Candidates at the debate on March 4, 2025. (Ainsley Coogan/ CU Independent)
The spring 2025 election for the University of Colorado Boulder’s student government representative at-large position is quickly approaching and the four candidates debated campus issues on March 4 in the University Memorial Center. During the debate, many topics touched on federal policy and how it interacts with other CU Boulder and local campus issues.
Freshman Luke Pitstick, sophomore Samantha Stern, sophomore Samuel Veta and junior Heather Vargas were the candidates present at the debate. Of these four candidates, three will be elected by the student body to the position of representative at-large.
Student safety
Student safety, both in terms of mental health and physical safety on and off campus, was a large topic discussed during the debate. A general consensus was shared among candidates that there needs to be a focus on increasing awareness of resources and networks for mental health, as well as increasing the amount of resources in general.
Veta focused his response on a bill that he is currently working on as an active legislator in CUSG. The bill addresses a student who passed away earlier this semester and highlights the importance of increased awareness and accessibility of services such as Counseling and Psychiatric Services, as well as added training for Resident Advisors.
Stern referenced the high level of drug abuse at CU Boulder, and how substance abuse is a large issue surrounding student safety at the university. As recently as 2017, the university was ranked first out of major U.S colleges in drug offenses. As a part of Stern’s mission, she emphasized the importance of increasing awareness on how to deal with situations related to drug abuse, such as knowing how to use naloxone on someone else, as well as having access to it in common areas such as residence halls or the UMC.
Sexual assault was also a major focus on the topic of concerns around student safety. The 2024 Clery Act data report found 36 counts of rape in 2023 on campus property, an increase of 12 counts when compared to the year prior.
Pitstick mentioned the blue light system, an emergency phone system used by many campuses to attempt to combat assault. The university removed this system in 2015, citing misuse and a lack of usage as its main problems.
Veta introduced the idea of using fraternity brothers and volunteers to keep watch over students off campus. He gave the example of having them stand on street corners, acting as lookouts for student safety.
Sanctuary campus
Sanctuary campuses are campuses that adopt policies protecting undocumented members of the community, such as not allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers onto campus or not sharing citizenship statuses with officers.
Candidates debated whether or not they would support CU Boulder declaring itself a sanctuary campus, while acknowledging that it is a complicated and multifaceted subject.
Current federal administration has threatened to cut federal funding for sanctuary jurisdictions. If carried out on a university level, this could threaten programs vital to the university.
Pitstick acknowledged this potential threat.
“I would love to (be a sanctuary campus), maybe if we could work with the state of Colorado to get more funding if we get decreased funding from the federal government,” he said.
Veta expressed that he would need to look much deeper into the topic, expressing his concern that, if the government cut funding to the university, vital programs such as FAFSA could be impacted.
A study by the American Immigration Council in 2023 found that there were over 400,000 undocumented students who attended U.S universities. Vargas expressed his concerns for these students.
“This should be a sanctuary school for our students,” Vargas said. “We have students at this school that are undocumented. I don’t know if anyone is aware of this, but we represent those students as well.”
Response to protests on campus
The debate also focused on the increase in protests on campus regarding conflict in the Middle East, as well as a variation in responses from campus administrators. Each candidate agreed on the importance of upholding the first amendment while also ensuring that the campus is safe and functional.
Veta brought up a resolution that was passed in CUSG’s legislative council earlier this semester. He argued that the resolution would support a student’s first amendment right while also clearly outlining each building’s rules, which could contribute to safety.
Vargas mentioned that one of her pillars as a potential representative is to protect the students, including when their voices need a platform on campus, especially considering recent protests.
“Faculty have been retaliating against students, so starting to hold these administrators accountable for their actions and seeing some actual change,” Vargas said. When asked to give examples of administrators retaliating, she referenced the placement of a student and an alum on interim exclusion.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
All candidates agreed on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, or policies that supported it. Pitstick referenced Living Learning Communities at CU Boulder, which help foster community and are an example of DEI in practice.
Veta said that the name of the program, which has been a key focus of the Trump administration, does not matter.
“We’re going to look out for you, and I don’t think whether the label of DEI is present or not is going to have an effect,” Veta said.
Candidates also discussed ways in which voter turnout for CUSG elections could be improved; in recent years, CUSG elections have drawn low voter turnouts, with only 4.77% of students voting in the spring 2023 elections. The debate also focused on other campus-specific issues, such as dining hall food and de-icing the sidewalks.
The debate was moderated by Radio 1190’s John Meylor, CU Independent Editor-in-Chief Jessica Sachs and CU Independent Managing Editor Celia Frazier. Students can vote through March 21.
Contact CU Independent CUSG Beat Writer Ainsley Coogan at Ainsley.coogan@colorado.edu
