MSA, ASUM to host mayoral forum
Mayoral candidates will attend a forum where students can ask questions.
Published March 9, 2010
The Missouri Students Association will co-host a mayoral forum with the Associated Students of the University of Missouri on Wednesday night, joining other Columbia organizations that have already held similar events.
The forum will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Waters Auditorium and is expected to last an hour and a half. MSA Vice President Danielle Bellis said the event would help increase interaction between the campus and the community. That interaction was a platform point of Bellis' and MSA President Tim Noce's campaign.
"Being as how many things a mayor does affect both the campus and the community, we thought it would be appropriate for us to co-host a forum where students could learn more about each candidate," Bellis said.
Five of Columbia's mayoral candidates are attending the forum. Sal Nuccio, the sixth candidate, did not respond to an invitation, Bellis said.
During the forum, candidates will have about three minutes to introduce themselves. Next, they will each have a chance to respond to about 10 previously written questions from the audience. Finally, a "lighting round," in which students can directly ask any candidate a question, will begin, Bellis said.
Professor David Schenker will moderate the event, ASUM Campus Director Brittany Berosky said. Schenker also moderated a discussion ASUM held on health care last semester.
"We thought it would be good to have someone who is well liked by the students," she said. "When you're searching for a moderator, you're looking for someone who is unbiased and that the students trust."
To promote the event, MSA has advertised it in the organization's monthly newsletter to students and has also reached out to two MU political groups. MSA Director of Student Communications Andy Chambers is in charge of promoting the event.
"No matter if you're from Missouri or out of state, you're living in Columbia for four years, so you want a mayor who's going to care about student issues," Chambers said.
Berosky said many students she talked with on campus weren't up on Columbia's governmental issues.
"Ideally, I'd like students to come out with a better understanding of what goes on in Columbia and to be more aware of what the city issues are, so they are more educated on them when they vote," she said.
MU College Democrats President Amanda Shelton said the deadline to register to vote is at the end of the day March 10. She said students should go to the forum to educate themselves about the candidates.
"I am all for people going to the forum regardless," she said. "But if you are wanting to vote in the (April 6) election, you need to do so before the deadline."
