Student Government, Inc. candidates for the 2004-2005 academicyear’s E-board introduced themselves at the Organization Congresson Wednesday.
A question and answer session followed. Andrea Andrade,Elections Committee Chair, requested that all questions be directedat both parties.
Candidates were each given two minutes to introduce themselvesand their platforms.
Presidential candidates Louis Saavadra and Christopher Coes weregiven an additional ten minutes to explain their agendas.
The P.O.W.E.R. ticket was introduced by SGI vice president LouisSaavadra. POWER stands for Political Opportunity With EqualRepresentation, Saavadra said.
Last spring, Saavadra ran on an independent platform anddefeated EXCEL candidate Johanna Ellerup in the race for vicepresident.
According to Saavedra, his ticket intends to increase thepresence of Student Government on campus through the publication ofa monthly newsletter that would include member profiles, a summaryof SGI activities, and promotions for campus events. Informationaltables and mailing lists, both postal and electronic, will be usedto distribute the newsletter, Saavedra said.
“Now can POWER transform everything in a year?” said RichMasana, candidate for treasurer on the POWER ticket. “Well, we cantry our hardest to transform as much as possible but you can’t dothings over a day, you have to do them over time and we’re going tolay a solid foundation.”
Coes, who is leading the VISION ticket, announced plans toincrease the number of students working in on-campus jobs, bringingacademic resources up to date, and establishing a fund to build anew University Center.
“As a whole we offer a course of action, ” Coes said in a laterinterview. “When we talk about unity and a lack of diversity inStudent Government we offer a course of action.”
Coes said that his experience in the Residence Hall Associationand committee experience with SGI qualifies him for the office.
“I’ve only been in Student Government for two [years] and I’vedone twice as many things as they have done, as in changes,” saidCoes. “We have the experience and the activities and services toshow for it.”
Another key component of the VISION platform, according to Coes,is implementing a hiring process that allows for input fromstudents.
“The way we want to achieve diversity and quality of professoris to get students directly involved in the hiring process,” Coessaid.
Virginia Bello has begun a campaign for Senior Senator as anIndependent candidate. Among the items on her agenda are bringinginformation to students about scholarships, internships andproviding an alternative to buying expensive textbooks by compilingvolumes for student use in the University library.
Bello said she does not think that her effectiveness on thefloor of government will be compromised because she has not signedonto one of the two major party tickets.
“If I do win, you will be with a team no matter what and youwill work together and your ideas will perhaps conflict or mightwork out and from that is where you work,” Bello said.
Negative commentary in reference to other tickets or candidatesis prohibited during debates and other campaign activities. Voterswill be given the opportunity to choose a candidate for eachposition and will not be required to vote for an entire ticket.
