Seventeen candidates vying for senate explained to a meager crowd their agendas for next year including improvements in textbook buyback rates and an online music service on campus.
The delegates are running to fill 10 positions in the Associated Students of the University of Arizona Senate.
The litany of platforms ranged from increasing the buyback rate for textbooks, bringing national speakers to foster debate, entering into an agreement with an online music vendor like iTunes for all students, as well as printing a Spanish version of the Arizona Daily Wildcat.
Ashley Eden, a public administration junior and ASUA senator, told the crowd of about 40 students she wanted to make Cats Ride a reality. Cats Ride, a program similar to SafeRide, would offer rides to students too drunk to drive.
Eden told the students the program is being planned and urged them to re-elect her to finish what she started.
Patrick Cook, an undeclared sophomore, said if elected he would have ASUA work closer with faculty to lower the cost of books at the UofA Bookstore.
Cook told the crowd if faculty gave the bookstore their booklists earlier, it would lead to lower costs for textbooks and an increase the amount of money the bookstore paid for buying back books.
Alex Dong, a molecular and cellular biology senior, wants ASUA to bring a legal online music service, like Napster or iTunes, to campus.
Dong said four UA students were prosecuted last year by the Recording Industry Association of America for downloading music, two students lived on campus and the other two belonged to sororities.
"They settled for an average of $3,000," Dong said. "Even if you had that, why would you want to give it to the music industry?"
Adam Falck, ASUA election commissioner who moderated the forum, said he thought the event went well.
"I wanted to have a Q-and-A session, but with 20 candidates there was a time constraint," Falck said.
Primaries for ASUA senator positions are March 1 and 2.
Alicia Cybulski, a political science senior, said she watched the forum to learn about the candidates.
"I wanted to put their faces to their names," Cybulski said. "I wanted to hear their platforms, and I thought it was very informative."