Our names are Brock Banks and Sara Soriano and we are running for Marquette Student Government President and Executive Vice President. Together, we want to take the next step when it comes to the way that MUSG both represents and provides services to students. In addition, we want to help the university take the next step by improving upon and extending programs that promote diversity and service. We believe that we have created a platform that genuinely represents the student body. Most importantly, our platform is realistic and attainable.

Pick-A-Prof

Last fall, students lost a very popular service when Dogears shut down. Dogears allowed students to read and write professor reviews as well as buy and sell textbooks with one another in order to save money. We will make these services available to students once again by becoming members of pickaprof.com. With Pick-A-Prof, students will be able to read and write professor reviews just like they could with Dogears.

With regard to textbook exchange, Pick-A-Prof goes above and beyond the services of similar Web sites by showing students the prices of their textbooks at dozens of other online bookstores such as amazon.com, half.com, etc. This ensures students can purchase textbooks at the cheapest price and save money! This is especially important because tuition is increasing $1,600 next year and textbooks are one of the highest costs that students incur.

Many reputable universities across the country use Pick-A-Prof such as the University of Michigan and Duke University. Most importantly, Pick-A-Prof offers its services to student governments free of charge. We will become members of Pick-A-Prof no later than two weeks after being elected. This guarantees that students can use these services before the end of the semester.

Communication

MUSG needs to do a better job of communicating with its student representatives on All-University committees. These committees make decisions about issues that truly affect students such as public safety/LIMO service, Alumni Memorial Union operations and financial aid.

However, communication between MUSG and All-University committee student representatives is currently sub-par and many decisions are made with little student input. Student advocates serve as the liaisons between student representatives and the executive board of MUSG. We will improve communication between student representatives and MUSG by increasing the number of student advocates from one to four. This means that each student advocate will be responsible for fewer student representatives and, therefore, more cognizant of what is happening on All-University committees. This will make student representatives more accountable for not attending meetings (something that happens frequently).

Center for Community Service

For several weeks, we have been working with student leaders and administrators to improve the Center for Community Service. Over the past five years, the number of student organizations that focus on service has increased almost 200 percent. However, assistance given to students seeking service opportunities has remained unchanged. We will continue to work with student leaders and administrators to make the Center for Community Service more resourceful. This includes creating an online database that students can peruse in order to find available service opportunities.

Sophomore inter-living program

Finally, we will continue to work with the Office of Residence Life to create a sustainable sophomore inter-living program. Currently, freshmen as well as juniors and seniors have inter-living programs through CommUNITY and Global Village respectively. However, no such program exists for sophomores. Sara Soriano has been working with the Office of Residence Life on this issue for quite some time and we are confident that such a program can be instituted beginning in fall 2008.

Please be sure to vote for Brock Banks and Sara Soriano on Wednesday. We appreciate your vote and support!

Banks is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences. Soriano is a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences.