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Student Association presidential candidates discussed the disconnect between the SA and multicultural student organizations Tuesday night at the GW Decision ’09 debate, hosted by the Black Student Union and the Multicultural Student Services Center.

Six of the seven candidates running for SA President fielded questions from moderators Andrea Criollo and former SA President Nicole Capp, as well as the audience. Presidential candidate Jordan Phillips was the only candidate not in attendance because of a communication error with event coordinators.

Most of the candidates reiterated their platforms from the previous evening’s Hatchet-SA Debate to a smaller audience of about 20 people.

When Capp asked what their top priority would be if they become SA President, SA Executive Vice President Kyle Boyer, Nick Polk and Sammy Lopez said improving dining.

Julie Bindelglass said she wanted students to know the SA is working for them, and Justin Holliman agreed with Bindelglass, saying he would work to change the “fundamental disconnect between students and the Student Association.”

“We see a lot of the same people every year – we need to be more accepting,” Lopez said of the SA.

Boyer said he was disappointed when several times the SA Senate had the opportunity to fill senate seats with leaders from multicultural groups, but did not.

“The SA in general is not necessarily inviting to students,” said Jordan Chisolm, president of the Black Student Union, after the debate.

Chisolm said he knows multicultural students that are frustrated with the SA, but this year he said he had a good relationship with the current SA President Vishal Aswani.

“Vishal worked with MSSC. He did a lot,” Chisolm said.

The president of the Young America’s Foundation, Robert Lockwood, asked the candidates what they would do to get more females in the SA.

Bindelglass, the only female candidate, said students should vote for her to make that happen.

Sophomore Sally Nuamah said she thought one reason few multicultural students attended the debate was because there has not been a connection in the past with the SA.

“It’s hard to pinpoint which candidates stood out,” said Nuamah, who is president of the Black Women’s Forum. “I asked specifically what experience you’ve had with multicultural student organizations. Neither [candidate] answered specifically.”