The candidates on the ballot for ASWSU presidency met Wednesday night in the CUB for a round of debate in front of a captivated audience.

Hoping to reel in the votes of fellow students before the March 11 elections, presidential candidates Adam Crouch and Nathan Cherzan set themselves apart by discussing their respective goals if elected.

Crouch, who has held past leadership positions with ASWSU as well as the Interfraternity Council (IFC), wants to “revolutionize” the way students interact with their elected officials. Internet and social media will be used more comprehensively to create an informative and engaging experience for students of any background.

“We want student input and to get the word out on issues we all face,” Crouch said.

Running mate Kyle Geiger said his ability to lead a team and effectively delegate will allow the duo to increase transparency by regularly interacting with students, acting as an open book regarding policy and issues.

Cherzan, Crouch’s opponent, has worked with IFC and various community-outreach programs. He said that if elected, he plans to continue traditions that student government has held for years by ensuring that a diverse student voice is heard and communicated with.

Cherzan and his vice-presidential running mate Jacob Montaño, said one of the main aspects of their agenda would be to increase outreach to undergraduate students by use of mass-distributed emails and surveys. A monthly newsletter would inform students of relevant events and issues.

In order for this to happen, Cherzan said awareness of ASWSU must first be increased. He said during a past flyer-passing session in the CUB, various students were asked what the acronym ‘ASWSU’ stood for. The answers he received worried him.

“A couple people didn’t even know the WSU part, which really dumfounded me,” Cherzan said, “but I realized that what we were doing just wasn’t enough.”

Crouch and Geiger plan on engaging more students with ASWSU by creating a blog to make “Dear WSU” a permanent fixture of their website, as a kind of suggestion box for concerned students.

Crouch also expressed throughout the debate the need to let the students make the decisions, especially with long-term ones.

“It shouldn’t be a system where we decide what happens and tell you to show up,” Crouch said.

While both pairs are interested in engaging more with the student body, Crouch emphasized the need to listen and respond, while Cherzan made clear his active approach to improving student life.