Kevin Hsu

By LAUREN RAU

Senior Staff Writer

Independent A.S. presidential candidate Kevin Hsu thinks there is room for improvement within the current governing system.

“”This year, I saw that A.S. didn’t do much,”” said Hsu, a Revelle College junior. “”I just thought I’d give it a shot and see what happens.””

Hsu is new to student government at UCSD but has chaired several campaigns for the Students First! club. Hsu says that he is not running solely as a mouthpiece for the club. However, he does admit that membership in the club is not separate from his candidacy.

“”There is an affiliation there … The issues are more a ‘whole club’ thing, not so much my own personal [issues],”” he said.

The club has been a registered political student organization on campus since 1998. Phil Palisoul is the current president of the club, as well as Hsu’s campaign manager. Palisoul, a John Muir College senior, ran for A.S. president last year.

Palisoul feels that Hsu is thoroughly qualified.

“”He’s a man of action,”” Palisoul said. “”He’s completely capable. He knows how to get things done. He wants to make sure the students don’t get screwed by the administration.””

However, Hsu admits that his campaign is a little vague.

“”I’m not sure what the focus is,”” Hsu said. “”I guess there are a couple of things I’d like to accomplish if I get elected.””

Among these goals, Hsu cited increased student parking, increased funding for student organizations, and the reorganization of Student Organization and Leadership Opportunities. The only specific area within S.O.L.O. which he said he wants to change is the on-campus room reservation process for student groups, which he would like to see available online.

Palisoul mentioned that the issue of student parking is also a focus of Hsu’s campaign; Palisoul does not feel that this issue was sufficiently dealt with this year.

“”As opposed to the other Kevin [Shawn] Hsu, who said he was going to work on student parking and then lost 1,200 [“”S””] spaces, this isn’t going to happen with our Kevin Hsu,”” Palisoul said.

Palisoul also criticized the current A.S. Council and opposed candidate Kevin Shawn Hsu in regard to the A.S. budget.

“”The other Kevin [Shawn] Hsu is recommending a fee increase,”” Palisoul said. “”We’re not for that. One of the first things Kevin will do is to tidy up the A.S. budget, and do a cost/benefit analysis. That’s a lot of money, and if they think they need more, someone’s not doing something right.””

Kevin Shawn Hsu

By STEVEN WITT

Contributing Writer

Kevin Shawn Hsu, an Earl Warren College junior, is running as the Students First! A.S. presidential candidate.

This is Hsu’s second year running with the Students First! slate after being elected A.S. vice president internal last year.

His campaign focuses on the campus climate at UCSD.

“”Our campus climate is not the best,”” Hsu said. “”We are the least happy of all the UC campuses.””

Hsu believes one of the main reasons for this is a lack of retention and resources for the students.

“”I am trying to do everything I can to expand student resources to create events, traditions, and to improve campus climate,”” Hsu said.

Hsu has many ideas on how to do this, such as bringing more quality programs and events to the students.

“”I know that the students have the ability, given the resources, to make UCSD a better place with a better campus climate,”” Hsu said.

Hsu also plans to increase funding to student organizations and events.

“”I want to empower the students and their organizations by providing them with the resources they need,”” he said. He plans to improve A.S. spending efficiency in order to allocate as much money to student organizations and events as possible.

In addition, Hsu also wants to address the parking shortages that many students have been complaining about.

“”The parking issue is both simple and complicated,”” Hsu said. “”It is simple in the fact that there is no parking. It is complicated because it is not easy to get more.””

Hsu has several ideas to improve the parking situation, including increasing the number of “”S””-only carpool spaces, differentiating the “”S”” spaces into commuter and residential student spaces, taking away “”A”” spots, and putting pressure on the UCSD administration to build more parking structures with more “”S”” spots.

Brian Uiga

By MARNETTE FEDERIS

Senior Staff Writer

A.S. presidential candidate Brian Uiga and A.S. vice president internal candidate Steve York are fronting the newly formed New Students First of the Unity Action Parking Wave Slate.

“”The slate is based on the idea of taking everything that the current [student] government is doing right, continuing it, and taking what it is doing wrong and changing it,”” Uiga said.

After Uiga and York formed their slate, they played a game of rock-paper-scissors to decide who would run for which positions. The slate name itself was created using the names of other slates in order to avoid wasting posters.

“”[The slate platform] is everything and nothing,”” York said.

Some of the issues that they advocate include additional parking, more diversity, and increased funding for student organizations. Another matter that is essential, according to York, is the need to raise capital to expand the Student Center as opposed to the Price Center.

Another issue that the two candidates want to raise awareness of is the recent conversion of 1,100 “”S”” parking spaces to “”B”” spots. One of their suggestions to deal with the issue is to use forms of civil disobedience to help shape new policy.

Uiga’s self-described strengths include his ability to talk to people and discern what students want.

“”If I’m elected, I’ll ask a lot of people what’s going on,”” Uiga said. “”They want to be able to park without waiting 45 minutes, they want student organizations to be appreciated, and they don’t want money to be dumped into the Price Center.””

For the two candidates, the main goal for the campaign is to encourage students to vote.

“”As long as I can get a whole lot of people to vote, to make a conscious decision, it doesn’t matter who wins,”” Uiga said.

Jeremy Paul Gallagher

By LAUREN RAU

Senior Staff Writer

Jeremy Paul Gallagher is running for A.S. president on the Unity slate. Gallagher is currently serving as A.S. commissioner of services and enterprises and as an RA for Sixth College.

Gallagher’s main goal is to change the UCSD climate on campus to a more cohesive and spirited atmosphere. He also wants to efficiently manage the A.S. budget and give transfer students more academic resources.

“”Specifically, I want to make academic advising more comprehensive,”” Gallagher said. “”I don’t think there is enough coordinating between the colleges and the departments. I think this would benefit all students at UCSD.””

According to Gallagher, the Unity slate is based on common ideals. The slate members believe that A.S. officers should all have leadership experience outside of UCSD’s student government.

“”We want actual students in office who are from student organizations, not just politicians,”” Gallagher said.

The Unity slate promotes the advancement of student life in every way, according to Gallagher. Increasing campus spirit and pride is a critical part of this goal.

“”We want to organize and activate the student body,”” Gallagher said. “”We want to empower them.””

Beyond making student leadership more visible to UCSD’s population, Gallagher and the other Unity slate members want to develop the university as a important part of the city’s community as well.

“”We are entering a critical time for change,”” Gallagher said. “”With everything that is going on in the world, we need to show San Diego that UCSD is a strong, united campus.””

According to a UC-wide student satisfaction survey, students at UCSD were the least satisfied with their campus life. Gallagher said that this concerns him greatly.

“”I want to change [the UCSD climate] to something where people actually go the basketball games, and water polo games, where the whole school rallies together and is proud of our school,”” Gallagher said.

Bryan Barton

By STEVEN WITT

Contributing Writer

John Muir College junior Bryan Barton chose to run outside the slates and is instead representing an informal group called the People’s Parking Party.

“”Every candidate talks about parking, but I have a plan and it is my No. 1 priority,”” Barton said.

Barton, along with A.S. vice president of finance candidate Eric Webster and Muir College Senate candidate John Altick, has decided to make parking the central theme of his campaign.

“”The complacent incumbents on the A.S. Council are not doing enough about the parking situation,”” Barton said. “”The loss of over 1,200 ‘S’ parking spaces is unacceptable and it is time for people to speak out.””

Barton has four main goals to improve the parking situation at UCSD. The first is to create more convenient “”S”” spaces. His ideas for this include allowing unpaved parking spaces and obtaining corporate sponsorships for the creation of more “”S”” spaces and parking structures.

Barton’s second goal is to reduce the number of parking attendants at UCSD, as they are, in his opinion, excessive.

“”I would like to fire as many ‘meter maids’ as possible,”” Barton said.

His third goal is to provide more efficient shuttle services. One of his ideas for this is to sell advertisements on the shuttles to create revenue for better upkeep of the shuttles, as well as to hire more drivers and pay them more. His final goal is to lower parking fees.

“”I would like to know where all this money goes and make parking services accountable,”” Barton said.

Barton chose to run as an independent rather than with a slate because he says that the slates are political machines that haven’t done much for the students.

“”Vote against the political machines, and for your driving machines,”” Barton said.