A goal Mike Banasiak and I set for our slate at the beginning of this campaign was to keep it positive. We would like to focus our commentary on the things we have been working on for students and try to stay away from the mudslinging our opponents have resorted to.

Our campaign has always been positive and our focus has always been on issues relating to students. We are the only slate already working on our issues, issues that students actually care about, and we are the only slate telling you how we plan to continue working on them if elected. Here are some of the things we have been working on, so that, as our opponents stated, “our work can speak for itself.”

One of our biggest projects has been working with the City of Ames. Mike has made vital contacts within the City Council and the mayor’s office through his current position as GSB’s director of government relations.

These contacts and relationships cannot be formed overnight and we feel they are unique to our slate.

We have also worked very hard to push for the ex officio member that was recently added to the City Council. Two of our opponents claim they were the inspiration and the drive behind this unprecedented position. We ask of them: If this is true, then why were neither of you appointed to this ex officio position, which Mike accepted on Tuesday?

Another area we plan to work on for students is getting a new type of market on campus. We would like to see something similar to the market at Frederiksen Court on or around campus. A meeting with the Department of Residence Dining Services to discuss their plans for this project has already taken place and is something they are currently considering. Possibilities include renovating a location on campus such as the Hub or putting up an entirely new structure in its place or elsewhere. There are still many details to be worked out with this plan. We will make sure we are a part of this process to ensure that the best interest of students is kept in mind and to push the project along in any way possible.

Another issue we feel strongly about and feel students do as well is diversity. We believe some of the recent incidents that have happened on campus can be prevented through awareness. We believe this starts at the top with us and particularly with our cabinet. Filling all our cabinet positions with highly qualified and motivated individuals will be our first and number one priority. The currently unoccupied position of director of student diversity will be no different.

We have been in close contact with former Director of Student Diversity Myron Batsa, as well as other students, to get ideas and input on issues relating to diversity. We plan to find someone just as dedicated to campus diversity as Myron to continue some of the things he has helped accomplish, like the “Friday conversations on diversity.” This person will also help us implement new ways to address diversity concerns on campus. With a few new ideas it is possible to keep lines of communication open between everyone on campus, not just students, when dealing with a topic as important as this.

There has been much talk about establishing a multicultural center. Although we are definitely not opposed to such a proposal, we believe further information and research are needed before a structure is warranted.

We want to make any plans for a multicultural center the best they can be and make sure it is what is best for students and their tuition dollars. It is critical to look into all possibilities. The simple logistics of such a unique facility could take months to work out. When anyone promises that a multicultural center will be built within the next year, it is easy to tell they have not looked into such a structure and are not familiar with the inevitable red tape that will be associated.

As you have read, we focused this column more about telling what we will do and how we have already begun, rather than bashing our opponents.

We believe that students will vote for proven leadership and experience by seeing through our opponents’ baseless promises and mudslinging, and elect candidates that have been working for students, not their own activist agendas.

Look closely at what our opponents are promising and you will see no mention of how they plan to accomplish these vague undertakings or even what they have done thus far.

In closing, we feel that our plans for the future of Iowa State University and the City of Ames sell themselves. Our plan is to continue working for students, not the other way around. We would love to elaborate on some of the other issues we are running on such as legislative outreach and entertainment options for the under 21 crowd, but we have limited space.

You will find our platform is not the usual vague, unfounded ideas and promises about tuition and communication that is the typical attempt to get votes. What sells us is the fact that these are things we have been and will continue to work on.

Rather than having executives that spend half their term trying to figure out how GSB works and what they can do to fulfill their campaign promises, let us keep the ball rolling with the things we have been working on, so we can get to even more projects that will better Iowa State.

Help us make this happen. On March 10 and 11 vote, and most importantly, vote Banasiak and Albright.

Ben Albright is a candidate for GSB vice president. This is the second in a series of three guest columns by the executive slates.