On Tuesday, April 8, the candidates running for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Student Association (SA) president and vice president for the 2025-2026 school year introduced themselves and discussed their goals if elected April 15.
Presidential candidate Emma Wittman will be running with vice-presidential candidate Cisco Garcia, who joined the debate remotely over Zoom. Avery Manthe is also running for the position of president and does not have a vice-presidential running mate.
Manthe is a first-year student majoring in public administration and communications with an emphasis in public communication and advocacy. She is a justice on the student court, a fellow at UWL Votes and the vice chair of the Student Organizations Committee.
Wittman is a second-year student majoring in political science with minors in social justice and legal studies on a pre-law track. She was the Asian Student Organization (ASO) senator her first year and now serves as the inclusivity director on the Executive Cabinet. She is the ASO student outreach director and a student assistant in the Access, Belonging & Compliance Center (AB&C).
On the ballot alongside Wittman is her vice-presidential running mate, Cisco Garcia, who is majoring in political science with a minor in sociology, as a second-year student. While he is currently studying abroad, he has served as the Pride Center student senator, on the Student Organizations Committee as vice chair and as a member of the Events and Marketing Committee.
The candidates were asked questions from the audience, as well as prepared questions from Dean of Students Kara Ostlund. They first were asked how political affiliations would be handled if elected.
Manthe responded that as a UWL Votes fellow, she has already been practicing non-partisanship. She has worked with both the campus College Republicans and the College Democrats to encourage voting and put on events. She also assisted in bringing the top two mayoral candidates to speak on campus.
“I think it’s important to foster all voices on campus, not just the loudest ones or the more populated ones,” she said.
Wittman drew from her experience in SA and said no part of SA is partisan, and it should remain as such, though the College Democrats and College Republicans are appreciated for the work they both do.
“How we feel can not interfere with the work we do … We just try to remember that we give them the same energy, due passion, kindness and intellectualism that we would give any other group,” Wittman said of the on-campus political groups.
The candidates were then asked why they wanted to take on the responsibility of representing the student body. Wittman recalled how she felt when she became a senator as a woman of color. She said she wants to be able to help other students get involved in important conversations.
Wittman said, “There are people, just like me, coming to UWL who deserve and need a seat at that table – regardless of who they are, regardless of their walk of life. So, if I get elected to be president, I want to give them a seat at that table and I want to hear them.”
Manthe said student expression is incredibly important to her. She wishes to advocate for students who may not be as involved or who are a campus minority in some way to ensure their voices are heard.
When asked what the candidates’ immediate plans would be upon being elected, Manthe said she would do everything in her power for phase two of the Prairie Springs Science Center to come to fruition.
After the implementation of the Reimagine Plan, some older students may feel unfamiliar with many aspects of the campus, said Manthe. She would reach out to student organizations to see what they need and how they can be better supported.
Wittman responded that the Wittman-Garcia campaign has four main goals: transparent leadership, protecting free speech, making UWL student-centered and progress for UWL.
Specifically, they would make sure the Interim Chalking Policy is reviewed, our recreational campus areas are expanded, the Whitney Center is improved and phase two of Prairie Springs Science Center is properly advocated for.
Garcia said, “Our number one goal is to make sure that student voices are heard and that we create change on campus.”
In her closing remarks, Wittman said, “This is not government, this is not politics. At the end of the day, it’s taking care of the people who have taken care of me – taking care of the administration staff who have looked out for me. I just care.”
Manthe emphasized the importance of the student body feeling like they belong; She said, “All of these people are so important … I care about each one of these individuals here on campus.”
“I’m caring, I’m driven, I know what I am. I make these promises because I intend to keep them and I have direct plans for this university,” continued Manthe.
UWL students will be able to cast their votes for SA president and vice president through their MyOrgs April 15. Voting will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
For more information on the Wittman-Garcia campaign, click here to read their letter to the editor or visit @wittmangarciaforuwl on Instagram.
For more information on the Manthe campaign, click here to read her letter to the editor or visit @avery4uwl on Instagram.
