The Progress party SA Delegate Candidates Generation met with were junior history major Ericka Luddy, junior exercise science and physical therapy major Adam Ruszkowski, and junior business major Rob Mercurio. These candidates had a lot to say about this upcoming election. In addition to the mandated duties of attending the SUNY meetings at Albany, these candidates feel there is much more to the job of being SUNY SA Delegate.

According to Ericka Luddy, the important issue facing candidates in these delegate elections was connecting students to the University at Buffalo. She felt it would be her job to find out what the UB students want, what they would like to see happen with their university, and how she can make that happened.

Luddy also feels it is important connect the SA delegates to the Student Affairs Department. She believes this can be accomplished by bringing SUNY SA delegates into staff member positions in the Student Affairs Department.

Rob Mercurio felt that major issue facing SUNY SA delegates is having UB’s voice heard. He says, “The university is huge; we need to be represented.”

Mercurio feels that SUNY SA delegates have a responsibility to go to the students. He says that the delegates should find the problems, gain a consensus from the students, and go to Albany and fight for it. Mercurio also thinks that the delegates should represent UB on the state level and help SA office duties and clubs.

Adam Ruszkowski feels the major issue facing candidates in this election will be finding out what students want. He says that SA has followed the same pattern for the past three years— scheduling events based on what they think the students want, not going out and finding out what they actually want. He says, “We’re supposed to be advocates for the students, but that’s not happening.” Adam thinks that putting a comment box on the first floor of the Student Union is one way to find out what students want. He also feels that it will be his job to take UB issues and voice them at the state level.