Student representation at Penn State is at a crossroads.

Two days before the Undergraduate Student Government's (USG) elections, the university's administration is on the verge of recognizing a new group -- University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) -- as the official, legitimate voice of Penn State students.

If the proposed UPUA wins the approval of Penn State President Graham Spanier, student advocacy will no doubt change.

And while administrators take their time deciding the future of USG, Penn State students are forced to make two decisions. First, is it even worth it for students to voice their opinion by voting in the USG elections? And second, who are the better candidates for positions that may not even matter in a few weeks?

While the first question is difficult to determine at this time, the second is relatively clear.

A look at the platform goals of Nick Stathes and Pat Daley, and Kevin Ward and Dan Ward leaves us to conclude that one duo is far more qualified for the positions of USG president and vice president next year. That is, if these positions still exist when classes resume in the fall.

While The Daily Collegian has chosen to endorse Nick Stathes for USG president and Pat Daley for USG vice president, it does so because the pair is essentially the lesser of two evils.

Stathes's and Daley's experience in USG and their platform goals -- ones that detail exactly what they want to accomplish -- give them the upper hand in this election. But while their platform is superior to that of the Wards', the pair lacked the foresight to talk with administrators about the feasibility of their goals.

Stathes and Daley pledge to hold Penn State accountable for outrageous tuition increases by doing more than rallying in front of Old Main. The running mates plan to advocate that Penn State release the details of its operating budget -- an option that the university has an incentive to do because it would, in theory, legitimize the tuition increases administrators claim are so necessary.

But it will be impossible for Stathes and Daley to persuade the university to publish a specific breakdown of how tuition dollars are spent without communicating at all with Penn State.

Of course it is very likely that the administration would not be on board with such an idea, but if the candidates had at least talked with officials beforehand, then, if elected, they would not have had to waste time in office trying to do so.

Stathes and Daley also cite improving communication between students and their representatives as a practical, and crucial, step toward preserving the role of student advocacy at Penn State. By updating USG's Web site to include message boards and pledging to hold daily office hours, they are taking the road of practical change as opposed to idealistic absurdity.

But while Stathes and Daley have their flaws, the alternative is even less appealing.

Though sincere in their desire to serve the student body, twin brothers Kevin Ward and Daniel Ward lack the student government experience and forethought to follow through with the lofty goals they have set.

The Wards' ambition to convince the administration to publish Student Rating of Teaching Effectiveness (SRTE) results, to improve student adviser effectiveness and to eliminate any professor profit from the sale of their textbooks are no doubt honorable, but they are also nearly impossible to accomplish.

If any of the Wards' goals are to become reality, the Penn State administration must be willing to comply. However, the Wards have given no indication that they have approached a single administrator to determine the feasibility of these policy changes. Unfortunately, sincerity doesn't cut it with USG.

In the event that the Wards are elected, USG as a body won't have a chance at continuing to exist. The Wards, neither of whom have served in the USG Senate, are not familiar with the structure of the organization and the maneuvering that must be done to accomplish even the smallest of tasks. This would deplete any effectiveness that may be left in the organization and would signal its demise.

After two years of utter disappointment with Foulke and Adams at the helm of USG, Penn State students have little reason to trust student government leaders or the organization itself.

However, voting for Stathes and Daley in USG's election this year might be the best way for students to voice their opposition to a student government controlled by administrators.

It may be the only choice students have.