What to expect from the Student Government presidential debate

Caitlin Yamada/ Iowa State Daily

Student Government vice-presidential candidates on stage at the debate Feb. 11. All three candidates discussed their platforms and campus topics.

Jacob Smith

The second main event of the 2020 Student Government election cycle is happening Tuesday.

The presidential debate will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.

Two candidates will be on the stage: Lydia Greene, junior in political science, and Morgan Fritz, sophomore in political science.

Candidates began campaigning on Feb. 1, and elections will take place March 3 and March 4.

The debate will cover a wide range of topics, including but not limited to community and inclusivity, transportation and student activities, Student Government renewal and Student Services.

Candidates will also be asked specific questions about their platform, and audience members will have a chance to submit a question online to be read at the debate.

Greene’s platform points include diversity and inclusion, mental health awareness, green initiatives, student government transparency and an initiative to implement “ISU 101,” which is a one-credit, half-semester course.

Fritz’s platform points include college affordability, campus climate and sustainability on campus.

For audience members, there are some rules.

Audience signs must be no bigger than 8.5-by-11 inches, and if you have a question, you can submit it online via http://bit.ly/StuGovDebate2020 or tweet questions using #StuGovDebate2020.

During the debate, moderators will ask the candidates questions, and they will get 60 seconds to respond. When a candidate would like to rebut another, they will raise their hand to alert the moderators and receive 45 seconds to rebut.

The debate will be streamed live on Facebook and is mandatory for candidates to attend. If they do not, they will receive a violation hearing and potential fines.