Twenty-five hopeful student government candidates introduced their platforms to students in the Picacho Room of the Student Union Memorial Center last night.

However, the majority of the 40 seats in the room were filled by candidates and current officers of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona.

Last year, the forum was held on the UA Mall at noon.

But Elections Commissioner Jason Korner said that this year's change of time and venue made the forum more accessible to students, although few were in attendance.

"I encouraged people in office to come out. I wanted them to ask the candidates tough questions," he said.

Audience members were given the opportunity to question the feasibility and specifics of campaign plans, which ranged from increasing diversity on campus to obtaining corporate sponsorship for UA athletics.

However, a common theme throughout the forum focused on building a bridge between the UA students and administration, and uniting campus clubs and organizations.

"I'm all right with a meeting over lunch if it means people will be working together," said presidential candidate Jared Mansell in regard to a Collaboration Board that would involve groups such as the Residence Hall Association, Universities Activity Committee, ASUA, greek life and Arizona Student Media, among others. The Arizona Daily Wildcat is a member of Arizona Student Media.

"Leaders need to be on the same page," said Melanie Rainer, who is running for executive vice president.

With more than 350 clubs on campus, current and potential officers promised to promote club unity and funding, to ensure there is a common bond among campus leaders.

However, Executive Vice President Jennifer Reece noted the difficulty in reaching out to every single club on campus, especially under the current budget crisis.

"I'll do everything in my power to stop budget cuts," said Talianna Kattan, administrative vice presidential candidate. "If there is no funding to keep clubs on campus, that's a horrible reality."

However, her opponent Daniel Suh said because of the UA's current budget situation it is necessary to focus on cutting costs, including a proposed $15.9 million cut for the UA and Arizona Health Sciences Center.

Suh hopes to create a central marketing program for campus clubs and organizations that would directly appeal to student interests.

Many of those interests, some said, have not been addressed with immediacy by ASUA, making it seemingly less acceptable to students.

Presidential candidate J.P. Benedict referred to a recent cartoon in the Wildcat in which Student Body President Doug Hartz is in the corner and the student body is in the dark.

"I plan on having an open-door policy. I love to talk to people. I would invite anyone to come into my office and talk to me," he said in response to Hartz's question as to what the candidates would change about the current administration.

Mansell believes that ASUA could make an effort to better reach out to the community, and said, "I didn't do as good a job as I could have done" this year as administrative vice president.

Both Mansell and Benedict said they see the need to establish an infrastructure of communication among all groups on campus.

"We are the voice of the students," Benedict said.

Presidential candidate Travis Pritchett believes that best way to measure the opinion of the student body is through the reinstitution of monthly "pulse surveys."

The survey was a student-polling program that helped ASUA understand what programs UA students supported, but was not used commonly during this term.

By utilizing the survey, Pritchett said ASUA and the student body would have an overall clearer understand of each other's roles.

"If your students aren't educated, you're not serving the students," Rainer said.

But the question of whether incoming senators are even educated about their own positions and capabilities arose at various times throughout the evening.

Sarah Birnbaum, a senatorial candidate, said she has already come to the realization that many of the platforms run on are unachievable.

Birnbaum said that in researching her initial campaign, expanding CatCard usage to the entire university, she found that she and most other candidates cannot deliver many of their promises.

However, Preet Ghuman, also a senatorial candidate, said that as long as all 10 elected senators unite and form a major agenda, almost anything is possible.

Primary elections will be on Monday and Tuesday. To vote go to asua.arizona.edu.