JACOB KONST/Arizona Daily Wildcat Will Jones, psychology sophomore fills out one of ASUA Senator Morgan Kisler's surveys last Thursday in front of the Administration Building. Kisler, along with other ASUA Senators, were outside to make students aware of their weekly office hours where students are welcome to voice their opinions.

One month into the school year, ASUA senators have realized that following through on their campaign promises can be an impossible task.

Senators turned in their project proposals last week to Melanie Rainer, ASUA executive vice president. But their plans for the year do not reflect the promises made when they campaigned.

That's a problem that occurs every year, Rainer said.

"It is a scenario you run into with elected officials; it is often their first time in ASUA and they don't really know much (about the job)," said Rainer. "It is entry-level and they haven't researched before making promises."

Senator Soral Karim who said during his campaign last year that he would create compatibility quizzes for residents, put on multicultural fairs and organize huge campus-wide

It is not fair to the students, but (senators) have to fail before (they) can succeed. Melanie Rainer ASUA executive vice president

parties on the mall, quickly discovered that those projects were beyond his power.

"What I campaigned was things I didn't know much about," Karim said, "I did a fair amount of research but at the same time I overestimated the position of the senate. I came in with idealistic views but things have very much changed."

He said he realized that compatibility quizzes cost too much money, other departments don't want to participate in multicultural fairs, and organizing parties on the Mall is too huge a task for a senator.

Karim's efforts are now concentrated toward working with the freshman class council and coordinating resident hall formals.

"Sometimes things don't work out, benefits sometimes don't compensate for the time and money required." Karim said.

Other senators agreed.

"Campaign promises are things you inspire to achieve," said Senator Sara Birnbaum. "Platforms change, things come up that affect the campaign promises."

Less than one month into her term as senator, Birnbaum said she realized her goal of having CatCards accepted in businesses on East University Boulevard is impossible because it would cost millions of dollars and would require every student to vote on it.

Birnbaum now has new projects to work on during her term as senator.

She plans to create a shuttle to run between campus and the Safeway on East Broadway Boulevard and South Kino Parkway, and she also plans to draft an agreement among Tucson community members, the police, and students regarding off-campus parties.

"My projects differ 110 percent from what I campaigned," Birnbaum said. "But as long as I still put on projects students shouldn't feel shortchanged."

Students said they understand that senators often need to change their platforms, but they wish senators would be more honest from the start.

"Senators need to be truthful, tell it to us like it is, even though we may know what is realistic or not. They can't assume that the population knows they aren't going to follow through with some projects," said Aurora Jeffrey, education sophomore.

Other students said they don't expect senators to be honest.

"It's how it is with any politician;, they say what people want to hear," said Dominique Bradford, a pre-pharmacy freshman, "There is no honest politician."

Rainer, who advises the 10 elected senators, said that not all platforms are feasible, so students need to vote according to what they believe senators can accomplish.

"It is not fair to the students, but (senators) have to fail before (they) can succeed. Loss of platforms leads to more effective decisions," Rainer said. "Even though campaigns failed, senators still have things to do, they often help others achieve projects in other ASUA departments."

Senator Morgan Kisler agreed that there are still good projects to do even if the projects weren't part of a senator's campaign.

"Different projects doesn't mean we're letting people down. though," Kisler said. "If we can't do a project, we make up for it by filling in another area."

Kisler originally wanted to improve the Recreation Center by making it a friendlier place for students.

Now Kisler's projects include coordinating senators' monthly office hours on the Mall and encouraging organizations to come to senate meetings.

Jim Drnek, ASUA advisor, said that even if the campaign proposals sound good, senators should make sure their platforms are feasible. He said they can discuss their ideas with fellow students and administrators.

Senator Matthew Harris who was more aware of what a senator's job entails and did do some research has been able to stick to his campaign promises.

"My brother was a senator so I had some realization that I couldn't change the world. So I tried to find things that were practical with the resources I had," Harris said. "It does suck that people are uneducated at campaigning time."

Harris ran on ideas such as supporting the greek system and promoting ASUA awareness.

As a senator, he has been trying to get ASUA to support hazing education programs and create ASUA day, an event that will educate students about the different

departments within ASUA.

Rainer said that it is not ASUA's responsibility to educate people campaigning but that students should educate themselves.

Students who want to run for springtime positions should come to ASUA now to gain a working knowledge of all the departments. Hopefully, that way they can avoid the problem of making unrealistic campaign promises, Rainer said.