• Primary elections for the 2009-2010 MUSG president and executive vice president will be held online this Wednesday.
• Some of the key issues this election are transparency, green initiatives, SOA funding and campus life improvements.

Primaries for the 2009-'10 Marquette Student Government president and executive vice president elections will be held online at www.musg.mu.edu/vote Wednesday from 12:01 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The results will be announced Thursday and the two tickets receiving the most votes will advance to the final election on March 25. Elections for academic senators will also be that day.

The new MUSG term begins April 1.

Here is a breakdown of the candidates' positions on key issues:

JOHN KRISTAN and SHAZIA ALI

John Kristan, running for MUSG president, is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Shazia Ali, running for MUSG executive vice president, is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.

TRANSPARENCY:

Kristan and Ali say they will increase communication with student media organizations and develop stronger relationships with campus organizations. They also say they will update a blog weekly with information about what MUSG is doing.

GREEN INITIATIVES:

Kristan and Ali plan to encourage off-campus recycling through a Web site as well as single-source recycling on campus. They support rooftop gardens on campus buildings, and will encourage the use of biodegradable materials in food services. They say they will also encourage the use of double-sided printing.

STUDENT ORGANIZATION ALLOCATIONS:

Kristan and Ali say they will consider adding a third period for club sports to apply for funding. They also say they will make it easier for organizations to apply for and spend Student Organization Allocation money by allowing groups to receive funds not designated for specific uses. In essence, groups can spend the money as needed for their events.

CAMPUS LIFE:

Kristan and Ali have proposed a Web site to provide information about off-campus housing as well as the publicizing of student course evaluations. They say they will also push for more campus dining options and work to increase publicity for campus events.

HENRY THOMAS and STEPHANIE STOPKA

Henry Thomas, running for MUSG president, is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Stephanie Stopka, running for MUSG executive vice president, is a junior in the College of Business Administration.

TRANSPARENCY:

Thomas and Stopka say they will increase transparency within MUSG by publicizing Senate agendas, actions and decisions more effectively. They plan to encourage student input by way of an anonymous Web site. They also say they will strengthen the student government's relationship with the Tribune.

GREEN INITIATIVES:

Thomas and Stopka say they plan to reduce paper usage, encourage on- and off-campus recycling and work with campus environmental groups.

STUDENT ORGANIZATION ALLOCATIONS:

Thomas and Stopka plan to improve communication with student organizations by establishing regular meetings to discuss matters related to the SOA. They also say they plan on reviewing the SOA process to look for potential improvements.

CAMPUS LIFE:

Thomas and Stopka say they will promote dialogue on issues of diversity, support the efforts of the Manresa Project and encourage dining halls to increase the diversity of food offered.

ERIC POND and JOE GLASS

Eric Pond, running for MUSG president, is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Joe Glass, running for MUSG executive vice president, is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.

TRANSPARENCY:

Pond and Glass pledge to establish a means of tracking the progress of legislation on the MUSG Web site. They also say they will place MUSG Senate meeting attendance records online.

GREEN INITIATIVES:

Pond and Glass say they will encourage recycling through residence hall competitions and will work with student organizations to promote campus and community clean-up projects. They also say they will seek third-party certification that Marquette buildings are environmentally efficient.

STUDENT ORGANIZATION ALLOCATIONS:

Pond and Glass say they will adjust the MUSG Program Board's budget to eliminate poorly-attended programs and give more money to events that benefit a larger number of students. They pledge to conduct a line-by-line review of the MUSG budget to examine where students' money has been going.

CAMPUS LIFE:

Pond and Glass say they will support and expand service opportunities on campus through the creation of a permanent student service coordinator position within MUSG. They also say they will work with campus service organizations to promote projects through MUSG.

Sources: John and Shazia for MUSG (www.johnandshazia.com), Henry and Stephanie for MUSG (www.henryandstephanie4musg.com), Pond and Glass for MUSG (www.pondglass.com), Tribune reporting