Sean Henry and Greg Akers

The Undergraduate Student Government represents the undergraduate student body at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in all matters pertaining to student welfare, student activities and student participation in University planning and administration.

Stated above is what USG should be doing, and I am not sure if this year, USG has lived up to the above statement. This is why I have chose to run for president of this body so that I can ensure that USG is doing what it should be doing, representing the students.

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In the past year, I have watched one clique run USG, healthy debate has ended, and student voices are not being listened to. The Progress Party is a continuation of this long-standing clique. As a result of this clique, many RSOs did not receive fair funding. USG is here to cater to RSOs, not to make their lives hell. A new USG constitutional amendment would limit RSO general funding to only $250 for the entire academic year. This amendment will likely pass because student voices have not been heard in USG.

One of my concerns is the USG budget; USG is allocated $55,000 right out of student fees. When you remove executive salaries, USG is left with $40,200. Where is that money going? Is it going to the Progress Party to fund their campaign? Ideally, that money should be spent on programs and activities to increase USG awareness on this campus. USG should be using that money to sponsor events with the Student Programming Council, Black Affairs Council, HSC, JSA, ROCSA and other minority groups to help bring diversity on this campus. Why is it when I walk into the dinning hall, I see the whites over here, the blacks over there? USG must be a leader in breaking down these walls and bring all races together. If HSC can sponsor programs and they were unfairly allocated $2,115, surely USG, with a budget of $55,000, can do better, and to this date, USG has not sponsored any programs for this campus.

I want USG to address several issues starting in the summer semester, including parking and technology. There is no reason I should be getting a busy signal when I try to dial up to connect with the Internet or to check e-mail. These are very important student issues, USG once again, needs to be a leader in solving these problems.

Parking is another thing that needs attention of the USG. Why is it so hard to find a parking spot? I guess the answer to that is there are not enough parking spaces. What is being done about that? USG has not touched this issue.

I do not proclaim to have the solution to every problem at this University, but we need to start somewhere. The year 2000 is fast approaching. If we all work together, we can make this University an excellent place to earn an education. All it takes is teamwork. Having spent three years in the U.S. Army, I know how to build teams that will accomplish the mission of taking this University in to the 21st century.