UPUA executive ticket candidates Erin Boas and Najee Rodriguez answered questions from the student body Thursday night in a virtual livestream event.

Boas and Rodriguez are the only candidates vying to become UPUA’s next president and vice president, respectively.

Boas, a junior majoring in international politics and economics, is running for the presidency for a second time. She said her prior involvement in the organization and desire to elevate student voices are behind her candidacy.

Rodriguez, a sophomore majoring in national security and history, has spent much of his time in UPUA so far to advocate for underrepresented communities at Penn State. He said he wants to increase representation within UPUA.

“Especially with my background in general, as a queer person of color, I think just having the representation in a position like this is very important,” Rodriguez said. “For students alike that may have never seen that, and also for students that may have that personal background experience they want to bring to certain matters and issues.”

Boas and Rodriguez said they want to help facilitate advocacy within the organization, while also continuing to actively advocate themselves. Boas said that transparency and communication are crucial to UPUA’s success.

“Communication and advocacy is critical, it’s key. That again branches off of our ‘building relationships’ pillar,” Boas said. “Building relationships, especially with the press, is extremely important. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship because not only do we get to tell and report on what UPUA is doing, but it’s a main way that we know what the student needs are too.”

During the executive debate, Boas and Rodriguez addressed their stances and plans for Penn State’s plan to return to in-person learning in the fall. While both are hopeful that this plan will go off successfully, the duo also want to ensure that immunocompromised students, international students, and those with other extenuation circumstances are supported in the best ways possible during this transition.

“While we can be optimistic as a university and look towards full in-person learning, we also have to make sure those student needs aren’t being swept under the table,” Boas said. “Through the reports that I’ve heard through Faculty Senate, it’s very nice that they’re considering that as well. But it’s our job to also make sure that’s being implemented and that those students aren’t being forgotten about.”

Boas and Rodriguez also said they hope to keep a quarantine and isolation space on campus throughout the fall should there be a need. They also want to work on increasing vaccine accessibility to students.

The pair wrapped up the event by elaborating on how they’re going to prioritize providing immediate relief to students amid the pandemic.

“It’s [immediate relief] something that students want to see. We have the ability to utilize our mission and our goal as an advocacy organization, and that’s another way to do it,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a way that students are very receptive to. A thing that students need, now more than ever before, given the status of many people’s financials due to the pandemic. It’s something we can utilize to reinvent this organization in a very positive and institutionalized way.”

Finally, in perhaps the most critical and highly requested question of the night, Boas and Rodriguez discussed their favorite Creamery flavors.

Their answers? Death by Chocolate.

The 2021 UPUA Elections will take place on Wednesday, March 31. Voting will open at midnight and close at 9 p.m

You can read up on the candidates and find more information about the elections here.