Undergraduate Student Government presidential candidate Erich May might not be singing, "hail to the Lion" today if it turns out the Nittany Lion's appearance to solicit votes for him violated election rules or University policies.

Scott Payne, head elections commissioner, said two elections code violations against May and April Campbell's USG presidential/vice presidential campaign have been forwarded to the elections court chief prosecutor. The violations are for placing personal ads in The Daily Collegian, one that pertained to the Nittany Lion's appearance yesterday outside Willard Building and another advertising trumpet players outside Schwab Auditorium Monday.

Some student leaders have also said that using the Nittany Lion presents problems -- if the Lion acts as a University symbol.

But May holds that he did not ask the Nittany Lion to appear. "The appearance of the Nittany Lion at today's rally, while I had a hunch he might be there, was unsolicited campaign support," he said.

Ricky Williams (senior-industrial engineering), who portrays the Nittany Lion, was unavailable for comment.

Brian Ray (senior-environmental resources management), who works on May's campaign, said Williams has the same rights as any other students to be involved in a campaign.

"Ricky is the Nittany Lion," Ray said. "It's just like Bill Donato is the former IFC president."

Although advertising the Lion's appearance does not violate elections code, it may violate University policies.

The University Policy Manual book states that "the University name, marks, symbols, seal and graphic representations may not be used in any context without prior approval."

Karen Horne, production manager at the University's department of publications, said May would probably need University permission to use the Nittany Lion to pass out fliers because the Lion is usually considered a University symbol.

Council of Commonwealth Student Governments Coordinator Ben Stevenson said he plans to file a complaint with the elections commission for the use of the Lion, because he said the Lion's handing out of fliers creates an unfair advantage.

"For our University mascot to help distribute literature for one candidate, I would consider unfair," Stevenson said. "In my opinion, it's a fine line of breaking an elections code," he said.

Stevenson has endorsed the Mike King/Lori Pennay ticket.

The elections commission has a fair market value system to regulate how candidates run their campaign finances. Fair market value means everything which promotes a candidate must be estimated to eliminate possible advantages.

"It's a prop or an item or a person or something that is drawing attention to your campaign," said current USG President Chris Saunders.

Regardless of whether the Nittany Lion was solicited, Saunders said the fair market value for the use of the Lion should be deducted from May's campaign budget. Each ticket can spend up to $400, but if the limit is exceeded, the ticket will be nullified, Saunders said.

As of March 23, the May/Campbell ticket spent $251.75, said Jim Stephens, candidacy and campaigning commissioner.