VP hopefuls talk vision, experience

Correction appended

 

USG vice presidential candidates Nick DiBerardino ’11 and Michael Weinberg ’11 debated the merits of their own experiences and views on numerous campus issues Thursday night, each with the hope of emerging victorious in the upcoming USG election.

DiBerardino is currently a Class of 2011 senator, and Weinberg is USG executive secretary. Each candidate cited his current position as better preparing him to serve as vice president.

“My experience as senator is exactly the type of experience you want to have in a vice president,” DiBerardino said. “I’ve worked as a senator, so I’ll be able to help the future senators turn their visions into reality.”

He also noted that his experience as a senator is more conducive to bringing tangible change than Weinberg’s role as executive secretary, whose constitutional function is to record the minutes at USG meetings.

“I’ve been doing student government for a long time, going back to middle school,” DiBerardino explained. “My experience is unparalleled, and I have experience turning ideas into reality.”

Weinberg responded that his title alone is not representative of what he has accomplished.

“I went well beyond my constitutional role,” he said. “Given that I was in the executive committee, I can help [unopposed USG presidential candidate Connor Diemand-Yauman ’10’s] transition better since he is coming from outside of USG.”

The two candidates agreed during the debate that pressing concerns on campus include improving the relationship between the administration and USG, addressing sustainability, and revising late meal and pass/D/fail policies. DiBerardino and Weinberg diverged, however, on what they said they felt was the campus’ greatest issue.

“The single biggest issue is that we can do a lot more to be civically engaged,” DiBerardino noted. “We need to get people inspired to get involved in the community outside of the Bubble.”

Weinberg’s biggest priority is one that is already being addressed by the USG. “The biggest area of concern is in extending the library hours, specifically at Firestone,” he said.

“Juniors and seniors find that the library is critical to their independent work, but the administration keeps bringing up budget issues,” he added.

Both candidates said that the current USG administration under USG president Josh Weinstein ’09 has been set back by its combative stance toward the University’s administration.

“Josh has a ton of ideas, and we sometimes have differences with regards to implementing them,” Weinberg explained. “I sometimes have to convince him to moderate his fight and sustain the USG’s clout.”

In a question-and-answer session after the debate, Diemand-Yauman agreed with Weinberg and DiBerardino’s belief that strained relations between USG and the administration hinder the USG’s success.

“The biggest shortcoming of this administration is the level of its relationship with the administration,” Diemand-Yauman said. “The student body likes a fighter ... but the point is that we need to pick our battles.”

During the debate’s question-and-answer portion, George Tsivin ’11, current class senator and unopposed candidate for campus and community affairs chair, questioned Weinberg about the role of fraternities in the USG, noting that Weinberg, former USG president Rob Biederman ’08, Weinstein and seven of the 36 USG senate members are in the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.

Weinberg denied any improper relationship between the fraternity and the USG, noting that people interested in one tend to be interested in the other.

An audience member, who was granted anonymity because he is on USG, said in an interview that he “thought the question was silly and irrelevant,” noting that he believes DiBerardino is a member of St. A’s, a secret society.

Another audience member asked the candidates about their opinions on the March 2008 advertisement in The Daily Princetonian that proclaimed American support for Israel. The advertisement, placed by Tigers for Israel, included signatures from 60 undergraduates. The audience member asked if it was appropriate for Biederman and  Weinstein to sign the statement. Both Weinberg and DiBerardino said the endorsement was not inappropriate because the signers were not acting on behalf of the USG. Weinberg also signed the statement.

“I do not think it is inappropriate for USG officers to make political statements as long as the USG’s and the student body’s names are not attached to them,” DiBerardino said.

“I agree that if individual members want to sign, and it’s clear that it’s an individual support of that statement, it’s fine,” Weinberg added. “But it’s probably better to be conservative.”

The debate, held in the Frist TV Lounge, was moderated by ‘Prince’ managing editor Angela Cai ’09.

Correction:

The original version of this article stated that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee placed an advertisment in The Daily Princetonian in March 2008 including signatures from undergratuates. In fact, the ad was placed by Tigers for Israel.