Campaign fever heated up Tuesday afternoon as Government of the Student Body executive candidates took the first step toward presidency with a public debate.

The candidates debated a variety of issues including: future tuition increases, campus safety, the future of GSB and its allocations process, residence hall difficulties and a number of academic issues, including Dead Week, Reading Days, and a potential “wireless” campus.

Speaking at the debate in the Pioneer Room of the Memorial Union were two slates – presidential candidates T.J. Schneider, director of academic affairs; and Steve Medanic, director of finance; as well as their respective running mates, Joe Darr, vice speaker of the senate, and Andrew Kothenbeutel, speaker of the senate.

Steve Skutnik, GSB election commissioner and columnist for the Daily, said he felt the debate went extremely well.

“I feel the differences between the candidates were brought out this afternoon and the candidates were able to differentiate themselves from each other,” Skutnik said.

“Both candidates have a lot of experience and numerous initiatives.”

A majority of the debate centered around the candidates’ plans to combat future tuition increases at Iowa State.

“We want to ensure students are receiving the high quality of education they deserve and are paying for,” Schneider said.

GSB members must combine lobbying efforts with student representatives from the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa to unite and fight against tuition increases at three Regents institutions, he said.

Schneider’s running mate, Darr, said GSB members must direct their focus on the state legislature.

“Working with the Board of Regents has not been too effective over the past two years,” Darr said.

Presidential candidate Medanic said he plans to make it clear that higher education is a priority.

“The state of Iowa is just hurting itself by raising tuition,” he said.

Medanic said he plans to reach out to not only students, but their parents, friends, families and school boards to encourage them to get involved in the fight against tuition increases.

Medanic’s running mate, Kothenbeutel, said he has attended numerous meetings of the Board of Regents, which he said is not always a “friendly area for students.”

“The more experience you have working with them, the better you will do,” he said.

The candidates also had a chance to pitch several campaign platforms to the public Tuesday afternoon.

Medanic said he is concerned about increases in class sizes.

“There were 13 people in the first math class I attended as a freshman at Iowa State,” he said. “Today, there are over 100 people in a comparable math class.”

He said he plans to work with the ISU administration to restructure the budget and provide additional recitation sections.

Medanic, GSB finance director, and Kothenbeutel said they also plan to make the GSB allocations process more accessible to student organizations by putting the funding process online.

“When I became the finance director two years ago, the process was a nightmare,” Medanic said.

He said the allocations process continues to evolve and is much simpler today than it was two years ago.

“There is less red tape and hoops to jump through,” Medanic said.

Schneider and Darr also emphasized several campaign platforms during the debate.

“We’re working with a policy on Dead Week to help alleviate stress on students at this time,” Schneider said.

Schneider and Darr also discussed an initiative to make Iowa State a “wired” campus.

“We need to focus on not just now, but on students of the future as well,” Darr said. “As a university of science and technology, we shouldn’t just hide under a rock on a year when the budget is tight.”

The candidates said they felt the first debate went well, but are looking forward to the next debate to bring out more issues.

The four GSB executive candidates will debate again Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Gold Room of the Memorial Union.