The 2018 TSG Election season has begun

It's that time of the year again as the Temple Student Government elections have begun.

This year's three teams looking for your vote are Ignite TU, Voice TU, Unite TU. Each team will be campaigning around campus to represent Temple students in the 2018-2019 school year.

Voting starts April 4th and 5th with the winner being announced on April 6th. The Tab Temple will be profiling each campaign but before we do that⏤here's what we know about each team so far and how the first debate went down.

What you should know about each campaign, according to their platform

Ignite TU

In their safety section, Ignite is hoping to create a better relationship with Campus Safety, promote police professionalism, expand the borders of the TUPD patrol map to ensure off-campus students get home safely, improve the efficiency of FLIGHT and decrease wait time, increase security at Temple’s Regional Rail station, increase lighting on and around Temple’s Regional Rail train station and request that a security guard patrols the train platform at the train station from dusk until dawn.

They also wish to improve Transfer Student Resources, advocate for more funding for Tuttleman Counseling Services, take measures to assist students struggling with and recovering from addiction, and support Parliament’s Recovery Housing initiative.

Other important highlights from their platform include their pledge to be plastic free by 2020, accelerate Temple’s plan to be Carbon Neutral by 2050, fight campus hunger and homelessness, continue and expand upon Annual Sexual Assault Prevention Week, implement a Mental Wellness Week at the start of each semester, advocate for the best interest of the North Philadelphia community, actively call for more transparency from the administration in regards to the proposed stadium, foster more community involvement, build a bridge to Temple for the North Philadelphia youth, continue and expand upon monthly community forums on important topics with the Temple community and North Philadelphia community.

You could view Ignite's full platform here.

Voice TU

Voice TU aims to unite the culture within the Temple and North Philadelphia community by providing tools for students to better understand both communities.

In Voice TU's platform highlights, they wish to encourage landlord responsibility and accountability, create attainable child care services, increase promotion and advocacy for mental health services, and lobby for housing options for all economic backgrounds.

They also hope to expand resources for survivors of sexual violence, push for more LEED certifications, directly address hate-speech, implement active shooter drills, advocate for better transportation options, expand & advance LGBTQIA+ resources, improve accessibility and safety of campus, implement a free speech component in TSG meetings, expand resources for crisis situations, provide opportunities to transfer students to get involved on campus by promoting Temple Fest between semesters, and work with Temple Association of University Professionals in implementing procedures for faculty to recognize and support students impacted by crisis situations.

You could view Voice TU's full platform here.

Unite TU

According to their website, Unite TU is a platform dedicated to bringing together all parts of Temple University to create a truly united student body. Along with the program reforms, transparency, and open communication, Unite TU believe in creating a place where every student feels like their voice is being heard.

The goal of their campaign is to create an inclusive, open environment that encourages all students to be active and participate in their school community. They also believe that no matter your political affiliation, Temple’s Student Government should be a place for your voice to be heard.

Unite TU also believes in improving physical and mental health resources, addressing and combating sexual misconduct, minimizing food and housing insecurity, and building a relationship with the North Philadelphia community. They state that Student Health Services and the Tuttleman Counseling Center are both overworked, inefficient, and underfunded.

This campaign hopes to work with SHS and TCC to lower wait times, increase training opportunities for students, and provide easier access to creating an appointment online.

You could view their full platform here.

Debate #1 highlights

Here's some of the highlights we think you should know.

Students were free to express their thoughts via Twitter with the hashtag #TSGDebate2018 about the debate and ask teams individually follow up questions.

In their introductions, Ignite TU stated they wish to reform parliament, create a better relationship between Temple students and the North Philadelphia community, continue having a Sexual Assault Week, empowering student organizations through removal of mandatory GA meetings, amplify student voices, specifically food housing and security, and call for transparency between Philadelphia Eagles when dealing with stadium.

Voice TU voiced their position to empower and advocate for all student voices. Unite TU also stated they wish improve physical and mental health resources, unite all students to have their voices heard, and improving existing relationships.

As for the stadium, every campaign is opposed to it until better community communications are made.

When asked about sexual assault being a huge problem on campus and around the whole country, all teams explained how they planned on stopping this.

Unite TU summary:

Several cases go unreported and true statistic is not given. Unite believes we need to prevent this issue by having training sessions, letting people know this will not be tolerated, and build a safer place on campus. They also understand that part of the issue is supporting survivors when most do not feel comfortable coming forward.

Voice TU summary:

They want to enforce a program that students other than freshmen can take about sexual violence since every students has once taken it when entering Temple University. Voice TU wants to advocate for more resources on campus and empower groups like the O’Connor campaign / the need for a crisis center. They plan on working with Temple's Association of University Professionals/training teachers to spot problematic behavior so if a student who does not live on campus or in a dorm, can know that someone is looking out for them.

Ignite TU summary:

Current administration did a great job with Sexual Assault Week and they would like to expand that. They want to emphasize the need to listen to survivors and their suggestions/wants and needs. Ignite wishes to work more with the Orientation office and what can be spoken about at orientation. They want to implement a mental health week, teaching students coping strategies, sexual/relationship abuse, connecting students to the resources that are available to them because several students do not know what is available to them.

While there were more highlights from the debate, the topic of Temple and DACA students was discussed.

Would any of these campaigns petition for Temple to be a sanctuary campus?

Voice TU stated they would not petition to be a sanctuary campus, since it's ineffective and DACA students at Temple deserve tuition equality instead.

Unite TU agreed with Voice TU and mentioned the need to have better scholarships for these students to have the same rights, while Ignite stated that they would support all students on Temple's campus.

It's important for Temple students to hear their concerns out, so what questions do you think these campaigns should be asked?

DM our Instagram (@thetabtemple) with your question.

The next debate will be on Monday, April 2nd.

@gailvivarx3