Pictured Above: Jaida Abbas (left) and Jennifer Kelly’s “RISE” platform is centered around “response, integration, strength, and empowerment.”
Courtesy of Jaida Abbas
Editor’s Note
Since the publishing of this story, Gustavo Spangher and Yovela Debesay have resigned from their candidacies due to allegations of sexual misconduct and misogyny against Spangher. Find more information here.
By Trevor Martindale
The USF Student Government is hosting its first and only system-wide presidential and vice presidential debate on Feb. 25, from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. through Microsoft Teams.
The Crow’s Nest, The Oracle and a representative from the Sarasota-Manatee campus will moderate the debate.
In the consolidated USF SG, the president and vice president represent all three USF campuses.
Presidential responsibilities include overseeing all of SG, nominating justices to the SG Supreme Court and signing or vetoing legislation passed by the system-wide Senate. The president also has a seat on the USF Board of Trustees.
The vice president represents students on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and assumes responsibilities delegated to them by the president.
All presidential and vice presidential candidates are from the Tampa campus, since no students from St. Petersburg or Sarasota-Manatee applied.
The presidential and vice presidential tickets include:
** Julia Cunningham, a junior double majoring in political science and psychology; and Jillian Wilson, a junior biomedical science major with a minor in english.
Courtesy of Julia Cunningham and Jillian Wilson on Instagram
Cunningham and Wilson plan on empowering student organizations, implementing policies that address sexual violence on campus and guiding USF’s path to “100 percent green energy.”
**Gustavo Spangher, a third year accounting major; and Yovela Debesay, a second year economics and international studies major.
Courtesy of Yovela Debesay on Instagram
Spangher and Debesay are running on a platform of advocacy, community and continued progress. Some of their initiatives include the creation of an alumni mentorship program and advocacy for academic success, mental health, and inclusion, equity and justice.
**Jaida Abbas, a third year political science major with a minor in public service and leadership; and Jennifer Kelly, a third-year political science major with a minor in international relations.
Abbas and Kelly are running on the slogan “RISE with J and J.” “RISE” stands for respond, integrate, strengthen and empower. Some of their initiatives include improving the class registration timeline, installing power sockets in outdoor study areas and providing food vouchers for students at USF football games.
All of these tickets will go head-to-head in the debate to discuss their platforms and plans should they be elected.
Students can access the Microsoft Teams using the link in the @usfstudentgov Instagram bio.
