Candidates set for town hall

Student Government Association presidential candidates will have the opportunity to approach the student body in a casual atmosphere at a town hall meeting on Thursday.

The event, which is being structured as a town hall discussion, will begin at 6 p.m. in the Pegasus Ballroom.

The SGA Elections Commission and Multicultural Student Center will host the town hall meeting. Part of the discussion will be aimed at diversity and multiculturalism issues at UCF.

All UCF students are permitted to attend and submit questions to the candidates.

William Lusk, an SGA Elections Commissioner, said that he looks forward to the casual atmosphere of the town hall.

"This provides the perfect opportunity to meet the candidates and get your questions answered," Lusk said. "You get to find out what the candidates are like behind the suit and tie."

The event will begin with introductions of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates and the platforms of their campaigns. Registered student organizations will then be allowed to present any questions to the candidates regarding issues

The final segment of the event will take questions from students, who will be asked to submit questions by note card at the entrance to the event. Coordinators will then choose appropriate questions for the candidates to answer.

The student who submitted the note card will be asked to stand up and hear the answer while being personally addressed by candidates.

The reason for the note cards, Lusk said, was because MSC is an agency of SGA and is required to be unbiased. To avoid bias, questions will be screened for appropriateness.

After candidates answer student questions, closing remarks will end the event and candidates will be permitted to personally meet with students and answer face-to-face questions.

"I encourage the candidates to stick around for a few minutes," Lusk said. "To look at a person in the eye and shake their hand is a very powerful connection."

Presidential candidates Nicholas Gurney and Matthew McCann have confirmed that they will be available after the event to meet with students.

Both presidential tickets have expressed excitement about the town hall events.

"When [vice presidential candidate Fernando Gonzales] and I were first contacted about which town hall meetings were going to be hosted, we were initially very excited that the MSC would be putting on a town hall event," Gurney said. "The climate of our university in relation to multiculturalism and diversity and inclusiveness is something that needs direct attention."

McCann also stressed the importance of multiculturalism at UCF, especially in the upcoming year.

"[Vice presidential candidate Adam Brock] and I are both thrilled about attending the roundtable discussion with the MSC," McCann said. "It not only gives them the opportunity to get to know us as candidates on a personal level, but it gives us the opportunity to understand their needs and desires."

The event is expected to last an hour, but will be allowed to continue if candidates would like to spend extra time speaking with students.

A second town hall will be held in the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority house on March 23 at 8 p.m. This marks the first time in several years that elections have involved more than one town hall to brings candidates together, according to Lusk.

Formal debates for candidates will take place on March 21 in the Student Union's Cape Florida Ballroom at 7 p.m. Students are permitted to submit questions for screening.

Students are also able to submit their questions to the Future at CFF.editor@gmail.com.