First-years Debate Before Upcoming Elections

Individual personalities dominated last night’s debate for the Columbia College first-year council, making up for the otherwise nearly-identical platform topics.

“We won’t waste your time with platforms that have already been mentioned,” Vesal Yazdi, CC ’11 and presidential candidate, said. “Instead, we’ll talk about how each of us is unique.”

Ankit Gupta, CC ’11 and presidential candidate for the 7/11 Open 24x7 party, similarly offered no platform goals.

“I’m not going to promise you anything,” Gupta said. “If certain things were possible, they would have already been done.”

“There’s nothing special about me, I’m just a normal human being,” Gupta added, “except that I’ll do my best to get you what you want.”

Of the five parties, 7/11 was the only one without its three representatives at the debate.

Among the other three tickets were iColumbia, Class Action, and the Fight for Your Right Party, which did choose to lay out its platforms—the most popular reforms included implementing the use of flex dollars for off-campus, wireless Internet in dorms, and improved printing services.

Eric Rosenberg, CC ’11 and a representative for the Fight for Your Right Party, provoked the audience most noticeably by proposing that Barnard students get to register for Columbia College courses before students in the College.

Of the issues raised, one that was largely missing was the Manhattanville expansion, which an audience member brought up. The candidates responded that there should be more education on the topic.

Lien Hoang can be reached at Lien.Hoang@columbiaspectator.com.