Candidates discuss future of multiculturalism at PSU

The normally communicative atmosphere of the Multicultural Affairs Forum changed its tone Sunday evening as the Undergraduate Student Government presidential and vice presidential candidates defended their platforms and members of the minority community defended their forum.

Six of the nine tickets were represented at the last forum of the year, and were questioned by forum members about issues ranging from affirmative action to the future of the forum.

Soumya Dayananda, director of the department of multicultural affairs, received much praise for her department's work and advised the candidates that the minority community was a strong, cohesive group.

"Please know what we go through -- to walk into the Forum (Building) and see maybe three other faces of color," Dayananda said. "Please know what we go through each and every day."

The candidates present discussed the various manners in which they would reach out to the minority community.

• Wesley Bowser and Mark Wilders are looking to reach all students and not focus on minorities in particular, Wilders said. However, Wilders said he thinks an effective freshmen seminar would make students more aware of opportunities.
  

  "A lot of people don't know what's going on at this University," Wilders said. "They don't know what groups are available to them."
  

• Jaime Desmond and John Polk said recruitment and retention is not much of an issue now, but minority students are searching for their place in the University.
  

  "We need to cut out the middle man," Polk said. "What I want to see is minorities actually joining USG."
  

• Thane Fake and Blythe Barron said USG must reach out to all students. Fake was questioned repeatedly on his outreach program and his knowledge of minority organizations.
  

  "I think it's safe to say that there are minorities . . . that are not participating that might be if they were a little more informed," Fake said, citing the averted dissolution of Black Caucus.
  

• Michael Landsberg and Brent Barbe said USG fails to reach out to most students, including minorities.
  

  "I think it all really boils down to apathy," Landsberg said. "The question becomes how you keep them from being apathetic."
  

• Blaine Rummel and Kendra Ciesla said the department would expand to address downtown concerns if they were elected.
  

  "The diversity council is going to do (off campus) what the multicultural (forum) has done on campus," Rummel said.
  

• Hank Saur and Christina Robbins said the forum would be expanded within the University by creating liaison positions for all minority organizations if they were elected.
  

  "The main thing the administration needs to work on is once (minorities) get here, keep them here," Robbins said.
  

• Jason Covener and Jeremy Nightingale did not attend because Covener said he is targeting the campaign toward regular students who are not in student organizations.
  

• Darin Loccarini and Chris Pirrotta did not attend because they said they are also trying to focus the campaign on regular students.
  

• David Lubkemann and Eryn Kramer said they did not attend the forum because they had other meetings scheduled.