Mississippi State University’s Student Association (SA) Executive Council candidates held a debate in the Lee Hall Bettersworth Auditorium Tuesday evening. The debate allowed SA candidates a forum to voice their platform points as well as address any student concerns.
Candidates for the 2015-2016 SA executive council include: Jamie Aron and JoJo Dodd for President, Ashton Braddock and Roxie Raven for Vice President, Logan Reeves and Matt Jones for Secretary, Cole Wood for Attorney General and Malissa Arrington for Treasurer.
During the debate, Aron expressed her primary goals to include implementing a winter class session for students, expanding the reach of Bully Bucks and collaborating with the department of housing and residence life to include outdoor recreational facilities. 
Dodd focused on diversifying SA, demanding a better parking situation and providing more appropriations for organizations not directly associated with SA. 
After highlighting the importance of increasing printing areas and hot spots around campus, vice presidential candidate Braddock said if she were chosen as vice president, she would create an online submission form for students and work with administration to ensure grades are uploaded in a timely manner. 
“I also think it’s important to build relationships with senators,” Braddock said.
“It will help keep people on track during senate meetings.”
In conjunction, Raven said she believes creating a liaison program between the senators and each campus organization can increase the quality of student life on campus. Raven also said she feels strongly about implementing Open Educational Resources (OER), which will provide free electronic textbooks to students and teachers. 
“We should also outline policies and educate senators beforehand,” Raven said. “It will help senators maintain knowledge for future references.”
Secretary contenders Logan Reeves and Matt Jones both agreed upon SA increasing transparency and accountability. To complete this goal, Reeves said he believes there should be an SA goal-tracker available on the SA website, social media and in The Reflector. His other goals include allowing a credit card option for all meters and utilizing personal devices to be able to hear televisions in the Sanderson and Union. 
“There is so much more the Student Association does than just programming,” Reeves said.
Jones said he feels the SA should collaborate with The Reflector. He suggests SA have a writer assigned to SA meetings and events to report to the public, as well as broadcasting SA meetings to the student body. Lastly, Jones insists there be regular senate days in which students can attend the senate meetings.
Cole Wood, attorney general candidate, proposed the Senate create an advisery board for students from their various organizations. He said as attorney general, he would then take the entire student body concerns to the executive board. Wood also elaborated on the importance of the SA constitution. He said he wants to ensure the constitution is respected and realized as a stable and powerful document. 
Malissa Arrington, treasurer candidate, said changing the appropriation requests from paper to digital will increase effectiveness. Arrington also said as treasurer, she would challenge SA to allow the budget to be more transparent, including where funding from the student fees and two percent food-and-beverage tax are being allocated. 
Students are encouraged to vote in the SA Executive Council election Tuesday on their MyState account. The Reflector hosted this debate.