Student Government and the Iowa State Daily hosted this year’s vice-presidential debate Tuesday evening. Candidates Megan Decker and Mariana Gonzalez debated topics such as improving mental health, COVID-19, diversity, sustainability, budgeting and others.

The candidates were asked questions by debate officials as well as from students. Iowa State students had the opportunity to submit their own questions to be answered during the debate. 

Both candidates shared ideas for improving mental health on campus. 

If elected, Decker said they will implement grants for counselors to become licensed in multiple states so out-of-state students can access mental health services both at school and when they go home. They also hope to add a mental health tab on the MyState app so students know what services are available to them.

Gonzalez shared a special emphasis on mental health for athletes.

“We want to make sure that our Iowa State Cyclone athletes feel like they are also being represented by Student Government and supported through our student services and that we are prioritizing their mental health as well because they are not just athletes to us, they are students, they are people, they’re normal, they’re just like us, and they also have mental health issues,” Gonzalez said. 

Candidates were also asked which COVID-19 restrictions they wish to get rid of and/or maintain as we seemingly near the end of the pandemic. 

“Now that we have seen that it can be done to have virtual classes and hybrid methods of teaching, students who once had extenuating circumstances before the pandemic had a difficult time reaching these forms of teaching, and so moving into a new normal, we want to make sure that these options are still available for our Cyclones,” Gonzalez said. 

The debate officials asked questions about how each campaign plans to focus on sustainability if elected.

Decker said their campaign hopes to increase locally sourced food items in dining centers by 5 percent over the next 10 years. 

“Not only does this reduce carbon emissions for traveling expenses, it keeps growth in the local economy, as well as partnering with local vendors and producers and maybe even the horticulture community on campus,” she said. 

The Anna Olson/Gonzalez campaign emphasized their plan to expand composting on campus by raising awareness for which materials are compostable, such as dining hall containers and paper towels. They also plan to work with groups such as Inter-Residence Hall Association (IRHA) to implement sustainability house training for students. 

One focus of Julia Campbell/Decker’s is to improve the presence of learning communities on campus and increase their budget.

“Engagement on campus is huge,” Decker said. “Learning communities allow first-year students, whether that be transfer students or freshmen, to meet students in their major and also learn professional skills and understand their discipline better. Improving learning communities, whether that be financially and also fostering an environment of collaboration amongst the different colleges, would be an actionable thing we want to do to improve learning communities.”

The two candidates both shared their plan to be well-representative in Student Government if they are elected, which includes talking to and incorporating ideas from people of all different backgrounds, races and majors.

Gonzalez said their campaign will emphasize the Divine Nine Plot, which showcases Iowa State’s historically Black sororities and fraternities on campus, giving a place for students to congregate. She said their efforts will include making sure this project will be funded so it can break ground.

Student Government presidential candidates Campbell and Olson will debate at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Voting will take place from March 22 to 23.