USG announces candidates for office

At 4 p.m. yesterday, USG candidates were given the green light to campaign for positions on next year's executive board. Candidates began hanging posters, sending emails and advertising on webpages.

The candidates vying to replace USG president Nina Langsam '03 include two veteran USG officers, a relative USG newcomer and concerned students with no USG ties.

U-Council chair Josh Anderson '04, USG vice president Sonya Mirbagheri '04, Class of 2004 senator Pettus Randall '04 and Octavio Carrasco '04 will spend this week trying to convince the 4,600 undergraduates to vote for them.

During his two years on U-Council, Anderson has spearheaded efforts to examine precept reform as well as the intellectualism debate — both initiatives he would continue to focus on as president, he said.

"What I'm hoping to do is really introduce a different approach to USG leadership, one that focuses on substantive issues," said Anderson, adding that his background is unique because he is "coming from the U-Council as opposed to the USG, which is stuck looking at more concrete and narrow issues."

Mirbagheri has been a member of the USG executive board since her freshman year, first as Class of 2004 senator and now as USG vice president, for which she ran unopposed.

"During the past three years, I have been able to make great relationships with administrators," Mirbagheri said. "I think this puts me in the best possible position to make more changes in campus life."

Mirbagheri has been involved with women's issues and campus life committees, helping to extend late meal hours and Dillon Gym hours and putting emergency numbers on campus phones.

Randall has acted as representative to the Ivy Council and spent much of his time as senator advocating for the creation of a 24-hour study space and extended hours for the Frist convenience store, and working on the USG's resolution against the athletics moratorium.

"I really think we need a leader in student government who's willing to stand up to our administration," said Randall. "There needs to be greater student voice in all University administrative decisions."

Carrasco is the only presidential candidate who has never served on the USG executive board in any capacity. He decided to run now because he said there is campus opinion that USG officers are not as representative of the student body as they should be, Carrasco said.

"The USG is supposed to be a medium for students to communicate with the administration," Carrasco said. "I feel that I am an alternative to what is already out there."

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Carrasco's posters claim he is endorsed by 204 campus organizations, including the College Democrats and College Republicans, but this is news to presidents of the two political groups.

"The College Democrats haven't endorsed any candidate at this time," said Owen Conroy '05, College Democrats president.

Disability issues, increased dialogue concerning minority issues, and the seven-week moratorium seem to be some of the important issues that await the new USG president and executive board, Langsam said.

Derek Jun '05, David Khalil '05, USG executive secretary Jacqui Perlman '05 and sophomore class senator Brooke Stoddard '05 are running for the position of USG vice president.

Academics chair candidates are Shoum Chakravarti '05, Eric Remijan '06 and U-Councilor Amy Saltzman '05.

Sophomore class senator Kyle Detwiler '05, William Robinson '04, who served on the precept reform committee, and James R. Williams '06 are running unopposed for treasurer, undergraduate life chair and campus and community chair, respectively.

Williams initially wanted to run for president but was persuaded to run for campus and community affairs chair, a position where he said he would be more effective.

"I can build up a background in the USG and gain experience from a different perspective," he said.

Only one junior has cast his bid for one of two Class of 2004 senator slots. The USG has extended the deadline for declaring candidacy.

Five sophomores and nine freshmen are running for class senator positions.

The USG is holding a forum at 6:30 p.m. today in front of the display wall in the Frist Campus Center, and the Organization of Women Leaders and the Whig-Cliosophic Society have arranged a debate between the four presidential candidates at 8:30 at the same location.