Experience versus leadership was the key point of controversy in the race for Student Association president at the SA executive elections debate Thursday night.

SA President Jim Fischer, running for re-election on Wednesday and Thursday, based his platform on his experience in knowing how the SA operates and how to successfully accomplish goals that have been neglected in the past.

Fischer said his extensive experience in the SA has given him expertise in dealing with the university administration, and it is because of this ability that he has accomplished a student-to-student grant, a revised drug-testing program and an examination of the President’s Fee Study Committee.

“Approaching the administration with well-researched and well- founded information on issues is the best way to reach a compromise,” he said.

One goal well on its way to being accomplished is gaining a vote for the student Regent. This is the first year the issue will be introduced into the Illinois House of Representatives by John Countryman, R-DeKalb, Fischer said. “Countryman was not going to introduce the bill until Dave Agazzi, (student Regent), and I convinced him to,” he said.

SA presidential candidate Mick Murvihill said, “I want to stress leadership, unlike Jim (Fischer) who stresses experience. I do not believe experience is enough.”

A president also needs to be a representative of his constituency, not just someone who deals with administrations, Murvihill said. “The student Regent vote has been an issue for years, anyone can pick up where the issue left off and complete it,” he said.

Murvihill said he wants to hire an advocate to keep in contact with the DeKalb City Council, manage petition drives, keep students informed on issues and keep in contact with the press, he said.

SA presidential candidate Phil Chihoski could not attend the debate due to illness.