Web creates new campaign techniques


Wednesday, March 25, 1998	Web creates new campaign techniques By CJ ENGEL Collegian Staff Writer Some candidates for the presidency of the Undergraduate Student Government are taking a leap into the future of electronic campaigning by creating World Wide Web sites of their own.
	Four tickets on the ballot have posted sites or are in the process of doing so. Also, one of the write-in campaigns is creating one. Yet, the Web sites draw a mixed reaction from students. While most say the sites can make platform ideas known to everyone, the same students questioned the effectiveness of this campaign tool. For instance, Dany Huynh, like many students, does not have her own computer. So when she trudges to the labs, she likes to do her work and leave, she said.
(Collegian Graphic/Erica Manning - click for full size image)	"If you walk all the way down to the computer lab, you're probably just going to check your E-mail, do your paper or visit those Web sites that are important to you," said Huynh (sophomore-business administration). No matter how many links or files the Web sites contain, the key words for students seem to be "easy access." Scot Barnett (junior-English) said he doubts he would actually copy Web addresses from candidate posters. But, if there was an easy way to the sites, like a link on the University home page, he would probably take a look. "Unfortunately, like any election, the voters don't want to work too hard," he said. "That's the problem the candidates have to face. So if they want to get with the '90s and put it on the Web, so be it."
`Ciabarra/Szabaga web site`	The Web site of Mario Ciabarra (junior-science) and Allison Szabaga (sophomore-marketing) can be reached at any time to answer students' questions, Ciabarra said.
`Herath/Muchi web site`	The home page of Roshani Herath (senior-labor and industrial relations) and Christine Muchi (senior-labor and industrial relations) allows their campaign to reach more students, because it's impossible to meet them all face to face, Herath said. The ticket of Rocco Impreveduto (junior-telecommunications) and Marc Nathan (junior-finance) will have a site ready soon, Impreveduto said. He added the site will allow them to go more indepth than fliers allow.
`Prinzi/Jaworski web site`	Candidates Andrea Prinzi (junior-political science and administration of justice) and J.P. Jaworski (junior-life sciences) are using their site in order to supplement their other campaign efforts, Prinzi said.
`WKPS-FM web site`	The write-in ticket of Kornelius P. Spankum and Kendra Ciesla (junior-advertising) is working on a site. Ciesla, a promotional director at student-run WKPS-FM (90.7), said the campaign is an advertisement for the station. Meanwhile, the ticket of Caroline Casagrande (junior-political science) and Brian Olivo (junior-advertising) most likely will not have a site, Olivo said. More people can be reached at speaking engagements and meeting face to face, he said. The ticket of Todd Krout (junior-international business management) and Karen Skomorucha (sophomore-international politics) will not have a site either, Krout said, adding he would rather speak to student organizations than list what they hope to do on a Web site.