A Gross-Belch ticketas in Jason Gross and Beth Belchis poised to lead the Student Government Association at West Virginia University .

Campaigning officially got under way this week on campus with Gross and Belch running unopposed for student body president and vice president.

Students will choose 15 Board of Governors members and two others to serve on the Athletic Council. A debate is scheduled for 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in the Mountainlair food court.

Students will then cast their votes online via the Mountaineer Information Xpress, or MIX , from 7 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, through 10:59 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23.

SGA serves as the liaison between the student body and administration,said Heather Richardson, SGA elections chair.We have strong leaders who have accomplished many of their goals, and we need driven students who want to serve as a voice for the student body to pick up where they leave off.

The following candidates have thrown their hats into the ring:

* PRESIDENT , VICE PRESIDENT

*Jason Gross (Balanced Ballot) is a junior mechanical and aerospace engineering double major. For the past two years, the Morgantown native has served on the student Board of Governors. During his second term, he was unanimously elected to serve as vice chairman. Gross is credited with leading fund-raising efforts, resulting in the endowment of the Student Memorial Scholarship Fund, and working with University administrators to create a Web site, allowing students, faculty and staff to pay parking tickets and renew parking permits online. Gross is a member of WVU ’s Microgravity Research Team, Honors College (formerly known as the Honors Program), Mountaineer Maniacs, Chimes Honorary, Tau Beta Pi engineering honorary and National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

Beth Belch (Balanced Ballot) is a junior from Uniontown , Pa. She is a dual major in international studies and political science with a minor in Spanish. Belch has served on the student Board of Governors for the past two years, working on various issues such as Dining Services, transportation, child daycare and fund-raising for the Student Memorial Scholarship. She has also been a resident assistant for two years in Brooke Tower and participated in RA Council, Hall Council, Judicial Board, Student Advisory Board on Alcohol and other Drugs, College Republicans and Mountaineer Maniacs and helped organize Toy Mountain and Students Helping Other People programs.

* STUDENT BOARD OF GOVERNORS

*Danielle Boyd (Balanced Ballot) is a junior majoring in English and minoring in political science from Charleston . She is a member of WVU ’s Honors College and National Exemplary

Scholars in Service. As events chair for Kappa Kappa Gamma, she is in charge of the planning and operation of all sorority functions. If elected, Boyd plans to begin a tutoring center for liberal

arts majors and promote the Greek system with special attention to the annualMeet the Greeksevent.

Chris Campo (Balanced Ballot) is a sophomore finance major from Long Island , N.Y. If elected, he plans to work with Student Legal Services on WVU ’s new student mediation program. This offers WVU students the opportunity to resolve differences with anyoneincluding roommates, neighbors and landlordsconfidentially with a neutral third party. Campo currently serves as vice president of his fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa, and has led many community service activities.

Kelli Casto (Balanced Ballot) is a freshman occupational therapy major from Clarksburg . She is a member of the Mountaineer Maniacs and Italian American Organization and serves as academic chair for Alpha Xi Delta sorority. An employee of Student Organizations Services, she helped organize the WVU Rifle Club Gun Bash last year, Homecoming Parade, and SHOP and Toy Mountain programs. Casto’s platform deals with campus identity and how to make students feel more at ease when entering WVU . She would like to install a welcome sign and campus map in front of the Mountainlair and place additional signs in front of University buildings.

EmilyChipsChiappazzi (Balanced Ballot) is a sophomore business and economics major, minoring in Italian, from Erie , Pa. She is involved in the Chi Omega sorority, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Italian American Organization and the Mountainlair Advisory Board. During her current term on the student Board of Governors, she worked with WVU administrators to create a makeover plan for the’Lair Vandalia Lounge. If re-elected, Chiappazzi would like to see the lounge under the’Lair grand staircase renovated and continue campus safety audit improvements. She would also like to come up with a way for students to submit their concerns through a Web portal.

Milisa Cutlip (Balanced Ballot) is a sophomore biology major from Paden City . At WVU , she has participated in the Mountaineer Maniacs and also worked in the childcare center at the Student Recreation Center . She currently serves as a resident assistant in Brooke Tower , a position which she will continue next year. Among her accomplishments, she helped construct the application for the Student Memorial Scholarship this year. If tapped for the student Board of Governors, Cutlip will head a committee devoted to the scholarship and oversee the planning of fund-raisers. She is also interested in establishing a review board that will choose the scholarship recipient and collaborating with the Center for Civic Engagement to promote service-learning opportunities available on campus.

Melanie Davis (independent) is a sophomore nursing major from Star City . Her extracurricular activities include the Student Nurses Association, Mountainlair Advisory Board, Mountaineer Maniacs, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Italian American Organization. She is also a member of the Student Government Association Mountainlair Committee. If elected to the student Board of Governors, her goal is to represent all students’interests at the University, including those of Health Sciences Center students.

L.G. Jackson (Balanced Ballot) is a sophomore accounting major from Hamlin. He is currently involved in student government as vice chair of the public relations team. Jackson is

also a member of the Mountaineer Maniacs, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Sophomore Junior Council. If voted into office, he plans to initiate a three-step plan involving the Student Recreation Center . This would consist of expanding the facility, adding a Subway

restaurant and creating a healthy lifestyle class that combines good nutritional choices and an

exercise routine.

David Kirkpatrick (Balanced Ballot), a junior finance major from Johnstown , Pa. , has served as a resident assistant at WVU . His primary platform consists of making the student body and incoming freshmen more aware of West Virginia’s 529 college-saving plan through advertising and seminars. If elected to the student Board of Governors, he’d like to institute overnight parking in the Mountainlair garage, improve the pathway in front of Woodburn Hall, install drinking fountains on the Mountainlair plaza, expand the Student Recreation Center’s parking lot and add stop signs at campus crosswalks.

Matt Lee (Balanced Ballot) is a junior accounting major from St. Albans . He is involved in student government as the outreach director on the public relations team and also affiliated with the Mountaineer Maniacs and College Republicans. During his freshman year, he was elected chairman of Arnold’s Residential Hall Council. Lee’s goals as a governor would be to work closely with Mountaineer Card Services to improve student ID cards and make Mounty Bounty more widely accepted, not just on campus but also at stores and businesses around Morgantown. He would like Mountaineer cards to double as debit cards.

Lindsey McIntosh (Balanced Ballot) is a freshman business major from Morgantown . Her special interests include peer mediation and health education. During her first semester at WVU , she was involved with the Student Health Advisory Board, Mountaineer Maniacs, WVU Peer and Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. If elected, McIntosh would focus on issues involving student health on campus. Her goals include working with the Student Health Service to create an enhanced presence on the Downtown Campus and helping the current facilities on the Health Sciences Center campus meet student needs.

George Minwer (independent) is a sophomore pre-med student from Shadyside , Ohio . He transferred to WVU from Wheeling Jesuit University and has served as a resident assistant at Pierpont Apartments. Minwer’s other activities have ranged from being a teaching assistant for University 101 to serving overseas in the U.S. Army. He currently serves as a non-commissioned officer in the West Virginia National Guard. If he wins a seat in student government, he has pledged to find solutions to WVU ’s parking challenges.

Tommy Napier (Balanced Ballot) is a sophomore political science major from Kenova. In high school, he served as class president for three years. After graduating, he spent a year volunteering at a Christian center in Spain and last summer, he assisted with tsunami relief work in Thailand . At WVU , he is active in the International House, Honors College and National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and he has been a member of the Mountaineer Maniacs. Among Napier’s objectives is to open up clearer lines of communication between SGA and the student body.

Jason Parsons (Balanced Ballot) is a freshman political science major from Seth. In high school, he served as student body president while being active in Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, or HOBY , and the National Honor Society. At WVU , Parsons is a member of the

Honors College and has been active in student government, the HOBY Alumni Association and Stalnaker and Dadisman halls. If chosen to serve on the student Board of Governors, he hopes to expand teacher evaluations and make the results available to students. He also plans to look at online teacher evaluation tools such asPick-a-Profto identify the benefits of such systems, expand tutoring programs and promote freshman interest groups.

Whitney Rae Peters (Balanced Ballot) is a freshman public relations major from Madison , W.Va. She is involved in the WVU Honors College , Campus Light and Mountaineer Maniacs. Her leadership experience includes serving as Scott High School student body president while also participating in the National Honor Society, Partner’s Club, Tennis Team, Prayer Group and West Virginia Association of Student Councils. Peters’platform includes creating more Dining Services options for students such as more selective meals, flexible meal plans and extended dining hours. In

addition, she would like to implement a dining hall survey that would generate feedback from students and staff to look at both positive and negative aspects of the dining hall facilities. Peters also plans to continue the elite landlord survey.

Chris Willis (Balanced Ballot) is a graduate student in industrial relations from Independence . He was named the 2006 Mr. Mountaineer and received the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Willis earned his bachelor’s degree at WVU and has been active on student government committees since his freshman year. During his college career, he has completed more than 2,300 hours of community service, helped found five student organizations and served on the Advisory Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs and the Men’s Issues Committee. Also active in the community, he is involved with the Mon County Celebration of America Committee, Historic Landmarks Commission and Students Uniting to Vote, and he works to expand after-school programs for children in need. Willis works at the Center for Civic Engagement.

Robby Zak (Balanced Ballot), a sophomore political science major from Charleston , has been active on the Dadisman Hall Council and Resident Hall Association. Currently, he is president of the Helvetia Sophomore Honorary, secretary for the student Board of Governors, and member of the Mountainlair Advisory Board and Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Zak is running on a platform that supports more student involvement in WVU ’s Homecoming week activities.

* ATHLETIC COUNCIL

*Ryan Hess (Balanced Ballot) is a junior civil engineering major from Morgantown . Besides holding the office of executive vice president in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, he is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Helvetia and Chimes honoraries and Mountaineer Maniacs. He was also a defenseman on the WVU ice hockey team. If elected to the Athletic Council, Hess hopes to increase club sports involvement at WVU by creating a Web page off of the University’s main page that is solely for club and intramural sports. This would list contact information of league officials and captains along with schedules.

Jenny Wilson (Balanced Ballot) is a freshman political science major and business minor from Morgantown . She has gained a great deal of leadership experience from attending events such as the National Student Council Conference. Wilson is a member of the WVU Women’s Rugby Football Club, rides competitively as a member of the American Quarter Horse Association and is an avid Mountaineer sports fan. If elected, she intends to improve field conditions for club and intramural sports teams and increase recognition of these groups’achievements.