While the entire country is following the 2008 presidential race, Brandeis is getting ready to pick its own Student Union president.Two current Union officials and two Union outsiders have announced their candidacies for Student Union president, with the first round of elections to open next Sunday.

Director of Union Affairs Jason Gray '10 and Assistant Treasurer Justin Kang '09 are the current Union officials vying for the position, while Daniel Baron '09 and Frank Golub '10 are also running. Other positions that are open in the first round include Union vice president, Union secretary and Finance Board members.

Student Union President Shreeya Sinha '09 said she is not running again because after three years in the Student Union, she said she wants to apply what she learned by taking advantage of an opportunity to study abroad at the London School of Economics and work for the British government.

"I think that both Justin Kang and Jason Gray are excellent candidates," she said.

"I'm running for president because I want to transform the Student Union," Gray said, expressing his frustration with the its current state.

As president, he said, he wants to lead a team that is dedicated to a mentality of working for students by meeting with them one-on-one, as he had the previous year. He said he would seek student input for plans to renovate the Usdan Student Center, advocate for longer dining hours by building on the relationships he has developed with administrators, and create a more accessible Union Web site.

Gray said he would meet with club leaders before enacting new policies that affect clubs. He said he intended to change an attitude he sensed among club leaders that "they feel like they're in conflict with the Student Union." Gray will be holding an open platform meeting in Upper Usdan today at 9:30 p.m.

Kang pointed to his "unconventional route" at Brandeis as a member of student-run newspaper The Hoot, secretary of the Korean Student Association, treasurer for Students for Environmental Action and as assistant treasurer of the Union.

He also emphasized the president's need to be familiar with campus finances. "This campus revolves around finances." he said.

Baron talked about his experience as a member of several clubs and his experience as a community advisor. "I know what people want not just because I've seen it, but I've lived it," he said. Baron said he is organizing a forum on the subject of diversity in the Intercultural Center today at 5:15 p.m.

Golub, who unsuccessfully ran for the same office last year, said he is running again in an effort to change the "pettiness and the egotism" of the Student Union.

"We just need a fresh face," Golub said.

The race for the vice-presidency attracted more Union officials to sign up. The candidates are: Senator-at-Large Andrew Brooks '09, F-Board member Jordan Rothman '09, Village Quad Senator Mike Kerns '09, Senator for Class of 2009 Julia Sferlazzo and Student Union Secretary Nelson Rutrick '10.

Brooks said he would hope to make the Senate less intimidating to students by increasing transparency. "These aren't national security matters that we are dealing with in that room," he said.

Rothman pointed out his membership in 19 clubs and participation in two varsity sports, as well as his involvement as a community advisor and a tour guide for the Office of Admissions would help him be a good VP.

Candidate for treasurer Ryan McElhaney '10, who is not currently affiliated with the Student Union, said he gained experience handling large budgets as an employee for the Department of Orientation and First-Year Services and as manager of the Free Play Theatre Cooperative.

He stressed the need for student oversight over the Student Activities Fee, with regard to Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy's decision to allocate 17% of the SAF to Student Events directly from the Department of Student Activities.

Current Student Union Treasurer Choon Woo Ha '08 has endorsed Assistant Treasurer Max Wallach '09, the other person running for the position.