DSG candidates speak about their aspirations for the role during presidential debate

Juniors Teddy Herr, Heather Raslan, and Emily Yagoda spoke during Thursday night's discussion about their experiences and the changes they would make if elected president of Duke Student Government.

The DSG and Duke University Alliance hosted a public forum, moderated by DSG Attorney General Annie Cui, a fourth-year student.

The structure of the discussion consisted of two main sessions. The first session will feature questions selected by the DSG election committee before the debate based on a survey sent to all students, and the second session will consist of questions chosen from the audience. I did.

why are they running

Each candidate gave an overview of their campaign in their opening statements.

As DSG's current Vice President of Academic Affairs, Raslan, who helped develop the Blue Devil Bridge program and improve Blue Devil Buddies, leverages his involvement in the Duke Arab Student Organization and Greek life to prioritize mentoring students and We hope to serve as a resource for our students. , academic clubs, and volunteer organizations.

Mr. Herr highlighted his diverse involvement in various organizations such as Greek life and DukeLIFE, and cited the need to build bridges between seemingly unrelated student communities. Experiencing Greek life as a low-income, first-generation student opened my eyes to the disconnect between different demographics of students.

Yagoda aims to defend Pratt School of Engineering, recalling instances where other students were denied access to events due to limited Engineering Student Government funding. She hopes to integrate her experience as a member of ESG with the broader Duke University community to expand the scope of student collaboration.

“It's easy for me to go and sit in a room and express a space that I already belong to…I think partnership is not just about showing up,” Raslan said. “But it's about being in the space and thinking about who should and shouldn't be part of this conversation, and inviting those people to come and talk.”

Hoar said his involvement in both Duke Life and Greek Life has made his experience at Duke “defined by contrast,” and he hopes to support other student organizations. .[build] If elected, their own community.” He envisions his DSG as “a space where different worlds come together.” [collide]'' students from various organizations are working to create a sense of unity.

Ms. Yagoda spoke about her efforts to add a DEI position to ESG this year and her experience leading the conversation about what that position will look like.

“Let's not only listen to the voices of diverse groups on campus, but let's empower them so that their voices matter and the students they represent are included,” Yagoda said.

Raslan aims to ensure that all students feel supported and safe to speak out on campus, and that it is not up to DSG to take a stance on what is right or wrong. No, he stressed, adding that he believes all Duke students agree that “we all have the right to do that.” Even if you have a different opinion on an issue, you can feel safe knowing that you are being heard. ”

Similarly, Mr. Heo emphasized “the ability to engage in civil discussion.” He believes the DSG president should be a representative figure who can foster differences of opinion.

Yagoda proposes the idea of ​​inviting leaders and students with diverse perspectives on the issue into a larger conversation so that “everyone can be informed about this issue.”

Regarding the improvement of the socio-cultural sector on and off campus, candidates shared serious concerns about the lack of safety and inclusivity of off-campus events, and the great potential of QuadEX and central campus to expand the space to host events. emphasized.

Professor Hoar suggested moving unsafe off-campus events to central campus, as well as taking “incremental steps to bring things back to campus” overall.

“Just because there are independent groups doesn't mean those students don't feel supported by Duke and don't have opportunities to enjoy Duke's campus,” Raslan said.

Yagoda suggested the possibility of collaborating with Duke EMS on off-campus events to revive old traditions such as spring and fall festivals, improve safety and “bring students together to better connect and help each other.”

Raslan pointed out that “there are limits to what can be done,” and suggested strengthening collaboration with on-campus organizations such as SHAPE and the Student Wellness Center.

The candidates shared their vision and support for DSG engagement with the Durham community.

Herr's experience coaching local youth basketball in Durham through Coach2Inspire has opened her eyes to the Durham community, and she hopes to work to “bridge the gap” between Duke and Durham.

Mr Raslan discussed key takeaways from his interview with Durham Mayor Leonard Williams during a meeting with DSG senators on Wednesday night.

“[Williams] We pointed out that even if the students proposed an idea that they thought was good, it could have an impact on the Durham community that we were not aware of,” Raslan said. “So instead of just interacting, we're interacting very intentionally and thinking about not just what we want from our interactions with them, but what they want from us.” Listening is also important.”

Yagoda emphasized the importance of inside-out partnerships and resources to contribute to volunteer opportunities. From athletes giving back at sports clinics to Duke University students interacting with local high school students, Yagoda offers ideas such as:[bringing] We bring ourselves, our ideas, our attitudes, and our knowledge back to the community of Durham. ”