About 130 students listened as 12 Undergraduate Student Government (USG) presidential candidates explained their goals for USG next year in Forum Building last night.

However, only about ten students in the audience said they were unrelated to a campaign when USG presidential candidate Mark Taticchi asked audience members to raise their hands if they were not already affiliated with a candidate.

This revelation emphasized the two themes that were highlighted by
many of the candidates last night in the first election debate: communication and student awareness of USG.

"Only a dozen or so people were not affiliated with a campaign," Taticchi said. "This speaks to student apathy."

Candidate Scott Sherbine said only communication between the USG branches will get things done for the students.

"The respect needs to be there," Sherbine said. "If Senate, Academic Assembly and the executive branch would communicate, we wouldn't be working against each other."

Each ticket answered questions specifically prepared by the elections commissioners and randomly chosen by emcee Jared Brown, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life.

Candidates had the opportunity to explain possible methods to achieve certain platforms they wanted to incorporate into USG.

Candidates Galen Foulke and Luke Adams repeatedly cited their experience as the current USG executives.

"We are older and more experienced," Adams said, "but we still have what it takes."

He added continuity in USG would double the results that the executives could accomplish.

Candidates Nicholas Palazzo and Nicholas Guiliano also surprised both the candidates and the USG elections commission by announcing their decision to leave the election campaign and support Foulke and Adams.

"We have the same goals, but the only thing that is different is the experience," Palazzo said. "We are very much aligned with the 'Foulke 'N' A' campaign."

They left their seats with the candidates, and sat with the Foulke and Adams supporters.

Head Elections Commissioner Diana Maxham said in addition to showing respect to their fellow candidates, all the presidential candidates performed well in the debate.

"We tried to give out difficult questions, but some were harder than others," Maxham said.