USG candidates skirt panelists' questions

By HOPE CALDWELL
and BETH YOUNG
Collegian Staff Writers

Tension filled the air of the Wesley Student Center last night as the candidates vied for the Undergraduate Student Government presidential spot. They began the night with in-depth questions, but the candidates never fully answered them.

The candidates are USG Senate President Josh Bokee and Kerith Strano, secretary general of the Model United Nations Conference 1995; and USG Supreme Court Chief Justice Corey O'Brien and Kara Annechini, former president of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, 10 Wolf.

The major questions that were asked by the panelists concerned lesbian, gay and bisexual issues, off-campus student housing and general student problems. The panelists were Deputy Vice Provost for Education Equity Terrell Jones, former co-director of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance Jeffrey Kemp and USG Vice President Lori Pennay.

"As a panelist I was disappointed that the questions were not addressed thoroughly, but rather used as an opportunity to state their platform promises," Pennay said. She added that because she participated in previous debates, she was upset with the amount of mudslinging that occured.

In the middle of the debate, Head Elections Commissioner Steve Castor had to advise both tickets to remember to answer the questions fully because they were evading the issues.

After the first debate last Thursday he explained to the crowd that excessive clapping was not necessary. Last night he again cautioned the crowd to hold their applause.

Through all the mudslinging both tickets still felt that more issues had been laid out on the table.

"I think we got a lot more issues out this time and I think both platforms had to stand on their own two feet under the criticism from the other tickets," Strano said.

Annechini said she hopes the integrity of the campaign can be maintained throughout its entirety.

"Unfortunately, during the campaign broad issues and broad questions come up," Annechini said.

One of the major issues both campaigns argued about was the source of funding for the programs proposed by their platforms. On the Bokee/Strano ticket one of the monetary issues referred to was the free Loop. Funding concerns for Ritenour reform topped the O'Brien/Annechini platform debate.

"The most fundamental question in this difficult budget year, when Penn State is facing a $23 million shortfall and cannot raise tuition more than 4.5 percent -- how will the candidates pay for their costly promises," said USG President Mike King.