MELISSA HALTERMAN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Amanda Meaker, an industrial engineering junior, is running for student body president in this year's ASUA elections. Meaker has been an ASUA Senate aide and administrative chief of staff, and hopes to increase communication between students and student government.

Amanda Meaker learned as an industrial engineering student to observe a system and then propose ways to make it work more effectively.

Meaker, presidential candidate and junior, said she is using that principle to figure out how student government could be improved.

"The UA is a system of organizations, and it is the obligation of people in ASUA and administration to make sure the system is operating to its fullest capacity. I'd like to see it do that," Meaker said.

She said her professors emphasize there are never problems, just improvements that can be made.

After researching the issues, the improvements Meaker said she deems necessary are to strengthen the voice of students, foster a better relationship between local businesses and the university and create a healthier environment between students and the administration.

Amanda Meaker Amanda Meaker Background Industrial engineering junior Senate aide Administrative chief of staff for ASUA Platform Survey students to give them a stronger voice Improve relations between local businesses and the university with a student discount card Foster a healthier environment among students, ASUA and administration

She plans on achieving her goals by initiating phone and Internet surveys and implementing a discount card for students to use at businesses off campus.

As for improving the relationship between students and administration, Meaker said she would once again utilize her skills as an industrial engineering student.

She said she would collect data from students to create a proposal that addresses student issues, bringing the results to administration to find a common goal and a solution.

"I would bring the Îpulse of students' to the administrative board so I can see their ideas and learn what the common ground is, and make proposals where students and administration is in tune with each other," she said.

She said she also wants groups within the Associated Students of the University of Arizona to work more closely.

As an ASUA Senate aide last year and chief of staff this year, Meaker said she has been able to see how the different branches of ASUA work.

She said her experience has allowed her to know what students are looking for and what ASUA can offer them.

Meaker said she wants the different branches to meet monthly so everyone in ASUA can know what is going on and better assist the student body.

Although Meaker, who will graduate a year early, has only been at the UA for two years, she said she has seen the changes the UA has gone through since her brother, former student regent Matthew Meaker, attended the UA for his bachelor's and law degree.

She also said other students who have been here longer have helped her gain different perspectives on the issues at the UA.

"Age shouldn't matter when it comes to the position. Someone who has been here for five years doesn't automatically know more than someone who has been here for two years," she said.