The number of candidates running with the same platforms for the 36th Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Senate has stirred up questions about possible alliances in the Senate next term.

Twelve out of 24 of the potential senators are running on the same platform to encourage cost-cutting and more sensible spending by the Penn State administration. At least eight of those 12 potential senators are involved with College Republicans or Penn State Young Americans for Freedom (YAF).

Town senate candidate Richard Pastena, former College Republicans chair and current YAF vice chair, said it was not a coincidence that many students were running with the same platforms, but it was not as sinister as a "conservative coalition."

"You encourage your friends with like-minded views to run," he said. "I wouldn't deny that the people who are running are people that I have been with friends with for a while."

Three years ago in the 32nd Senate, a number of the College Republicans ran supporting a single presidential ticket. Fifteen of those students won seats on the 28-member Senate, and they became known as the "conservative coalition."

By January 2002, eight senators resigned. Some cited academic concerns, but the majority complained of internal conflict within the Senate. By the end of the term, 17 senators were involved in the coalition, giving it a two-thirds majority with the power to overrule the USG president's veto.

USG President Galen Foulke said the 32nd Senate was not a pleasant one.

"That was one instance of having a large voting majority that was very negative, not progressive or productive," he said. "It remains to be seen what we will have this year."

Foulke added that this year more write-in candidates are encouraged to run to get a "more widespread opinion" in the Senate.

Senatorial candidate and former College Republicans chairman Andy Banducci said it's natural that students involved in political groups would gravitate toward student government.

"This year, politically minded students want to get involved and make the university a better place," he said.

Presidential Candidate Scott Sherbine, who is supported by some of the senators involved in the College Republicans, said senators campaigning with the same ideology is not some sort of coup.

Sherbine is also running on the platform to look to the administration for more responsible spending.

"I am friends with a lot of these people," he said. "We have the same ideas, and we want to see good things being done."

Above all, he said, the term "conservative coalition" is inaccurate.

"I myself am a democrat. Some of the other people [with similar platform goals] are democrats and some are libertarians," he said.

Pastena said a "group of like-minded students" on the Senate would not be bad thing.

"People with like-minded views have an easier time working together," he added. "[The Senate] is still going to be a place for debate."

USG Vice President Luke Adams said any type of majority opinion could instead diminish debate.

"This year we had a lot of different people with a lot of different backgrounds, who said whatever they wanted and whatever they felt at that time," he said. "When you get a bunch of people thinking the same, you aren't going to get the same diversity."

Banducci said any comparison to the 32nd Senate could damage the progress of the incoming Senate.

"Regardless of who you support, we are all part of the same team when it comes to the Senate," he said.