From the left, Anderson Evans, Helen Labrador, Hadley Ahrens, Jensen Muller, Luke Lucado, Cole Beatty and Ben Fried debate student issues on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (Claire Macaluso/CU Independent)
Eight representative-at-large candidates voiced concerns and proposals at the University of Colorado Student Government debate on Nov. 4. CU Independent editor-in-chief Avery Clifton and managing editor Ainsley Coogan moderated the discussion at the Center for Academic Success and Engagement.
The candidates discussed safety and mental health, improving student resources, living costs, and sustainability. Representative-at-large seats represent and advocate for the student body on campus-wide programs and policies. According to CUSG, they control over $38 million of student fees each year, allocating funds to support CU Boulder students. This includes student services, clubs, campus employment, and hubs like the University Memorial Center, the Student Recreation Center, Program Council, and the Center for Student Involvement (CSI).
Safety
Among the candidates’ safety concerns, freshman candidate Anderson Evans expressed concerns about biking accidents on campus.
“There are so many kids who are biking around without helmets, and a big reason is because they do not have access to them,” Evans said. “What we need to work on is finding a way to make a system where we can rent helmets out to these students.”
Incumbent senior Helen Labrador said she would work on communication between organizations and the CUSG branches on campus to provide students with more knowledge on resources.
CU Boulder Democratic Socialists of America endorsed candidate Ben Fried and Cole Beatty, who serves on the CUSG finance board, agreed with Labrador.
Following the shooting over Halloween weekend that killed one student and seriously injured another on the University Hill, some students have questioned safety on campus.
“I think the first thing that we can do is reaffirm student governments and CU’s stance on gun violence, gun control, and gun safety,” candidate Hadley Ahrens, Legislative Council vice president said. “That can be through legislation supporting local ballot measures as well as federal ballot measures.”
Jensen Muller, a freshman in the integrated business and engineering program agreed with other candidates that safety is the biggest issue. He disagreed with Ahren’s point of only condemning gun violence. Instead, Muller said he would work with fraternities and party hosts on the Hill on ways to verify only CU Boulder students are attending parties around campus.
Newcomer and philosophy major Luke Lucado acknowledged that the safety alert on Halloween was helpful and would like to see more consistent facts in future alerts.
In the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, there were 96 reports of rape in the 2024 and 109 cases of fondling in 2025. Candidates were asked how they would address ongoing concerns about sexual assault on campus.
Lucado and Beatty both argued CUSG should work with Interfraternity Council (IFC) on the Hill to hold fraternities accountable for sexual assaults.
Fried and Evans discussed how educating could hold students accountable and limit sexual assault crimes on campus. Labrador also agreed including a focus on men’s mental health resources.
Ahrens discussed the required sexual assault and safety training for freshmen, and said the training is essential to start change on campus.
Hazing has also raised safety concerns for CU students after an alleged hazing report at fraternity Sigma Nu resulted in several student suspensions, according to the Boulder Daily Camera.
There are over 30 fraternities at CU with three affiliations categories: CU IFC chapters are overseen by the university, IFC On the Hill chapters are independent from campus, and some chapters are unaffiliated with both. Lucado noted the limitations of CUSG in Greek life.
“I think this is uniquely difficult for us at the University of Colorado because our fraternities are disconnected from campus and from student government,” Lucado said.
Evans said he would try to develop and strengthen the connection between CU IFC to stop incidents and encourage accountability.
Lucado agreed with Labrador’s idea to promote mental health resources for men, alongside working with IFC.
“There are a lot of social and business aspects to fraternities that are important, but I think that there should be a way for the university to intervene and focus on men’s mental health in a certain light,” Labrador said.
He claimed promoting students speaking out would bring accountability and diminish hazing culture. Beatty also believed that fraternities have a culture of secrecy and students being afraid to speak out because of retaliation.
Muller agreed with the candidate’s discussions but instead wanted to work directly with the fraternities.
Student outreach
Candidates discussed actions they will take to maintain consistent communication with the student body.
Labrador stated the student government must meet and table with students in places they care about, such as in club meetings. Ahren agreed with Labrador’s sentiment.
Muller disagreed, saying he was going to take initiatives to communicate with students through social media to provide students more information about the council.
Fried responded that CUSG has an Instagram page, but students at CU Boulder are not being engaged, and posters would increase student engagement.
Lucado said working with professors through seminars would be the best way to provide students information about CUSG.
Evans said drawing interaction and engagement through social media content would increase communication efficiency.
Ahrens maintained that “human connection” is the best way to actively reach students.
The candidates responded to how they would support the student body following the shooting on Halloween.
Ahrens said she would increase communication with students about potentially unknown resources. She highlighted the Office of Victim Assistance, Counseling and Psychiatric Services, and the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance.
“I don’t think there’s one way to support everybody because everybody grieves in different ways,” Ahrens said. “However, I think continuing to resource advertise is really important.”
Muller said the student government should take “tangible action” by implementing more security on campus and Labrador agreed.
Lucado, Beatty and Fried reiterated that having a sense of community and outreach resources are the best ways to support the student body.
Evans shared that he waited three weeks until he met with a campus mental health professional, stressing that the university needs to increase resources.
“I think we should increase the availability of mental health professionals because we are an undergraduate of over 38,000 students,” Evans said.
Campus political expression
The Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression, a nonprofit that evaluates free speech policy and expression, released its annual report in 2026, which measured student political tolerance.
In a survey of about 350 students, 76% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases. Additionally, in rare cases, 30% of students voiced that they would use violence to stop someone from speaking.
Fried said he doesn’t want hateful messages spread on campus and agreed with students in rare cases of shutting down speakers spreading hate.
“If you are espousing evil, you should have people confront you with the evil that you are espousing,” Fried said.
Labrador described an instance of anti-abortion protestors on campus showcasing giant signs of dead babies. She described the experience as gross and troubling for her and possibly for other women as well.
“As representatives, I think it is important for us to, in some sense, be able to control the channels in which this speech is being put out,” Labrador said.
Ahrens shared a similar experience with Labrador and said some groups come to campus to film a reaction. She would implement a strategy of educating students that “not engaging is sometimes the best way to engage.”
Lucado said representatives should create a culture that lets groups say their piece, even if it might not be productive. Beatty and Muller agreed with Lucado.
Sustainability
CU Boulder’s student government controls the CUSG Environmental Board on campus and supports sustainability efforts.
Evans noted solutions for clean energy on campus, including the automatic lights in buildings, are important to combating climate change.
Muller said he would “vote in favor of any pro-sustainability and environment measures.”
Labrador said students need to be educated through the efforts of CUSG and the Environmental Board to achieve a lifestyle of sustainability.
Ahrens mentioned she passed legislation to implement battery recycling on campus during her session. She said if re-elected, she would work to implement receptacle bins in cost centers.
Beatty suggested that increasing energy-efficient buildings on campus would reduce emissions.
Lucado said CUSG should work toward disseminating information through social media, putting up posters, and hosting events on campus to enhance sustainability.
Fried discussed the short grass lawns, grass from out of state imported onto campus that require large amounts of water and maintenance.
CUSG is working to replace the grass with American-grown grass to limit water use. Fried would work with the Environmental Board to tile the area blocked off to grow the bluegrass near the Center for Community.
Affordability
Most candidates agreed living costs were a concern for student affordability.
Labrador suggested CU Boulder works with the city for supply chain housing.
Ahren said there is a 26% vacancy rate and discussed how students should be shown they have options and have time to sign a lease. Beatty and Lucado agreed with Ahren, with Lucado advocating for the Boulder Tenants Union to promote knowledge of renters’ rights.
Evans discussed implementing price ceilings on housing, which limit the maximum amount of rent, and said this can be helpful for students who are struggling with housing.
Mullers advocated for improving the Euclidean zoning policies to build more housing units in Colorado, stating they are restrictive and increase housing costs.
Fried claimed the university ending its contracts with Flock and OpenAI would “make tuition affordable.” The current OpenAI contract is funded through the CU System Office rather than student tuition.
The CUSG elections end on November 13 at 5 p.m. Students can vote in the Buff Portal.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Claire Macaluso at Claire.Macaluso@colorado.edu
