Politics is power -- but some people disagree on whether the Undergraduate Student Government president and vice president have power or make power.

Larry Spence, associate professor of political science, said USG leaders practice "sandbox politics." The USG president and vice president get to play the role of real political leaders without having any real power -- like children playing in a sandbox, he said.

USG will have power only if it becomes independent of the University, Spence added.

"Candidates usually promise more than they can deliver," he said, adding that student leaders usually are not around long enough to make progress.

Mark Stewart, USG president during the 1991-92 school year, said the president's powers are limited.

"Really the USG president doesn't have any power," he said. "All you can do is try to get administrators and trustees to back up what you want."

Former USG President Seth Williams said the position does not come with power, but that the person in the position makes the power.

"There's nothing in itself that gives it power," he said, adding that student leaders can have some influence. Williams said his administration in 1988 and 1989 forced University officials to acknowledge issues they didn't want to address, such as minority recruitment and retention.

USG Vice President Heather Shore agreed the president and vice president's power changes with every new leader.

"The person makes the power and the name gets you in the door," she said.

The current USG constitution outlines power for the president and vice president by allowing them to make decisions without a vote from any other USG branch, providing the issue doesn't fall under any other organizations' jurisdiction. This power gives USG leaders the ability to concentrate on University-wide issues.

The constitution also states that every University student is a general member of USG, and that USG leaders are to represent student concerns.

But some students were not sure what USG has done or what type of influence or power USG leaders have with the administration.

Sam Swetkowski (freshman-elementary education) said USG presidents and vice presidents should serve as liaisons between students and administrators. But Swetkowski said he doesn't know of anything USG has done.

Elizabeth Shank (freshman-molecular and cell biology) said student leaders do not have any power or influence with administrators.

"I don't know if administrators really listen," she said.

But USG President Chris Saunders believes he has the power to influence administrators.

USG power is more influence over the administration than actual power to enact change, he said, citing the course selector, student-aid funding and mid-semester teaching evaluations as examples of projects USG has completed by working with administrators.

Shore said she conducts surveys and administrators listen when they see she has hard data and the name USG gets her "foot in the door."

Craig Millar, associate vice president of student services, said he occasionally meets with student leaders to talk about student concerns and the administration.

"It's a good working relationship," he said.

Although USG's power is debatable, some past USG presidents urge students to choose their leaders carefully because the USG president and vice president can influence change at the University.

"I know USG holds a lot more power than students think it does," said former USG President Rob Kampia, adding that administrators take what student leaders say seriously.

Kampia advises students to look more at the candidates' track records and less at what they say they want to do.

"Anybody can just sit around, smoke pot and come up with five goals," Kampia said.

Collegian Staff Writer Deepika Reddy contributed to this report.