Two weeks before the filing deadline for the 1994 Student Assembly election, David Gonzalez '95 and Kenji Sugahara '95 have emerged as presidential candidates.
Early candidates in the vice presidential race are Steve Fagell '95, Alex Morgan '95 and Jesse Russell '96.
Candidates must file a petition signed by 100 students to the Student Activities Office by March 4 in order to get placed on the ballot for the April 12 elections.
Director of Student Activities Tim Moore led a meeting last night to discuss election procedures. Fagell and Sugahara were the only vice presidential and presidential candidates present.
Sugahara, who is the creator of the popular "Weekend Update" BlitzMail message listing weekend events and the co-chair of the Assembly's Administrative Affairs Committee, said he would like to increase communication in the Assembly.
"I think I can [be president] because of the way I am. I like to represent people," Sugahara said. "I think I can better lead the Assembly away from what it has been in the past. This year has been good but there can be things to do to improve it."
Sugahara was the Interfraternity Council's Rush Chair last term.
Gonzalez could not be reached for comment.
The three vice presidential candidates said they want to see a less politically-charged Assembly.
Fagell, who has been the co-chair of several Assembly committees, said he thinks the Assembly should remember it is representing the interests of the student body, and should be more accountable to its constituency.
"I think this year the Assembly is plagued with internal dissension," Fagell said. "It's very important for the student body to elect leaders who can one: be representative of student interests and two: unite the Assembly so that it places those interests above political ideology."
Morgan is the co-chair of the Assembly's Communication Committee and was Assembly Vice President over the summer. She said she would like to see an Assembly more dedicated to students.
"Basically, I would like to see just less conflict in the Assembly," she said. "I'd like to see the Student Assembly just be the Student Assembly."
Russell, who is in Washington D.C. this term, said he will run if he can get his petition up to campus on time. He also said he would like to see an Assembly with less political in-fighting.
"There's no point in what we have now - it's non-productive," he said. "The Assembly has the resources to get things done for the students. I'd like to see the Assembly turn more towards that and less towards politics."
Junior Class President Tim Rodenberger and last year's vice presidential candidate Hosea Harvey '95 both said that at this time they do not plan to run.
