Last night's debate between the candidates for Undergraduate Student Government president and vice president failed to clarify their generic stances, leaving them to argue over labels.

Much to her surprise, the tickets all turned out similar, said USG vice presidential candidate Candice Anderson. She is running with USG presidential candidate Jim Ryerson.

The other tickets are Rob Kampia for USG president and Beth Schneck for USG vice president and Rich Schaffer for USG president and running mate Chris Groton.

Throughout the debate, the candidates expressed similar ideas about the open budget, the importance of women's issues and communication between student groups.

All agreed that affordable tuition is the most important issue facing students and proposed increased lobbying efforts as a solution.

But defending their backgrounds, the candidates disagreed on the methods for achieving those goals.

Kampia and Schneck used their volunteer experience to establish themselves as the most active ticket.

Kampia works with both the Penn State National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and national NORML organizations and Schneck volunteers time as a literacy tutor and at the Women's Resource Center.

Although all the tickets expressed the need to work with the administration, Kampia said he would go beyond traditional measures.

"You don't take over buildings at random," Kampia said. But he added that such activist measures should be used when other methods have failed.

Ryerson asked if Kampia's confrontational attitude would alienate the administration, citing Kampia's campaign posters which depict administrators and student leaders in a negative light.

Kampia said he is targeting the current USG administration and University administrators that have been "waffling" for years on the issue of the open budget. USG has not accomplished anything for two years, he said.

"We haven't been in USG, I'm proud to say," Kampia said.

But Ryerson, USG executive assistant and a former USG senator, and Anderson, staff coordinator for USG legal affairs, said their experience on student government matters shows they can get things done.

Ryerson and Anderson were the only candidates to examine the open portion of the University budget available in the library prior to the debate. Both have lobbied with USG and worked on past USG projects.

"Experience is the best teacher," Ryerson said after the debate.

Some of the most important USG issues have been on the back burner and must be brought to the forefront, he added.

Lobbying efforts also need to focus on alternatives to traveling to Harrisburg, Ryerson said. Students, parents and alumni should visit legislators in their home districts and stress the importance of issues concerning higher education.

Schaffer and Groton said talking with students is the best form of activism. Schaffer brought a poster protesting further tuition hikes. It was signed by 300 students in two days, he said.

"I think that shows a lot of activism," Schaffer said after the debate.

Schaffer said his work as Delaware County Campus student government vice president is an example of his record as an activist.

Schaffer and Groton proposed a "Grand Council" similar to one he helped organize at the Delaware County Campus.

The council would be a means for communication between all student groups and a chance for organizations with diverse ideas to network on issues such as tuition and the open budget, Schaffer said.