A debate among executive slates running for Student Government Association on Thursday gave the candidates a chance to answer questions from the audience and ask questions of each other.
Unlike the moderated presidential and vice presidential debate Wednesday evening, Thursday's town-hall style debate was a more casual conversation between the three slates.
Cardinal Impact, Cardinal Collaboration and University Coalition questioned each other's platform items, leadership experience and funding plans.
A main issue of contention was diversity and multiculturalism. While all three slates said they want to promote on-campus diversity, they had differing views about how to achieve it.
Cardinal Impact vice presidential candidate Mandy Mills emphasized platform items like a push to get more money for multicultural organizations and diversity training for admissions tour guides.
"That would be our way of exposing freshmen to different cultures," she said.
Cardinal Collaboration questioned Cardinal Impact's ability to make sure any additional funds would be spent efficiently, and University Coalition emphasized the importance of improving Ball State University's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender resources.
The slates took questions from the audience about issues that have been on students' minds in recent months, such as environmental measures and the right to carry a concealed weapon on campus.
Cardinal Collaboration vice presidential candidate Alyson Tennant and Cardinal Impact presidential candidate Beth Cahill said they would hold referendums to find out students' opinions on concealed carry. University Coalition treasurer candidate Derrick Stalbaum said his slate would work to make sure the growing campus group supporting concealed carry would have SGA representation so its voice could be heard.
Senior pre-nursing major Brittany Bower said she thought all three slates did well at the debate and they kept the arguing to a minimum.
"They did a really great job of informing the students what's on their platforms," she said. "I knew that I wanted to come out and I wanted to be educated. I've never been educated before in our SGA elections, and if I'm going to be encouraging my friends to vote then I want to make sure I'm encouraging them to vote for a slate who actually has the student body in mind."
The two slates that came forward for the election race after the first nomination convention, Cardinal Collaboration and University Coalition, said they came out to run because they thought a race with multiple candidates would better benefit the students.
"Even if they beat the socks off us, it's more fair," Cardinal Collaboration presidential candidate Nathan Meeks said.
Cardinal Impact, the first slate to come forward to campaign, discussed how it is looking ahead after a controversial start involving an election packet denial that prompted a second nomination convention.
"We did everything to be honest and to make everything right," Mills said.
Cahill said she expected to be asked about the controversy, but it was still the hardest question to answer.
"I think it was just probably the hardest question to answer just because we are past it and we want the students to be past it," she said. "We want everybody else to just know that that's behind us and that we're campaigning as a new slate."
Overall, the three slates said they were proud of their performance in the debate.
University Coalition's Stalbaum said he felt his slate did well because each member was able to step in if another needed help fielding a certain question.
Meeks said his slate did well because it was so familiar with its platform.
"I think there were some very interesting questions," he said, "and I'm glad to see that the students here were showing interest."
Cahill said having all four members of her slate on stage was better than just herself and the vice presidential candidate as in the previous debate.
"I think it went well," she said. "I think it felt a lot better having Nick [Turner, treasurer candidate] and Carson [Lance, secretary candidate] up there with us and being stronger as a slate."
When faced with the question of how they would handle student apathy and lack of voter turnout in the past, the slates emphasized ways they would reach out to students with only a few days until voting begins Monday.
"Now it's time to start looking at what they want," University Coalition secretary candidate Megan Veit said.
Bower said after watching the slates face off, she was still unsure who she would vote for, though she felt better informed.
"I have not made up my mind," she said. "I think they've all got really good points, and I wish I could just squish them all into one."
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