AS is already like a union, which McCaffery disagreed with, calling the AS bureaucratic.

The candidates agreed academic advising was an issue. Eckman said a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in terms of general university requirements and there need to be more individual advising plans.

Solana-Walkinshaw agreed and said increasing funding may not be realistic, so resources need to be consolidated and there should be more outreach from offices that advise students.

At one point, Molloy called for housing affordability.

McCaffery responded, saying, “I don’t know of any housing committee that this [position] oversees though.”

When asked about commitment to people with disabilities, McCaffery said he has an uncle with a physical disability and thinks it’s important to address loose bricks and elevator maintenance. He mentioned an AS Review article about elevator breakdowns.


 

Vice President for Activities

Vice President for Governmental Affairs

Vice President for Student Life

Unopposed: President, Vice President for Business and Operations, Vice President for Diversity

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