6 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2019 THE RICE THRESHER

#Don’tDismantle Not so funny... Add your voice! Four authors involved in the SA Nina Kalluri and Navya Kumar The Thresher is fast-tracking outline the reasons they’ll be argue Cavallaro’s campaign illus- 400-800 word op-eds on the SA voting against Freddy Cavallaro. trates a problem with discourse. presidential election. OPINION See more at ricethresher.org See more at ricethresher.org Email [email protected] Editorial board: Wickerson is the clear choice PROS CONS

GRACE WICKERSON FOR STUDENT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

Extensive Student Funding is an open question It is the opinion of the Thresher editorial to either complete the rest of Cavallaro’s term or board that only Brown College junior Grace decline and force a special election. It is ironic Association experience for many projects; track Wickerson has the experience, attitude and that a candidate whose platform is rooted in the as current internal vice record with failed Green knowledge to effectively lead the student body idea that the SA Senate isn’t representative of president Fund gives pause as next year’s Student Association president. the student body intends to carry out a plan that During Friday’s SA Debates and in an interview could leave the student body with a president with the Thresher editorial board, Wickerson, they did not elect — especially since both vice the current SA internal vice president, has presidential races are uncontested. Clear priorities in a variety Projects seem to be largely demonstrated that they are committed to In our interview, Wickerson endorsed of policy areas, including long-term with few measur- moving the SA forward and building consensus. many of the reforms Cavallaro proposed and Wickerson demonstrated a mastery of the said they were willing to implement the more some of Cavallaro’s able goals; no guarantee subject matter that her opponents simply did effective changes. Wickerson also discussed proposed reforms that successor will continue not. They spoke comfortably and specifically re-examining appointed executive positions, a about areas in which they point for which Cavallaro would like to improve has advocated. They did financial accessibility — not endorse the strike Known to the Some priorities require especially at the college level Cavallaro has done system, which they saw as administration, which may action from administration; — and discussed specific important work in poorly defined. help them more effectively limited capacity to enforce ways they would like to While we endorse improve sustainability in the calling attention to Wickerson, we find some lobby administrators athletic department including potential weaknesses of their platform points providing recycling bins in in our student lacking in specifics, facilities and installing more deliverables and methods efficient lighting. government, but we of funding, including FREDDY CAVALLARO Wickerson also noted don’t believe he is the their promise to expand in their interview that they candidate best suited health center hours and have a close relationship with to carry them out. create a voluntary social administrators which was issues class. Wickerson Some attractive reforms, Promise to resign casts built during their previous SA roles. They said noted during our interview that almost their including opening doubt on his commitment to that they have laid the groundwork for their entire platform is comprised of projects that legislation authorship to accurately represent entire plan to improve the process of taking time off would take over a year to implement. There non-senators student body from the university and have a close relationship is no guarantee that these projects would be with the director of the Rice Student Health taken up by Wickerson’s successor; therefore it Services Office that may yield the expanded is likely that even with Wickerson’s best efforts, weekend hours they call for in their platform. many will never be completed. We recommend Clearly dedicated to making About-face on platform Wickerson is known to the administration and Wickerson set measurable one-year targets the SA Senate better serve leaves less informed one critical function of the SA president is to for each element of their platform to become the student body students to think he’s still lobby administrators in students’ interest. a stronger candidate — something that would Baker College senior Bill Duong proved have proven necessary to earn our endorsement planning to defund the SA entertaining as he applied his single-plank had either of their opponents not run single- platform to the questions posed at Friday’s issue campaigns. debate. However, we believe that students Another potential problem we see with a have bigger problems than 8 a.m. classes, and Wickerson presidency comes from their track Has called attention to No experience with SA Sen- Duong’s singular focus on that issue makes him record. Wickerson was one of the minds behind problems with student ate — never attended a SA an unattractive candidate. the proposed Green Fund, which the Blanket governance that should be Senate meeting We find some of the constitutional reforms in Tax Committee dismissed, calling the plan addressed Will Rice junior Freddy Cavallaro’s still-evolving “rushed.” After that, Wickerson attempted an platform enticing. For instance, we believe end-run around the committee by taking the that allowing any student to submit legislation proposal directly to the SA Senate, a move which before the SA Senate without the requirement of drew criticism. Past presidents have pushed to a Senate co-sponsor would allow more voices to implement rushed plans without the full buy-in BILL DUONG be heard in a reputedly insular institution. But of the student body, a pitfall Wickerson must be we worry that some of his reforms, like a three- careful to avoid. strike system for senators, would create friction Cavallaro has done important work in calling A singular focus on his 8 a.m. classes aren’t the and prevent real business from getting done. attention to weaknesses in the SA Senate, but we However, the primary factor preventing don’t believe he is the candidate best suited to signature issue: eliminating biggest problem facing us from endorsing Cavallaro is his promise to carry them out. Wickerson is capable of pushing 8 a.m classes students resign upon either completing his reforms or for constitutional reforms — and perhaps deeming them impossible. That would throw eliminating 8 a.m. classes — while also serving the SA presidency into limbo. If Cavallaro were as the student body’s voice to the administration. to win and resign, each SA vice president — first We think the choice is clear: Grace Wickerson for internal, then external — would have the option Student Association president. STAFF

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