Community and university relations are a top priority for both parties running in this year's Ohio University Student Senate elections.

The senate election season officially started yesterday with two parties turning in their candidacy applications.

The parties include The Solution party and the Realizing Excellence and Achievement through Leadership party, said Allison Abbott, board of elections chairwoman.

This year's presidential senate candidates are junior Mike Michetti for The Solution party and junior Tom Ramage for the REAL party.

Other executive candidates include

n Vice President: junior Kristen Baldwin, REAL; and sophomore Beth Rawe, The Solution.

n Treasurer: junior Joy White, REAL; and junior Dimitri Hatzifotinos, The Solution.

The Solution is taking a proactive platform and wants to work to protect students' rights, Michetti said. The party also wants to promote community interaction and bring the students and the community together, he said.

Michetti participated in the senate at OU his sophomore year and part of his junior year.

He is the chairman for the Center for Student Advocacy Board of Trustees, has been appointed to OU's Review and Standards Committee and is involved with OU Judiciaries.

The motivation for the REAL platform is continuing change for the improvement of the living environment of OU students, Ramage said.

REAL wants to build on what this year's senate has accomplished and at the same time take it in new directions, he said.

Community and university relations are a top priority, along with addressing some academic problems such as more accessible computer labs and working with the university to better design TRIPS, Ramage said.

Ramage is the city and county legislation vice-commissioner on this year's senate.

An independent candidate turned in an application, but the board of elections had not reviewed it, Abbott said.

This year, students will be able to use the Athens County Board of Elections' voting devices to make voting for this year's senate more accurate and to get faster results. Election day is May 20.