By Natalie Tungsvik

A collaboration of student organizations at Hamline University has confirmed 11 gubernatorial candidates for their non partisan forum on student issues taking place on April 15. The forum, entitled “Students Decide: What’s Your Vision for Minnesota?” will bring student’s questions and concerns for the next Governor of Minnesota to the forefront of the debate.”We want to make sure that Governor’s candidates are listening to the student voice. Students need to be a strong presence in the gubernatorial debate to ensure that candidates are talking about our issues, such as the rising cost of higher education, and growing the economy so that graduates have entry-level jobs,” said Antonia Kurtz, freshman at Hamline and one of the lead organizers of the forum.

Young people ages 18-29 represent 30 percent of the electorate in Minnesota. In 2008, Minnesota had the highest youth voter turnout in the country. There has been an overwhelming response from candidates attending the forum, because they know that students are paying attention to the issues.

Everyone is encouraged to submit their own questions to be asked during the forum to ensure representation of a diverse range of student voices. Questions can be submitted in blue boxes on Hamline’s campus, or online at [email protected]. All questions must be non-partisan.

Students from MPIRG, Hamline Undergraduate Student Congress, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, College Democrats, College Republicans, and Women’s Resource Center have come together to organize this forum to represent a wide range of student interests.

The forum will be on April 15 in Kay Fredericks Ballroom, 3rd floor of the Klas Center at Hamline University. Doors will open at 5:30, and people are encouraged to come early so they can vote on which questions they would like to hear answered by the candidates. The forum will be held from 6p.m.-7:30p.m. and is open to the public.

Confirmed candidates: John Marty, Paul Thissen, Mark Dayton, Susan Gaertner, Tom Rukivina, Bob Carney, Jr, Leslie Davis, Peter Roess, Rob Hahn, Tom Horner, Peter Idusogie.

Natalie Tungsvik can be reached at [email protected].