One of the questions directed to candidates focused on the recent Black Caucus lobbying trip to Harrisburg about improving the racial climate and how the candidate as USG president would handle the situation.
Presidential candidate and Town Sen. Justin Zartman said he and his running mate Amanda Hudnall (junior-industrial engineering), if elected, would like to create a new department within USG that deals directly with diversity issues and want to expand on the ideas of Black Caucus and work with them.
He said they want to educate students on diversity in the university.
"We want to educate students when they come here. There are people here that are different races, religions, sexual orientations. . ." Zartman said. "You should be aware."
Matt Rokita (junior-chemical engineering) said he wants to increase multicultural awareness and bring people together. Rokita said, "all cultures learn from each other" and that people need "to approach the majority instead of the minority."
Another question given to the contenders dealt with whether they believed the present diversity programming was efficient and, if not, how they would improve it.
John Linde (junior-mechanical engineering) said, "students need to experience diversity, not just see it."
Presidential candidate Terry Burke (senior-aerospace engineering) said, "We need to plan a diversity program, not have it handed to us."
Burke said he did not think the diversity program is effective enough.
Katelyn Belyus (sophomore-liberal arts) said one of her platform goals on diversity would be to create a program called "race talks" that would include an open discussion between students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds seated as members on a panel. She said the program was modeled after Straight Talks that took place during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
Another question posed centered on student safety, specifically women's safety on and off campus.
Linde said he believed the problems concerning sexual assault and rape could be helped by prevention and an increase in victim assistance.
Most candidates agreed that awareness is key to promoting student safety.
Robert Michaels (junior-political science) proposed the idea of a panic button on every dorm floor that would sound an alarm when a student was in danger.
"We should match every fire alarm with a panic button," Michaels said.
Michaels and his running mate Claudia Lum (freshman-premedicine) said they would also like to improve the escort service and sponsor self-defense courses.
Another proposed topic was the cost of tuition and the appropriations given to Penn State.
Tom Murtaugh (sophomore-business administration) said, in reference to state legislators attempting to take away funding from the university: "Education is our future. Education is the future of Pennsylvania."
Benjamin Gerald (senior-architectural engineering) said he believed cooperation with the legislators is important. He said legislators should be invited to Penn State as well.
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