In the next two weeks you will hear SU hopefuls promising you the sun, the moon and the stars, bribing you with candy, shoving handbills in your face while eating lunch in MacHall, and telling you they are such a superstar. And why? All for the glory of being an elected Students' Union representative. That's what we're telling ourselves, anyway.

Next week, you will have an opportunity to vote for the student who best represents you and your needs. You will also have an opportunity to vote on issues that impact your wallet.

The Management students are hoping to initiate a levy for all management students that will go towards funding student research and scholarship, teaching enhancements, and student activities. Did you know the levy is $25 a semester? You're probably thinking--why should I care?

Well, Management is not a direct-entry faculty; therefore you are making a decision for those students who are in General Studies hoping to enter the faculty in their third year.

How does this affect you if you're not a Management wannabe? Chances are, if a referendum of this nature passes, other faculties, cash strapped, eternally starved for funding, and more than willing to screw their students, will come sniYng around our back pockets.

Of course, any additional faculty levies would have to come through the SU again ? through a referendum question, which places it in time for the September by-election or the Feb. 2001 general election.

So, really, if you're proud to say you're not a Management student and you're thinking "it's not my problem (and why shouldn't they have to pay more?)"--if that's the way you think, try again. It affects you. It's important. It's not just about Management students. It's about the university, and all of us slaving away for a degree.

Did you know the SU offers a grant for students to attend conferences? Included in your SU fees is a $0.50 levy which allows students to attend conferences that relate to their academic field. All money the SU collects goes back to undergraduate students. Since May, we've assisted over 800 students. The levy has never been increased.

The truth is, we're out of money for students to attend conferences. We ran out a long time ago--last year, in fact. We've been scraping the barrel to send students to conferences, and we're running dry. And the requests keep coming in.

Finally, did you know the Students' Union coordinates the health and dental program? We are hoping to make changes to the program and are seeking your input. We want to know if part-time students should be eligible to participate in the program. Should eye exams and prescriptions be covered?

We also want to know if you prefer an unmanaged dental program --do you want to pick your own dentist? And finally, we want to know at what cost would you access these services. How much is too much? What's just right?

So, that's the deal: vote for fees, vote for an increase in fees, vote to expand on a fee you already pay. Even if you're not interested in voting for the superstars' vote for this. Make your voice heard. Voting stations will be located in Mac Hall, and at locations across campus.

Students' Union General Election 2000 Mar. 15, 16 and 17.