This year’s Government of the Student Body campaigns are a refreshing change from year’s past. All candidates seem to have some intelligent ideas and goals.

All feel GSB should communicate with students better. All agree that the university should keep a fair distance from GSB. All seem to believe they can do the job best.

This is good. It’s nice to see passionate candidates who really want to make a difference. It’s especially nice to see 10 of them.

Todd Swanson and Amber Powell have great credentials. Both are bright and articulate.

LaRhonda Potts and Rob Ruminski are good orators and firm believers. Iowa State needs more students with equally strong convictions.

Brad Lozan and Melissa Cross, as a slate, seem passionate. Lozan is full of drive. Just a sophomore, we hope he stays committed to student government.

Rory Flaherty and Jeff Halliburton have been quiet voices of reason.

But, after some healthy debate of our own, we feel the executive slate of Rob Wiese and Matt McLaren is Iowa State’s best choice for next year’s GSB president and vice president, respectively.

Wiese, a senior in agriculture studies from Bennet, and McLaren, a junior in agriculture business from Farragut, have the experience and leadership it takes to be effective.

Wiese’s idealism is perhaps what Iowa State needs right now, and his willingness to face those who disagree with him is admirable. Wiese approaches the job as student body president with a fervor for hard work and a smile that seems to say he is genuine about talking with students. He says he wants to be fun and fair, innovative and respected.

Wiese has been IRHA president for the last two academic years. He is the only IRHA president to be re-elected. Simply wanting to run for GSB president after serving students, who can be awfully critical of their student leaders, shows a dedication that stands above the others.

Wiese is also the president of Habitat for Humanity and the forums director of the Student Union Board. Through his extended participation in these groups he has proven that he is more than just talk. He gets things done.

McLaren’s experience last year as a GSB senator for the Union Drive Association and Finance Committee member shows his familiarity with the operations of the organization. He has the exposure and knowledge it takes to be a vice president from experience with parliamentary procedure.

But experiences and leadership are only a part of their profile.

More so than the other slates, they show and present themselves as people who really care about the students of Iowa State. Wiese’s demeanor is perhaps the slate’s most endearing attribute. He is likeable and friendly, almost to a fault.

Wiese has initiated multicultural action groups and diversity forums through his experiences with IRHA and as a member of the Committee on Lectures.

He organized the Peace It Together Rally which followed the Deantrious Mitchell incident. He has also organized diversity forums and a buy-back program for text books. These are admirable things.

And with IRHA, he is spearheading the effort to change the residence halls’ door policy, which at one point prohibited most any type of information from being placed on dorm doors.

As an executive slate, Wiese and McLaren have expressed the desire to take a proactive role by talking to students outside of GSB.

They want to work on better communication with the student body by attending meetings of various student organizations.

They want to bring accountability to GSB by having a diverse cabinet, which includes appointing a director of minority relations.

They want to form a professional relationship with the Faculty Senate, the Ames City Council, the state Board of Regents, the legislature and the governor.

All the slates have touted improving communication with the student body. But Wiese and McLaren — Wiese especially — have some tangible examples of their successes.

We hope they will be equally effective if elected.