Six candidates who were vying for the position of Student Union president last Thursday evening presented their agendas at a candidates forum sponsored by the Justice.The candidates include Senator at Large Shreeya Sinha '09, Jonathan D'Oleo '08, Iris Uzdil '09 and Senator at Large Andrew Brooks '09. Frank Golub '10 and Asher Tanenbaum, senator for the Class of 2008, who participated in the forum, dropped out of the race last Sunday evening.

Golub and Tanenbaum both dropped out and endorsed Brooks because they said they were impressed with Brooks' ideas during the campaign, including the debate.

The candidates, a diverse group, include three international students and two sitting senators, drew a packed crowd in the Shapiro Campus Center art gallery.

Everyone addressed student complaints over the housing lottery, ways to improve the campus social life and how to continue to attract high-profile speakers to Brandeis.

Moderated by the Justice's deputy editor, Matt Brown '08, candidates first answered general questions regarding the role of the Student Union president and then answered individuali questions followed by questions from the audience.

Sinha said "I want to get Brandeis back on the fast track."

She spent most of her time discussing how the Union can be more transparent with students and respond more swiftly to their concerns. The audience, full of Union officials, cheered most loudly each time Sinha stepped down from the podium.

"I want to be accessible, I want to be an advocate and I want to be transparent," Sinha said. "We are a pool of resources that connects you to the administration. ... We can be an agent of change." Most notably, Sinha said she would like to extend weekend quiet hours from 1 to 2 a.m., keep students better informed of upcoming events in Boston and create a World Speaker Forum, a platform for major speakers to address the campus on issues ranging from the Iraq War to genocide in Darfur. Although a couple of Union officials subsequently criticized Sinha for presenting the idea of the forum, which they say isn't her own, Sinha commented that the Union as a whole is discussing the idea (see story, p.1).

Sinha said the forum would be sponsored by "whoever is interested in donating." "Brandeis needs to get back to its reputation of social justice," she said.

Following cheers for Sinha, Tanenbaum took the podium. "I hope I get that much applause," he joked. The housing lottery could be much fairer, Tanenbaum said. If a student receives a poor number one year, he should be given preference for a better number the following year, he said.

Tanenbaum also said the current Union officials spend too much time in their office, while they should be mingling more with the students, and staying in touch with their needs. Tanenbaum said he would hold office hours in Usdan Student Center and encourage other Union officers to do the same.

"I want to be pro-active with students, and be out there with them," he said.

But Monday night he said he dropped out because he was concerned that he would just split the vote with Brooks, whom he felt was the most qualified.

"We share many of the same constituency, and we'll probably split some votes," Tanenbaum said. "I felt it was important that Brooks win since he is the best for the school."

Jonathan D'Oleo '08, an international student from the Dominican Republic who served on the Union as Massell Quad senator for part of his first-year said the Union is not entirely in tune with the needs and wants of students, specifically with regard to party planning.

"I think it should be the business of the Student Union to empower rather than dictate," he said.

As president, D'Oleo said he would gather student input before planning major parties like Purple Rain. "We should broaden our approach to social life on campus," he said.

During his time at the podium, Brooks emphasized that it's the Union's job to serve as an advocate on behalf of the students. "A student president is a student who sets forth a vision and advocates new policies," he said. Brooks also addressed the shortcomings of the Hiatt Career Center, and said he would push for greater networking between alumni and students.

"I want to bring more businesses to campus, have more internship fairs and bring more alumni to campus that can help us with internships," he said. "I feel that once we can find a new director we can make progress."

Brooks said he would like to work with the Department of Residence Life to reform the housing lottery, so that instead of individual students being assigned lottery numbers, groups of students could sign up for the lottery together and receive one number. This way, even if they don't receive their first choice housing, they could still house with their friends.

Iris Uzdil '09, an international student from Turkey, said she would strive to integrate the international community into the rest of campus.

Despite all of our different cultures, Uzdil said, "We all have something in common. We're in the same school; we want the same things."

Uzdil also talked about giving a bigger role to the International Club to plan more events to integrate the two communities.

Frank Golub '10 said, "I don't view being a first year as a liability; I view being a first year as an asset."

Golub suggested that students receive their housing numbers via e-mail.

But Golub dropped out of the race Sunday because he said Monday night he wanted to support Brooks' candidacy.

"Brooks has a lot of out-of-the-box ideas," Golub said, such as his proposal to have the Union President use the veto power to overrule decisions made by the Finance Board. "Those are ideas that are really fresh and that the Union really needs right now.