The Galápagos tortoise knows a thing or two about longevity; members of the species can live for more than 150 years, according to The San Diego Zoo.

But the University Park Undergraduate Association is no Galápagos tortoise.

The young organization has been through two years of growing pains and has run the gamut, from spending $186 on ballpoint pens to being officially recognized by the Association of Big Ten Students.

As we approach the third UPUA election on March 26, it's time for the students to make sure the group lives up to its name as their official voice at Penn State.

We believe this is UPUA's most important election thus far, following two years of low voter turnout and few notable accomplishments. And now, it seems UPUA agrees. Members have budgeted $5,974 for this year's election, a marked increase when compared to the $2,500 budgeted for last year's election.

But remember, UPUA: The important thing isn't the size of your budget, it's how you use it.

Head Elections Commissioner Jon Lozano said UPUA is "trying to talk to marketing majors" to help advertise this year's race. That's good, but if they don't come up with some clever solutions, you've got to do it on your own.

For ideas, check out the efforts of the Senior Class Gift Committee and thorns-in-the-administration's-side student groups United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) and Student Labor Action Project (SLAP).

The gift committee wanted to get seniors' philanthropic muscles warmed up. But instead of asking the old-fashioned way -- with a sincere but probably uninspiring "please donate" pitch -- the committee covered five previous gifts with sheets, asking students to "imagine campus without this senior class gift."

USAS and SLAP have staged a number of creative protests, playing wiffle ball, delivering valentines and dressing in trash bags, all in the name of their anti-sweatshop cause. Opinions about their message and appropriateness of their protests aside, their acts are undeniably attention-getting.

Those organizations have both found creative, cheap ways to disseminate their message to students, a strategy UPUA would be wise to mirror.

Borrow the Blue Band. Ask the Nittany Lion to help. Your balloons, fliers and banners will be noticed, but take the effort to be remembered when students get home.

Most importantly, allow students to help candidates without fear of penalty. Currently, spending caps put a candidate at risk of being knocked out of the running if a friend, a concerned voter or even an opponent spends too much campaigning for him or her.

If a return to the days of 10,000-strong voter turnouts means an increase in the candidates' $600 spending limit, then it's worth it.

Also, though it's too late for this year, consider expanding the campaign period for the next election. The 10 days allotted this year simply are not enough for any candidate to feasibly reach out to the students of Penn State.

You obviously know that this is an election of and by the students. Make sure the rest of student do, too.