It was once considered nothing more than a laughable proposal, but the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), Penn State's newly recognized student government, will become an official staple of life on campus when students elect the first leaders of the organization tomorrow.

Time will tell if UPUA is any more effective at advocating for students than the Undergraduate Student Government, which has now lost its status as the official student government at Penn State.

But tomorrow the students of this university are charged with choosing a ticket to lead us through this first year.

The candidates for this job must be knowledgeable. They must be assertive.

They must be willing to build relationships with administrators while resisting the pressure of conforming to administrative interests.

They must be advocates for the students. And they must be willing to stir things up.

This year, some competent candidates have stepped up to the plate.

However, two of the tickets seemed to be clones from past years of student government candidates.

While they know their statistics and the basic student issues, they neglect to identify specific steps toward resolving problems, such as ridiculous tuition increases and escalating administration control. Instead, they generalize "diversity" as a campaign goal.

One ticket, however, strayed from the generic and tired brand of the typical student government candidate and managed to convince The Daily Collegian's Board of Opinion that they are in fact the best option Penn State students have for change at this university.

Jay Bundy and Chris Brink may not be the most experienced of the candidates, but they are truly unlike any of the others.

Of all the opponents, Bundy and Brink set forth the most comprehensive plan to the Board of Opinion.

While the tickets of Michael Hines/Harry Saylor and Jay Chamberlin/Mitchell Witmer offered fine ideas on a number of issues, they offered them in generalities.

Bundy and Brink seem willing to learn and take in the opinion of others. They have already said they won't try to make promises they won't keep.

When asked about tuition issues, Bundy replied that he wouldn't make an impossible promise to lower it, but he would work to make the use of tuition transparent.

It's a logical answer.

Students, including student leaders, can lobby the state for more money.

But, given past precedent, there is no way that this will cause a tuition decrease.

However, if they as student leaders work to make the entire budget public so that students can see where their money is being spent, they will know whether or not they are getting a good deal on their education.

The 100-day plan given to the Collegian by Bundy and Brink also gives them a sense of accountability.

We will be able to track them to see what they do and when they do it.

Their plan also provides for a transparency that will allow students to track their work.

Unlike any other candidates, Bundy and Brink cited the improvement of mental health services for Penn State students as one of their main platform goals.

It is an unorthodox move, but it is a much more realistic goal than many of the more traditional student government platforms.

Bundy and Brink have the confidence and pizzazz to get UPUA off the ground and running.

They have ideas and the smarts to back them up.

They will not take orders from the administration, and they may actually have the ability to generate interest about student government.

The Board of Opinion acknowledges our endorsement of Bundy and Brink is a gamble.

We do have our reservations about Bundy as a presidential candidate.

Bundy is head of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, a controversial organization.

While it is admirable that he is standing up for something he believes in, this could challenge his credibility with the administration. And unfortunately, that is not a positive in the first year of a new government. It could harm rather than help.

Additionally, his organizational plans, if elected, will create a large, potentially ineffective bureaucracy.

The whole point of revamping Penn State student government was to avoid that bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.

Bundy and Brink also lack the wealth of experience that Hines and Saylor would bring to UPUA.

However, they seem to have the motivation, brainpower and charisma to make up for it.

And those are the attributes the leaders of a new student government need to be effective.

The Daily Collegian formally endorses the candidacy of Jay Bundy and Chris Brink.