Seven freshmen got up on stage at Hotung Cafe Monday to voice their opinions of the major issues facing the student body, but they were often hard to hear over the usual weekday crowd ordering food.
The freshmen are running for the open spot on the Tufts Community Union Senate. The spot was vacated by Andrew Lee, who resigned Oct. 24 because of the time commitment. The election is today.
Four of the candidates - Kris Coombs, Constantin Sabet D'Acre, Greg Meiselbach and Matt Shapanka - ran and lost in the fall general election. Elton Sykes, Daniel Hartman and Matt LaPolice have not run before.
The candidates introduced themselves and briefly explained their platforms. They were then asked questions by current senators.
Issues frequently raised by the students included increasing the hours of operation of the Carmichael, Dewick-MacPhie and Hodgdon dining facilities, simplifying the points system and improving student ID cards.
Elton said he walked around campus prior to the forum asking students what their greatest concern was, and repeatedly heard complaints about the dining hall hours and the condition of dorm bathrooms.
LaPolice also talked about later dining hall hours - an issue he said was the most important.
Both Coombs and Sykes mentioned problems with student ID cards. Simplification of the points system was Elton's primary concern.
Coombs and Meiselbach both brought up the issues of managing finances. Coombs said proper funding for clubs - especially non-profit groups - would be the first thing he would bring up if he could speak to the Board of Trustees.
Shapanka advocated two projects he is already working on as a walk-on - a non-elected, non-voting member - on the Senate's administration and budget committee. The first is to make the book list for courses available at the time of registration, and the second is to implement a GPS to track the movement of the shuttle to Davis Square.
He also said the most important issue is need-blind admissions.
Senator Rafi Goldberg, a senior, agreed. "I definitely agree it's the first priority," he said. "I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't."
Sabet D'acre - raising an issue not touched on by the other candidates - said the most important issue was breaking down cultural and ethnic barriers in the student body and organizing intercultural events.
He was also the only candidate to mention the increasing wireless connectivity on campus. "The only place you really have wireless is Tisch, and that's rather sad," he said.
