Oakland University students can cast their ballots in the OU Student Congress elections and choose the president, vice president and legislators that will lead the student body during the 2008-09 academic year. The online elections begin Monday, March 24 and run through March 26 at 11:59 p.m.
The presidential ticket includes three candidate pairs, Andrew Bashi and Ed Karner, Steve Clark and Daniel Evola, and Jordan Twardy and Avery Neale.
Bashi and Karner
The platform for Bashi and Karner states that the pair has “the vision, creativity, and work ethic needed to bring truly progressive change to our fellow members of the Oakland University community.”
Through what they are calling “True Leadership: Responsive, Progressive and Proactive,” Bashi and Karner plan to increase the number and quality of campus events, communicate directly with students, motivate students to utilize their strengths and talents and encourage students to get involved with OU Student Congress.
The Bashi and Karner platform states, “Our students must elect representatives that are prepared to change the way our Student Congress works in order to better serve those who elect them. Our representatives must make the student voice heard by staying in touch with student life and working proactively for the student body. We are the candidates best suited to take on these responsibilities.”
Clark and Evola
Clark, a senior, and his running mate, Evola, a freshman, have served campus in various roles. Clark is team captain of the OU soccer team and volunteered for Campus Crusade for Christ, served as president of Young Life at OU and on the Student Athletic Advisory Council. Evola is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, a reporter at OUTV, a WXOU radio host and an honors college student.
Together, Clark and Evola plan to continue funding for free newspapers on campus, work closely with the Student Program Board to bring first-class events to OU, work with the administration on issues like tuition, parking and on campus housing, make OU athletic events more visible to students, continue discussions for an OU football team, work with the student liaisons to the Board of Trustees to give students a voice in major university decisions and work to get students compensated by $4.8 million in deferred payment to the university from the state.
“I have worn Oakland University across my chest in countless states competing and representing our school in soccer. In the last four years, I have come to take pride in Oakland,” wrote Clark in his platform statement.
Twardy and Neale
Twardy has two years of experience with OU Student Congress. Twardy and Neale have worked with OUSC to develop a campus-wide recycling program, book scholarship and academic and social programs for students.
The Twardy/Neale platform includes enhancing the academic experience for OU students through resources such as increased access to academic assistance and improved tutoring, working with campus departments to connect students with academic programs and services and reaching out to commuters and residents by creating study groups in each academic field and more 24-hour study spaces and computer labs. They also plan to give students more to do at OU through initiatives such as stronger cooperation with student organizations to simplify the funding process and sponsor programs all students can enjoy, working toward the establishment of a university shuttle service to increase access to surrounding businesses and restaurants and increase multicultural awareness. Twardy and Neal also plan to inspire change in Student Congress by promoting responsibility with student money, using funding on initiatives that benefit students and reigniting the legislature and enhance recruiting efforts.
In addition to the three presidential/vice presidential choices, there also are 10 legislators on the ticket.
Those on the ballot for legislator are Craig Brown, Kevin Costakes, Tom Cruz, Kristin Dayag, Kissa Johnson, Chelsea Ray, Amy Ring, Jarret Schlaff, Ben Spedoske and Matt Thomas.
Biographies of the candidates are available from the OU Student Congress Ballot Box Web site.
Voting begins at midnight on Monday, March 26, and runs through Wednesday, March 28, at 7 p.m. Students can vote online at the OU Student Congress Ballot Box Web site. Students enrolled for the winter 2008 term should use their Net ID and password to log on to vote.
For more information about the candidates or the election process, contact OU Student Congress at (248) 370-4290.