Key issues in the upcoming presidential election were argued by teams of faculty and students during a debate Thursday, Oct. 21 in McKinnon Hall. Details...
The war on terrorism and national security, the economy and same-sex marriage were the topics addressed by teams representing the Democratic, Republican and Independent viewpoints on these issues. Student Laith Majali presented the viewpoint of an international student.
The debate was moderated by Karen Holt, executive director of Project Pericles. Each team was allowed a total of three minutes for opening statements on the issues and then answered questions submitted by the audience.
Holt also shared other questions that could not be answered during the debate’s timeframe, and encouraged the debate teams and the audience to use those questions as a starting point for continued discussion about the issues.
After the debate, a “Party with the Parties” was sponsored by the Student Government Association in Moseley Center’s Fireplace Lounge.
The debate issues were chosen during campus-wide voting held Sept. 7. A committee of students and faculty reviewed applications and selected two faculty and ten students to represent the three political party perspectives on the issues.
The participants were:
Republican
- Jonathon Chuk
- Jamie Falkenbury
- Luke Wake
- Katelyn Ealer-team captain
Democrat
- Zachary Lauritzen
- Adam Smith
- Kathleen Niple
- Natasha Christensen-team captain
Independent
- Mathew Gendle
- Martin Fowler
- Stevan Miller
- Ian Hull-team captain
International Student
- Laith Majali
The Campus Debate on Presidential Election Issues was sponsored by the Elon University Council on Civic Engagement and North Carolina Campus Compact, through a grant from the United Nations Foundation’s “The People Speak” series.
To read position statements submitted by each debate team, visit the Web site below and click on the link in the first paragraph of text: