At a time when students need a strong, competent voice, there isn't one.

In this week's Undergraduate Student Government elections, students should look for more than another president and vice president willing to play along with the University.

Few candidates have effectively addressed the main issues facing students: tuition hikes, reduced state funding and cuts in existing student services. And others lack working knowledge of other student groups and the University administration.

No ticket has concrete strategies for increasing student involvement in USG. But it is this type of involvement that is needed to lobby Harrisburg for increased funding, restore student services, push for the inclusion of "sexual orientation" to the non-discrimination policy and build a new Paul Robeson Cultural Center.

Leslie Osborn and Michael LaFlam rise above the other candidates because of their sincere commitment to student advocacy, their leadership experience and their concern for student representation on University boards.

Osborn has been a member of USG for two years. She was USG Senate vice president and is a founder of the Coalition for Commonwealth Education. LaFlam served as political co-director of the Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Student Alliance, a representative on the University Student Advisory Board and a member of the Mayor's Student Leadership Task Force.

Their goal for greater student representation on all University policy-making boards is one way to get student concerns heard by administrators.

Both support an open budget, which is necessary to obtain funding for the kind of student services that most of the candidates have emphasized this year. An open budget would keep the administration accountable to the student body.

They also support adding the words "sexual orientation" to the University's non-discrimination policy. While other candidates also support the clause, vice presidential candidate LaFlam has researched the clause and garnered support for it.

Both candidates have experience working with other student leaders and groups. Osborn has worked with others during her two years as a USG senator and LaFlam met with fellow leaders as a member of the Forum for Underrepresented Groups. Maintaining these working relationships will be vital in fighting for underrepresented students' needs in these lean times.

Despite their qualifications, students need to be wary of Osborn's lack of accomplishments in the USG Senate and LaFlam's record on attending closed meetings. Both have said they are members of secret societies as well.

Osborn and LaFlam come closest to what students will need in the USG executive branch in the crucial year ahead -- student advocacy and experience.