Matt Antonelli and John Marsh
Matt Antonelli (junior-film and video) and John Marsh (junior-journalism) said the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) needs fresh faces and fresh ideas.
Antonelli, who is the fund-raising co-chair for the Student Film Organization, said he and Marsh are average students who just want to make a difference at Penn State.
Marsh sings and plays guitar for his band, ZeroPocket. He has also been involved in various independent theater projects.
The pair said its biggest concern is student safety.
"We're both kind of the older-brother type," Marsh said. "We worry about our friends."
Antonelli said that he is often concerned about his younge r sister, a Penn State freshman, especially because of the recent rash of sexual assaults on and off campus.
If elected, the two plan to expand and publicize the 865-WALK escort service, continue the current administration's lighting initiative and form a community watch program to help protect students at night.
"We need people who aren't just out there looking for kids goofing around, but who are looking for predators," Marsh said.
They also want to form a committee to review how the University Park Allocation Committee (UPAC) distributes funding to student organizations to ensure that even small groups can obtain funding.
"We believe student organizations are the lifeblood of Penn State University," Marsh said. "Without funding, you can't promote your organization. Without promoting your organization you can't recruit members."
Antonelli said this would be the most difficult goal to implement because USG has the least direct control over UPAC.
Their other platform goals include integrating diversity into large events instead of promoting cultural celebrations, as well as pushing the administration to make parking available for students in high traffic areas.
-- by Natalie Hrubos
Galen Foulke and Luke Adams
Galen Foulke (sophomore-premedicine) and Luke Adams (sophomore-premedicine) said they believe their strength is in their combination of Undergraduate Student Government (USG) knowledge and student interests.
"We strike a perfect balance between USG experience and pure students' views," Foulke said.
Foulke is an East Halls senator and the Senate vice president.
In addition, he has served on the Eberly College of Science student council and worked as a staff assistant for the Center for Ethics and Religious Affairs.
Adams is a member of the Boxing Club and said he is teaching himself piano. He said he feels that other students can bring their concerns to him.
"People are more willing to talk to people who have been in the same boat as them," he said.
Among many other platform goals, Foulke and Adams want to create and expand current educational safety programs on campus.
They said they will support things like "straight talks," -- workshops between members of greek organizations and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
They said they will also provide funding for women's groups to hold educational programs, and work with groups like the Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils.
"In order to stop violence, we need to change people's mindsets," Foulke said.
In addition, the two want to voice students' parking needs to the administration and work to get parking for students on and off campus.
Also, Foulke and Adams said they want to work to directly benefit students through, among other things, adding Web cameras to check the length of lines in the fitness facilities around campus.
"We realize that USG is an advocacy group and not a government," Foulke said. "We've got very specific goals. We know what we can and can't do."
-- by Chris Wilburn
Mariel Gniewoz and Cameron Lefevre
Mariel Gniewoz (junior-public relations and sociology) and Cameron Lefevre (junior-information sciences and technology) are "standing up" for diversity, safety, transportation and parking.
They would like to create a student framework to foster diversity , create an interactive safety Web site and implement a parking and transportation advisory board.
"Our three main goals will offer students the opportunity to stand up and, once more, shape their experience at Penn State," Gniewoz said.
Gniewoz is active in Lion Scouts and Phi Mu sorority, and she danced in Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon 2004.
She was appointed to the Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity as a freshman by Penn State President Graham Spanier and is a member of the executive branch of the Undergraduate Student Government, serving as the director of greek affairs.
Lefevre has been a Thon captain for the past two years and was a dancer this year. He is a member of Theta Chi fraternity and was its president last year. He is also an active member of Penn State's Global AIDS Initiative.
"Many of the problems facing the world today stem from two fundamental problems: the lack of tolerance of diversity and the lack of understanding regarding health and safety," Lefevre said. "The reason I am running for vice president is to address these two issues now -- while we are still shaping our hearts and minds -- before it becomes too late."
For more information, visit their Web site, www.StandUpPsu.org, or talk to them on AOL Instant Messenger at StandUpPSU.
-- by Sarah Goldfarb
Patrick Nowlan and Thomas J. Nowlan
Patrick Nowlan (junior-journalism) and Thomas J. Nowlan (junior-accounting) said they hope to create initiatives for students to get involved on campus and give back to the community, raise sexual assault awareness and increase the student voice in Undergraduate Student Government (USG).
The two cousins chose their campaign slogan, "Time Evolve," because they said they feel increasing the student voice will, over time, change views and actions detrimental to the student community.
One of their platform goals is increasing the student voice on campus by recognizing those students active in the community to get more individuals involved.
They also plan to organize Web- or newspaper-based evaluations for students to publicly rank classes, professors and colleges.
Another platform goal is creating a student committee to allocate funds for more emergency blue light phones on campus and to set up an awards system for individuals who turn in sexual offenders to the police.
The two said they also hope to educate students on sexual assault and safety in general.
The candidates would also like to increase the student voice on campus and the number of voters in the USG elections.
This year, Tom Nowlan serves as vice president of The Professional Management Association, which sponsored Penn State Night Out, a charity event that raised money for children and families living with AIDS. He is also a member of the Schreyer Honors College.
"Tom's the brains behind the operation," Pat Nowlan said.
As a freshman, Pat Nowlan pledged Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, 508 Locust Lane. He moved into the fraternity house his sophomore year and became president of the house this fall. He also serves as vice president of the Interfraternity Council (IFC).
"Pat's the charismatic one," Tom Nowlan said.
Pat Nowlan said his experience in the IFC has given him insight into the problems facing Penn State students, including underage drinking and sexual assaults.
"I'm basically in tune with the problems," he said.
-- by Meaghan Haugh
Sandip Trivedi and Monica Constantino
They are not political science majors, but Sandip Trivedi (senior-chemical engineering) and Monica Constantino (junior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management) said they love their fellow students, and that is why they say they are running as an Undergraduate Student Government (USG) executive ticket.
"USG now is not what it should be now, a student group," Trivedi said. "It is a bunch of people trying to play congress."
The power is in the hands of the students, he said.
"USG is just the face of the 40,000 voices that should be heard here," he said.
Vice presidential candidate Constantino said she and Trivedi want to implement a "Student Power Initiative" with which civic engagement, high tuition and sexual assault can be overcome.
"USG is a good thing for students, but it lacked focus. We want to start focusing on a path," he said.
If elected vice president, Constantino said she wants to limit the sometimes-grueling length of USG Senate meetings.
"People can debate forever, decisions can and need to be made," she said.
If elected, voter registration is a key platform for their administration. The first thing Trivedi and Constantino want to do is get all students registered to vote to give the student body more power.
Trivedi said USG has no official power without students.
"USG needs to rally students," he said. "The power of the students is so immense."
Trivedi also said that if elected, they are going to try to stop the growth of tuition. Trivedi, who is the current USG tuition chair, said it is almost impossible to stop tuition hikes, but he will try to do so because it is for the good of the students.
"We want to make USG not to be a pretend United States government, but a student advocacy group," he said.
Crime is another major campaign platform for Trivedi and Constantino. Drug dealing, sexual assaults and other crimes will keep happening, Trivedi said.
"USG needs to go out there and make sure students are safe. You have to do it yourself," he said.
-- by Randy Winder
Erin Staab and Ivan Baumwell
Erin Staab (junior-political science) and Ivan Baumwell (junior- political science and economics) want students to know "there's always a now" as they promise to institute plausible solutions to problems on campus rather than assure unrealistic goals.
Staab and Baumwell said they feel that they represent students at Penn State by offering the average student a chance to be recognized.
"We don't have fancy titles, but we have great ideas," Staab said. "We want to be the voice of so many that don't think they are being heard."
Staab and Baumwell's platform includes a strong emphasis on safety, which they name as the most important issue affecting students today.
The pair plans to sell devices that will promote safety, such as keyring sirens and date-rape-drug testers, and reinvest the money generated into promoting a safer environment on campus.
Also part of their platform issues is diversity on campus. They plan to form a diversity council of representatives from student organizations and to institute a "fall cultural festival" that would introduce "culture, music, dance, information and food" to students.
Other platforms include combating the price of food and improving student management of the meal plan by helping students understand how the meal point system works.
Staab and Baumwell also plan to establish access to cheaper textbooks by creating a Web site where students can directly buy and sell used books.
-- by Krystle Kopacz
