AS presidential candidates, junior communications major, Chris Yim and junior humanities major, Natasha Cheeley debate on March 20, 2012, about their goals as potential president. | Ashley Jones/THE CHIMES

Presidential and vice presidential candidates discussed their campaigns and answered questions about their vision for Associated Students, campus issues and personal experiences at the AS presidential debate Tuesday night.

The panel was hosted by Biola alumnus and former AS MCR chair Alain Datcher, current AS president Janine Marderian and Chimes editor-in-chief Elizabeth Sallie, both juniors. Hot drinks and pie were served, and approximately 150 people were in attendance.

Presidential candidates describe visions for campus

The debate was divided into three main sections. The first featured junior Natasha Cheeley, a humanities major, and junior Christopher Yim, a communications major, introducing their platforms and discussing personal philosophies.

“I’d like to see more transparency,” Yim said. “Secondly, I feel a lot of students are going outside Biola with a huge debt because they can’t get jobs. They don’t have enough experience.”

Cheeley said she wants to implement better resource awareness, a clearer understanding of Christian stewardship on campus and increased support of SCORR conference.

“Our vision is to seek the community at Biola and to help each other know each other,” said Cheeley. “We want to see AS grow as a resource and as a source for other students to get the resources and to use them and to do something about that.”

Running mates explain their roles in the campaign

Sophomores Beatriz Delgadillo, a political science major, and Laura Cook, a journalism major, are Cheeley and Yim’s respective running mates. They explained how they would interact with their partners. Both believed they were adequate to assume the presidency, if the elected person were to resign.

Delgadillo, current Alpha East senator, explained her willingness to make sacrifices if elected to the vice president position.

“Stopping track [and field] would be what I have to do in order to better focus on being vice president,” Delgadillo said.

Cook, an RA for Hope North, also acknowledged the fact that the role of vice president required a large time commitment and has decided not to pursue her plans of studying broad and being a second-year RA to run with Yim.

Candidates answer questions from audience

Both teams answered questions together in the final part of the debate, which included submissions by students in the audience. One student-asked question included why Nutella was such an important part of the Cheeley campaign. Another student question asked Yim and Cook how they planned to hold AS staff to a standard of excellence.

Yim and Cheeley proceeded to close the evening out by urging students to vote and reminding them of the importance of wisely choosing student representatives.

“We’re really excited for running this and I think that both these teams are going to do phenomenal,” Yim said.