Academic issues are at the top of the Realizing Excellence and Achievement through Leadership's platform for the upcoming Ohio University Student Senate election.

"Scheduling has to be improved," said Tom Ramage, the REAL presidential candidate.

"It is important to make sure there are enough high-demand classes available for students," he said. To do this, he said REAL wants to let colleges know what classes are in high demand.

To improve this situation, REAL wants to work on improving the TRIPS scheduling system, said Joy White, the REAL treasurer candidate.

REAL also plans to tackle other other academic issues, such as professor and adviser evaluations.

Currently, advisers with tenure are not evaluated, and this evaluation is important for student output, White said. Some advisers are too busy or unapproachable for students, she said.

REAL wants to starts a new evaluation system, White said.

Ramage also said he wants to continue the visibility and professionalism REAL has gained this year. REAL has a lot of good contacts within the city, such as a good working relationship with the Athens mayor, he said.

Ramage said he also has been working with David Baer, managing attorney for the Center for Student Advocacy, to establish a tenant union for students. This would be a way to connect all tenants that rent in Athens, he said. Tenants would pay a participation fee that would go to the organization and establishment of the union, he said. The benefit of such a union would be controlling rent increases, Ramage said.

Funding for the Student Activities Commission is an important issue for the senate treasurer to take into account, White said. The senate needs to hold the university to the increase of money it promised SAC, she said.

Other important issues for REAL are looking into understaffed university programs, such as campus shuttles and Campus Area Transportation Cutting Across Boundaries.

These programs are essential to students and need to be better supported, Ramage said.

Ramage also said REAL wants to work with OU's technology committee to try to improve computer labs on campus.

"REAL is trying to tackle issues before they become a problem," Ramage said.

Community relations are a recurring theme in the Ohio University Student Senate elections, and this year, The Solution party wants to create a stronger student voice in the Athens community.

It is important for students to have a voice in the community because it will help to open the lines of communication, said Mike Michetti, The Solution party presidential candidate.

Once people are comfortable talking with one other, they will be more comfortable working with one other, he said.

Campus and community safety are two issues The Solution party wants to address.

The Solution would like to work with local businesses to form a fund for sexual assault, where if the attacker is found, the person who located the attacker would receive the reward money - kind of like Crime Solvers, Michetti said.

Also, one of the biggest issues is student involvement in Athens City Council and Code Enforcement, said Dimitri Hatzifotinos, The Solution party treasurer candidate.

The Solution wants to see students' rights upheld, he said.

One way The Solution wants to address on-campus problems is by being more involved in OU Judiciaries.

One idea is to publish a pamphlet to inform students of their rights so every student has an equal opportunity to know his or her rights, Hatzifotinos said.

"(The Solution) is looking to make students' lives better," Michetti said. One way to do this is making sure students know their rights, he said.

Increasing student programming is another issue on The Solution's platform. More efforts to increase outside funding for student programming to make the events larger is needed, Hatzifotinos said. Other avenues for outside funding include foundations, endowments and alumni funding, he said.

The Solution also wants to address academic issues, such as the availability of computer labs.

OU could take a vacant Uptown store and turn it into a computer lab, which also would serve off-campus students better, he said.

The university needs at least one 24-hour computer lab, which also would help create more student jobs, he said.

To do this, The Solution will have to work with OU administration, Michetti said.

The university needs to see a shift in programming to the students, he said.