The Undergraduate Student Government dissolved this semester, but some of its members will continue representing students in the University Park Undergraduate Association after receiving the most votes for several positions during the election last Wednesday.

These members said they were motivated to run by a desire to serve students, but University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) leaders said they hope the former Undergraduate Student Government (USG) members don't bring the past with them.

Temppest Reed, a former USG senator who was elected to an
on-campus position in UPUA, said she hopes to bring "the same sort of dedication and willingness to help students" that USG had to UPUA.

Reed added she didn't think being a member of UPUA would differ greatly from being a member of USG.

"It's still student government, still serving students," she said.

Anne Bontempo, former USG women's affairs director, was elected to an at-large position in UPUA.

She said that she would still have run for UPUA if USG hadn't dissolved.

She said it was difficult to accomplish anything in USG toward the end of the year, because it no longer had the support of the administration. UPUA replaced USG this year as the official student voice recognized by the administration.

Paul Russ, a former USG technical affairs director who was elected to UPUA as an on-campus representative, said he was motivated to run for UPUA by a desire to "bring power to students." He said he was "very impressed" by UPUA's constitutional changes, which he said make it more like other Big Ten student governments.

"I definitely think that it was a step in the right direction," he said.

All elected officials are still awaiting confirmation.

Hillary Lewis, UPUA president-elect, said it is "a great thing" that former USG members will be a part of UPUA, but she said she hopes they leave the "gridlock" of USG behind.

"I just hope they realize that this is a fresh start," she said.

"I don't think it should matter if you were in USG or UPUA."

In addition to those elected to UPUA, Lewis said last Wednesday that she would want Ricardo Torres and Mike Anderson, two former members of USG and former UPUA presidential ticket, involved with her administration this year.

Current UPUA President Jay Chamberlin said he "welcomed" former USG members to UPUA, but said some of the things former USG members wanted UPUA to do were unrealistic.

"If they want what they call power, they're going to have to understand that it's not simply marching into someone's office and demanding it," he said.

"The only way they're ever going to establish good relationships with administrators is to work for compromise."

Other former USG members elected to UPUA include Kaitlyn Kunkle, Matt Sheroff, Leah Liu, Katelyn Holmes and Ralph Crivello. Holmes and Crivello held offices in UPUA this year.