UF Student Government Debate tackles Mental Health, Elections, and Sasse

Candidates Clash Over Student Government Leadership.

Courtesy of the University of Florida

On Feb. 10th, 2025, executive ticket candidates from the Vision Party, Change Party, and newly-founded Watch Party took the stage in the Reitz Union Ballroom to debate key policy issues. Moderated by CLAS lecturer Marna West, candidates covered key topics including student government funding, mental health, and the leadership of former university President Ben Sasse. 

Jade Gonzalez, Vision Party vice president candidate, pointed to her party’s efforts of tackling the food insecurity crisis with Food for Fines while promising to promote mental health resources going forward. Anamika Naidu, Change Party presidential candidate, positioned her party as “the only party committed to real solutions for students” by defending Change Party’s advocacy for RTS bussing and pushing for 24/7 Marston Science Library access. Watch Party candidates introduced their platform as a one issue party, that of fair elections. Candidates pitched satellite voting locations, a $250 campaign budget, and online absentee voting. 

Mental Health

The topic of mental health arose several times throughout the night. Blake Cox, Vision Party presidential candidate, labeled student awareness of mental health resources as one of his top priorities. However, Change candidates scorned him for this, highlighting the Senate committee’s inaction on mental health issues for months during his tenure. 

Joaquin Marcelino, Change Party vice presidential candidate, criticized Vision Party’s dormancy regarding mental health. He suggested that the Party’s previous gerrymandering prevented him from commemorating the death of a friend of his who died in a car accident. He elaborated that gerrymandering made it more difficult to win a senate seat and there was nothing he could do about it.

Alfredo Ortiz, Watch Party presidential candidate, ultimately blamed recent funding cuts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for increasing mental health struggles. As such, they advocated for more safe spaces on campus.

Ben Sasse

Change Party and Watch Party candidates ultimately disapproved of the former university president’s handling of student protests, university funding, and his unfavorability among many students. During fall semester, 2022, former Gator Party Student Body President Lauren Lemasters voted in favor of Sasse becoming the university president. Naidu, of the Change Party, pressed Cox asking “if you were president, how would you have voted on Ben Sasse?” Cox responded that he “would have voted no on Ben Sasse.” 

He elaborated that he would vote based on the priorities of the student body. “If you put me on that committee, I'm voting how students want me to vote.”

Fair Elections 

Throughout the night, candidates did not hold back from openly criticizing each other over election integrity. Watch and Change Party accused Vision of gerrymandering senate districts to pursue their self-interests. Ajay Pooran, Watch vice presidential candidate, argued that “Fair elections aren’t just about politics; they’re about ensuring that every student has a voice.” Change Party criticized Cox for delaying election results. However, Vision Party defended  dominance in student government, suggesting this was as a result of a trusted track record of successes. .

Pooran, Watch Party vice presidential candidate, spoke to the lack of representation of countless UF students and proposed several initiatives to make elections more fair and accessible.

Elections will be held February 25th and 26th. For more information about spring elections and to watch the debate livestream, visit the University of Florida elections page.