USG candidates debate revenue sources
April 25, 2005
Zack Quaintance and Matthew McConkey
A losing candidate for Undergraduate Student Government president said that the newly elected president of USG promised greek organizations increased funding if they would vote for him.
TyJuan Cratic, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for USG president, said Nate Brown won because he promised student organizations funding if he was elected. Brown has denied he promised favors in exchange for votes.
Advertisement
“We were up against a campaign that promised special interest money and pie in the sky ideas,” Cratic said. “We were up against a campaign that started in February.”
Cratic said Brown started lobbying for votes from Registered Student Organizations after he resigned from his vice presidency on the heels of a rejected idea for an overhaul of student government. Cratic spent $110.26 on fliers and t-shirts. He said it would have been nice to have more money.
Brown spent $217.91 on his campaign and accepted donated materials from Alpha Gamma Delta, which were used to make a large sign. The sign was the largest piece of campaigning by any of the candidates, and it appeared on Greek Row. Brown won Lentz, the polling place closest to greek residences with 82 votes. The other two candidates had a combined total of 49.
Brown said there was no special deal with the Greeks.
“There aren’t going to be any special benefits to anyone,” Brown said. “I want to get the Greeks involved just like I want to get the Black Affairs Council involved.”
Brown said he was able to campaign effectively because he ran for vice president with Tequia Hicks last year.
“I did this last year,” Brown said. “I knew exactly what was most effective.”
Advertisement*
Tequia Hicks, who campaigned successfully for USG president last year and student trustee this year, said she didn’t spend much because she didn’t think it was necessary. Hicks spent $81 on fliers.
Student trustee candidates were only allowed to spend $250. Hicks said the limit should be reworked to allow for more spending.
Whitney Shalda, who lost her bid for Student Trustee, spent around $100 on fliers. Shalda said a costly campaign probably wouldn’t have changed things.
“I could have talked to people more on an individual basis,” Shalda said.
Lance Trover spent $214.10. Trover said the most important part of the campaign was getting face to face with students and that’s why he spent the majority of his time campaigning in the Student Center.
Despite his efforts, Trover was able to garner 128 votes to Hicks’ 252.
“Tequia hit a home run with votes in the Student Center,” Trover said.
Of Trover’s more than $200 budget, $158 went toward a two-day advertisement in the DAILY EGYPTIAN. Trover said since he was the underdog, he had to go the extra mile to get his name recognized across campus.
Michael Burrows, who was considered an underdog in the USG presidential election, spent considerably more on his campaign than his opponents. Burrows spent $387.13, less than $14 shy of the $400 limit imposed on the presidential candidates. Burrows spent a good portion of his money on full sized candy bars, which he passed out to potential voters.
Like Trover, Burrows said he also spent a lot of his time talking to students.
Hicks said she has been speaking with Brown to raise the spending limit, so that candidates can reach more students and make it so more than 5 percent of the student population vote.
Cratic said not having much disposable income for campaigning as his opponents hurt his bid for USG president.
“We weren’t well financed like the Brown machine,” Cratic said. “We didn’t have the nest egg Brown and Burrows had.”
Reporter Zack Quaintance can be reached at [email protected]
Reporter Matthew McConkey can be reached at [email protected]
Advertisement