Unity strives for change

"We're going to play a little game called IU ups and downs," Aaron Radez said to the crowded room of Residence Hall Association floor governors at Collins Learning center Sunday. "When I do this," he said, putting his thumbs up in the air, "you say 'up,' and when I do this (putting thumbs down), you say 'down.' Ready?"\nThe crowd nodded with understanding.\n"Tuition prices are going," Radez began, lifting his thumbs in the air.\n"Up," spoke the room.\n"Overall college experience is going," turning his thumbs over.\n"Down," they finished.\n"Discontentment among students is going …"\n"Up."\n"The administration is going …"\n"DOWN," echoed the room.\nCurrently an IU Student Association representative for the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Ridez, a junior, is the presidential candidate for the Unity party, the most recent to announce its candidacy for the IUSA election to be held March 4 and 5.\nAs its name suggests, the party is focused on uniting IUSA with students and student groups, shifting its role from a decision-making body to one that advocates students' opinions.\n"The power of 'U' is bringing 39,000 person's ideas to the forefront," Radez said. "As a team, we will work to collaborate on things students care about."\nThe other Unity executive candidates are sophomore Lorenza Jara, vice president; Emily Rich, congressional secretary; and Rafael Davis, treasurer. According to Unity chief of staff candidate Scott Bird, the executive candidates fell into their roles unpretentiously.\n"We looked around at who was the best available and what their skill sets were," he said. "It worked out that (Radez) is the most qualified, natural leader."\nUnity does not recruit based on past IUSA experience. Members believe that student leaders who come into student government without experience, like Davis, their treasurer candidate, are most open to new ideas.\n"I've never been in IUSA, but I've learned a lot from many leadership roles I've held," said Davis, who works at the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington. "Our uniting principle is that every member of our party has great new ideas."\nAnother reason for their desire of fresh faces is to reinforce their plans for major internal changes, the most drastic of which would involve large budget cuts. According to Radez, 76 percent of the IUSA budget, which comes directly from student fees, is spent on overhead, the cost of keeping the organization running.\n"That's not how you run a non-profit organization," Radez said. "The American Red Cross uses 9 percent of their budget for overhead."\nLarge-scale budget changes could involve cutting such "needless" expenditures as executive retreats and at least part of the $30,000 yearly advertising contract IUSA holds with the Indiana Daily Student.\nThe effects could be widespread, said Rich, who has served as an IUSA senator for family and student housing and in several RHA positions. IUSA could give the money back to students in the form of additional scholarships or as additional campus events.\n"With all that money freed up, much more would be possible for student groups and campus organizations," Rich, a senior, said. "The possibilities are nearly endless."\nAnother important aspect for Unity is the lack of a fall break for IU students, an issue they believe has exemplified IUSA's past incompetence. \n"We don't want the same inaction that has been going on for years," Rich said. "They have been proposing everything except the most obvious, easy options. There is truly no reason there is not a fall break."\nOther main platform issues include environmental affairs, such as the unnecessary use of styrofoam cups and plates and plastic utensils in food courts and basketball ticketing.\nUnity would also like to re-examine the on campus parking system, specifically its targeting of students with large, unavoidable fines.