As Undergraduate Student Government presidential and vice presidential candidates campaign furiously, hundreds of behind-the-scenes campaign staffers use their creativity to put the hopefuls in the best light.

Managers find obscure places to post campaign advertisements, design flashy fliers and make sure candidates are at the right place at the right time.

"It's a 24-hour-a-day job," said Mark Koschmeder (junior-political science), campaign manager for Jim Van Horn (sophomore-business) and Denys Wilmer (senior-elementary education). "You have to be really committed to an ideology to do it."

"I go into every classroom and make sure something is up," said Ray Tarasi, the campaign manager for J.P. Muir (junior-political science) and Sue Williams (junior-health planning). "I think about it during class and write it down."

The candidates' staffs differ in composition and their duties.

Tony Dutzik (senior-public service) and Kelly Glazier (sophomore-public service) said they do everything for their campaign and ask for very little help. They have no campaign managers.

"We are our own campaign managers," Dutzik said. " We do all our own scheduling, we tell each other where to be and we make our own phone calls. Everything we say is our own."

Eric Epp (senior-secondary education) and Sue Donohue's (sophomore-real estate) staff, including about 100 people, is involved with numerous aspects of the campaign, including scheduling, keeping the candidates informed, placing fliers, drawing the fliers, helping with speeches and giving input on issues.

Epp said he does not know many of his staffers, but they are willing to help him with anything he needs.

He chose Saul Treiman (sophomore-accounting) as his campaign manager because of his experience in the USG Senate and his ability to talk with people, Epp said.

Brad Haartz and Doug Delong have 15 active people on their staff with Abe Amoros (senior-journalism) as campaign manager.

"Our staff isn't hard to find, they're all wearing T-shirts," DeLong said.

Haartz said he and DeLong chose Amoros as campaign manager because of his vast knowledge about a variety of issues and his personal contacts.

He added that Amoros keeps their lives in control.

"He tells us if we have a test today or a test the next day, where to eat and when to study and what to wear."

Jeff McCarty (senior-science) and Drew Maerz (senior-chemistry education) said their staff, consisting of about six people, helps hang fliers but also gives them advice on how to address issues.

Maerz stressed that he and McCarty do as much as they can without help, such as designing fliers, scheduling appointments and bookkeeping.

"I feel it is important we portray our own image and not another image someone is trying to portray for us," McCarty said.

Maerz said they chose campaign manager Jo Anna Wilson (senior-mass communications) because of her involvement in student organizations and because she is a close friend.

J.P. Muir's and Sue Williams' staff consists of 210 people, including campaign manager Tarasi.

"I realized I had never been involved in something like this and realized many people hadn't been involved with something like this," Tarasi said. "I figured if I was involved with elections other people would be involved with elections."

"We wanted a person not involved with politics of USG," Muir said. "He is an excellent speaker and an excellent coordinator."

Muir said most of the people on the staff help put up fliers, but he also has an accountant, secretary, coordinator of scheduling and a public relations manager. He said he also has a staff member in charge of each campus and downtown area.

Alistair Rae's (senior-history) and Dave Bindseil's (junior-accounting) staff of about 20 people, helps coordinate the placement of fliers, bookkeeping and gives input during debates.

Rae said he chose Matt Peterson (junior-business logistics) as campaign manager because he is a hard-working, nice person who is competent. He added that Peterson is Bindseil's roommate.

Van Horn and Wilmer said there are 15 people on their immediate staff and after that there are numerous people helping them out.

Wilmer said their campaign manager oversees the staff, organizes scheduling, and makes sure that fliers go up without flier violations. She said there is also a person in charge who designed the fliers.

Van Horn said he chose Mark Koschmeder as campaign manager because of his organizational skills.