Daily Egyptian Politics Editor

The Saluki Party’s presidential ticket members say they can more accurately represent the diversity of SIUC’s campus by eliminating cliques in Undergraduate Student Government.

Sean Henry, a University Park senator and USG presidential candidate, and his running mate Greg Akers said the majority of the senate and the current USG administration do not serve SIUC students.

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I am running for USG president because USG does not represent students adequately, he said.

Henry also said that while his opponents Kristie Ayres and Jackie Smith have worked on important issues such as technology improvements and landlord/tenant relationships, those issues are slow in progress and have little student input. He contrasts the sluggishness of USG with his own accomplishments of acquiring laundry machines, soda machines and automated teller machines for University Park residence halls.

Henry learned early last semester that such projects would be difficult to pass through the senate when he brought a resolution calling for the laundry machines. After much discussion, the senate passed the resolution. After that, Henry simply discussed adding the soda machines and ATMs to the residence halls with housing administrators.

Currently, Henry has been critical of the budget of the executive staff. He said that although the amount of money for the staff’s budget is approved by the senate, the actual budget with a breakdown of expenses is not disclosed to the senate.

I haven’t seen where that money goes, he said, but I know office supplies don’t cost $40,000. They should account for maybe 10 percent of the executive budget. USG should be spending less of its money on the executive staff and more on social events like large RSOs have.

Making USG commissioners more accountable to the senate is one campaign promise Henry is offering to potential voters. He said each commissioner should report regularly to the senate. Currently, commissioners make reports only if they have something substantial to tell the senate.

They should be making reports each meeting, Henry said. Otherwise, it looks like they are not doing anything.

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Henry also cites Registered Student Organization funding as a chief interest in taking USG’s top office. He said the past RSO funding problems have resulted from members of the senate allocating too much money to their own RSOs and other forms of favoritism.

I think they funded some RSOs so that members of those organizations would vote for them, he said.

By improving representation of students by looking at RSO funding and enhancing the speed of issues within the senate, Henry said student apathy could be reduced.

Our course of action will allow USG to hear the voice of all students, he said.

Akers could not be reached for comment.