If elected as Student Union president, you will take over the reins of a Union that has both many strengths and weaknesses. What is the biggest flaw in the current state of the Union, and how do you plan to rectify it?

David Clements '14

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The biggest flaw in the current state of the Student Union is the perception students have of both its role and its potential. The goals of the Student Union, according to its website, are to "improve University life, advocate for student needs, and protect student rights." Unfortunately, as of late, the Union has not succeeded in accomplishing these goals. As Student Union president, I vow to refurbish the image of the Union from being a governing body looking down on clubs to being a true service for the student body through which they can voice their concerns, propose initiatives and have a real voice. As president, I will accomplish this goal through a more aggressive approach to the administration and Board of Trustees-treating them as partners, not superiors-more advertisement of Union projects and accomplishments, increasing our co-sponsorship and support of individual clubs; promoting and advertising the accomplishments of individual students and clubs; and ensuring that I, along with the rest of the Union, is more approachable, open and responsible to student needs. I truly believe that once the Union gets more "out there," its image will change for the better, thereby improving student life and the trust that the student body has in us. After all, the Union belongs to the students. 
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David Clements '14 is the Student Union treasurer, the Undergraduate Departmental Representative for the Politics department and a former member of the Student Advisory Board to the Dean of Arts and Sciences.
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Ricky Rosen '14
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I would say that the most prominent flaw in the Union is that its mission has become somewhat unclear; we are not here to cater to the needs of the administration-the Student Union exists to represent students and act on their behalf. The Union president should not be afraid to speak up on behalf of the 3,500 students he or she represents. I would remedy this weakness by raising my voice on the things that matter most to Brandeis students: one, dining; two, housing; and three, tuition. I would advocate for more compromise in all of those areas; In dining, I would work on reforming the structure of the meal plans and push for more on-campus dining options during vacations. In terms of housing, I would speak up on behalf of those students who cannot afford to live on campus. Finally, I would fight for transparency in the budget process; students should know where every penny of the 59,000 we're paying for tuition goes-we should also know what changes are being proposed before it is too late to change them.  I am not afraid to speak up for students on the issues about which they care the most.
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Ricky Rosen '14 is the Student Union executive senator, Class of 2014 Senator, a Student Conduct Board member and former Vice-President of the Brandeis Libertarian Conservative Union.
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Daniel Schwab '14
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As the senator of Charles River/567 over the past year, I have been exposed to a number of major issues within the student government. The most important issue we can improve upon is transparency of the Student Union's role with the student body, particularly strengthening the role of the senate. The senate's role in the union is to voice the issues of their constituents. However, over the past year senators have been both ill prepared for their responsibilities and not fully informed of their capabilities. To prevent a loss of information between annual elections of senators, I believe that a one-week senate-training program should be instituted. This program will entail having elected senators sit down with more experienced senators to discuss past initiatives and the overall role of a senator. Through this program the legislative branch of the student government will be more effective in voicing the student body's concerns to the administration. These smaller changes will aid in creating a more cohesive Student Union.
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Daniel Schwab '14 is the current Charles River/567 senator, a member of the Hunger and Hopelessness for Waltham Group, and a member of the Services Campus Operations Work group. 
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