At Friday's debate, several candidates for next year's student government agreed it would be impossible to lower tuition but also promised to try to help regulate the rising student costs.

Presidential candidates Jay Bundy, Jonathan Gremminger, Daniel Hadas, Peter Johnson, Gavin Keirans, Hillary Lewis and Ricardo Torres all took turns answering questions, which were posed by students during the LateNight Penn State activities in the HUB-Robeson Center.

Questions were focused on tuition, the student activity fee, what makes each candidate unique and equality among Penn State's diverse student population.

While most candidates agreed it would be extremely difficult to lower tuition, the main concern expressed Friday was to make sure it does not keep increasing.

Johnson said UPUA is an advocate on the student's behalf and needs to have a voice heard by the administration.

"The goal is to freeze tuition," he said.

Keirans agreed, saying while tuition can't be lowered, it can be regulated.

The candidates all had various reasons why they thought that they were different from their opponents in the race.

Gremminger described himself as a "common student" who would be willing to dedicate himself and his time to UPUA.

"You need an out-of-house person for change," he said.

Hadas said he and running mate Michael Barasch planned to "be accessible to the students."

One resonating issue throughout the debate was whether or not UPUA is a student government or an advocacy organization.

UPUA was created as a replacement for the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), which was set up with three distinct branches like the U.S. government.

Former USG President Galen Foulke organized UPUA with the intention of it becoming more of an advocacy group.

Torres said UPUA is a hybrid of a government and an organization that has learned from past mistakes.

"[UPUA] started as an advocacy group but has become an organization with the possibility with decision-making power," he said.

Lewis said that she sees UPUA as a student advocacy group that can influence change, and she added that she would work with the administration to accomplish each of her platform goals.

Lewis has said in previous interviews that she hopes to lower the price of campus food, integrate ANGEL and eLion and improve PSUTXT.

"The administration should not be scary. UPUA has the power, with students, to accomplish [our goals] if proactive," she said.

Both Johnson and his running mate Chris Lenn described the current state of UPUA as a skeleton now at a crossroad.

"It's time to give the skeleton muscle," Johnson said.

Bundy participated in the debate, but announced yesterday that he would be dropping out of the presidential race.