Strive presidential candidate Tina Nguyen and vice presidential candidate Chiara Biddle participated in the second student government association (SGA) debate for the 2021-22 school year Feb. 17, 2021.

Nguyen and Biddle further discussed their campaign focuses of engage, educate, encourage and strive.

Biddle said slate members have developed preliminary goals within each of their focuses, but if elected, the slate may change goals based on feedback from the student body.

"The overall vibe I guess you could say of the focus is the same ... but the specific things that we want to accomplish within the focuses is definitely open and subject to change based on what students need and our sucess in pursuing those endevours and hearing from the university offices and officials," she said.

Nguyen said she is most excited to pursue the "educate" focus and her goal of hosting a "diversity deep dive" if elected, which would allow minority student organizations to inform new students of how to get involved in diversity efforts on campus.

Biddle said she is most excited for the "encourage" focus to further green intiatives on Ball State's campus.

"We've already started with working in the [Community and Environmental Affairs committee]," Biddle said. "I want to have a bigger impact and a bigger platform to work with and I think having this office is the best way to do it."

Relating to the "engage" focus, Nguyen said she wants the Strive slate to promote student engagement with SGA through Instagram posts and opening student senate Zoom links for students to observe Wednesday senate meetings.

"SGA right now, our slate believes that it's not a very open culture and we would love to change that by advertising to more of the student body on how to get involved within SGA and making senate itself more welcoming," Nguyen said. "Adding more chairs into the gallery, having our doors open more [and] adding more to our office hours."

Biddle said Strive will promote an "open door policy" if elected to welcome students' questions and concerns and allow slate members the opportunity to meet their student constituents.

The next and final debate for the Strive slate will be 6 p.m. Feb. 25 and will be livestreamed on NewsLink Indiana's Facebook page.

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