Back and forth, the candidates for the Black Affairs Council squabbled for more than three hours, presenting their best efforts to be elected into the organization’s executive office.

During the BAC debate Thursday night, the panel of nine candidates from three parties expressed their views and insights toward the future of the organization. Among the topics discussed were the annual BAC Leadership Conference and a recently proposed task force that would express African-American student concerns with the SIUC administration.

The three parties were the Experienced Party with candidates Sean Smith, Romante Archer and James Morris; Operations Arise Party with candidates Enoch Muhammad and Yvette Johnson; and Forty Acres and a Mule Party with candidates Joshua Polite and Malik Freeman.

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As the debate got underway, candidates began to feel the pressure they would face if elected to the council.

When asked by an audience member about the programs the candidates for coordinator would like to continue, Joshua Polite answered with confidence.

The most important programs are those that directly involve the students, said Polite, a junior in political science from Chicago. Programs like the Welcome Back Party, the Chat n’ Chew and especially the Black Leadership Conference that brings high-powered speakers like Benjamin Chavez are programs I would like to continue.

How you get students involved in an organization is that you give service to students.

But when questions concerning his Pan-Hellenic Council status as a possible Priority One organization, like BAC, Polite suspected a bit of unfairness. Polite, who is the president of Beta Phi Pi Fraternity, said if he became BAC coordinator with the possibility of Pan-Hellenic Council becoming a Priority One organization, there would be no inequity toward either organization.

It was a lot of mudslinging going on, Polite said after the debate. The questions that were asked, they knew they were unfair. It was quite evident.

Kori Logan, a senior in electrical engineering from East St. Louis and a council member, posed several questions. She said it is important candidates know the operations of the council and have some insight toward the progression of the organization.

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I felt some of the things said by the Forty Acres and a Mule Party were unrealistic, Logan said. I was impressed with the things Sean and Romante (of the Experienced Party) said because they know and they have been there. But you can’t just jump off the top and say you’re going to do certain things if you don’t know what’s going on in the organization.

This was an opportunity to see what the candidates were really about. [The Forty Acres and a Mule Party] avoided several questions. Some of the candidates’ strengths were made apparent, and some of the candidates’ weaknesses were made apparent.

Sean Smith, a sophomore in administration of justice from Abilene, Texas, said being a part of the council means to support the African-American population on campus and in the community. He said his one-year experience as a BAC member has provided him with concepts to maintain the positive structure of BAC.

I want to improve the relationship between the community and the campus, said Smith, a candidate for coordinator. We have to work together whether we like it or not. The people in the community have power. We have to use that outlet.

It’s all about experience. It’s up to the people and their dedication to vote for who they want in the organization to represent them.

Yvette Johnson, a junior in administration of justice from Vista, Calif., presented herself as a mover, shaker and a doer during the debate. Johnson, candidate for assistant coordinator, said making African-Americans aware of BAC as a resource will attract more participation and success of African-Americans.

Johnson’s main point centered around an effort to increase the low graduation rates of African-American students. Her ideas included providing textbooks for students to borrow throughout each semester.

I want to let [BAC] be an outlet for students to come to not just for social events, she said. We have to try to inch away from only social events and kind of force people to get into something intelligent. We could provide information, scholarship and books. Simple things like that.

BAC member Tenisha Anderson, a senior in marketing from Peoria, said each candidate expressed their individual interests and tactics toward being elected the council. However, each candidate must stick to their proposed plans if they are elected.

[The debate] was very informative, she said. All the candidates have good qualities. A lot of points were made, and I wish the best of luck to all of them.

But, it is important that once they do get into office that they follow what they spoke upon in the debate. Because if they don’t do anything, then nothing’s ever going to happen.