| Matt Tomback |
Jim Smith, the Pissed Off with Korrupt Executives Party's presidential candidate, said his party is carrying a slate in this election because its members want to reform MSA.
"Beyond that, we'd like to reduce student fees," said Smith, an SNRE senior. "I'd like to see the majority of the money be put directly back into the student body."
But Smith added that if students voted in favor of fee increases, POKE members would be receptive to their constituents' interests.
POKE Party vice presidential candidate Matt Tomback said students generally don't know how MSA serves students.
"The students don't, as a whole, know what's going on with MSA," said LSA junior Tomback, adding that the ticket wants to see a more responsible assembly and fewer current bureaucratic practices.
| Jim Smith |
Tomback said the POKE Party knows what issues concern students.
"We're the average student," Tomback said. "We know what the average student wants, I'd like to think."
Smith also said they would increase the useful interaction between MSA and the administration by cleaning up the assembly's image.
"Right now MSA (is) a fiasco," Smith said. "The way it operates right now, the faculty can't take it seriously."
He said increased visibility of MSA on campus will let the University community know that assembly members are accessible.
"I'd like to see MSA more directly involved with the groups they fund," Smith said, suggesting that assembly members should attend the events they sponsor to introduce themselves and talk with their constituents, depending on the type of event.
"Students should feel comfortable they know someone on MSA," Smith said.
Smith also said the POKE Party has considered the idea of having MSA members hold town hall style meetings with community members.