By Raven TysonAssistant City Editor

She has dealt with university politics for years, and he has beenon the council for about a year; however, both are competing to bepresident of Associated Students.

Vice president of external affairs Priscilla Ocen and College ofScience representative Josh Miller have strong opinions and highhopes for being the 2002-03 A.S. president.

Miller, a psychology and political science junior, said votersshould choose him because he’s different. He said he’s here for thestudents and wants to do things differently from in the past.

Miller said the past few presidents have always been the samepeople who go through A.S. and have gone through all the ranks. Healso said they’ve had pretty much the same agenda.

“I bring something that is really different,” Miller said. “I seemyself as a student before a politician.”

Miller said he sits on the council and on A.S. committees, and hasmany leadership qualities that will benefit him in office.

On the other hand, Ocen, a political science senior with a minorin Africana Studies, said she is the only candidate who truly knowsthe role of A.S. president for what it is and has the vision to seewhat it could be.

“I’m the candidate that has the experience, the knowledge frombeing a vice president and the knowledge of all the issues thatreally affect students from being involved in University Senate, frombeing involved in statewide organizations and talking to othercampuses.”

Ocen said she is the only candidate that has been in the”trenches” fighting for lower fees, fighting for the accessibility ofthe campus and fighting to make sure students have more coursesections.

While their backgrounds are different, when it comes to goalsMiller and Ocen share some, but not all, of the same ideas.

Miller said his biggest goal is to get all the students who aren’tinvolved to participate somehow on campus — whether it be throughstudents joining an organization or students participating in otheractivities designed to increase involvement.

He wants to make sure their college experience is full and thatstudents know they are welcome here. Students should feel like thisis their campus and not just a place to go to school.

Miller also said he might bring up an old and important issue ifelected.

Miller’s reasoning for bring back the aquatic pool issue isbecause he has been hearing a lot about it. Miller said if theuniversity is going to have a polo team, it might as well have apool.

Another one of Miller’s goals is to try to get more people atsporting events.

“Even though it isn’t necessarily A.S.’s job, I’d try and get thewhole pride of being an Aztec back in people,” he said.

“When you walk around campus and you see more people wearingNorthern Carolina and Stanford clothing than you do San Diego State,that’s a problem.”

One way Miller said he’d like to rouse school pride is through aseries of different events modeled after University of California,San Diego’s Sun God Festival and Winter Fest. Those are events withbands and food booths, where everyone comes, hangs out and meetspeople, he said. MIller noted that at San Diego State, there areactivities such as Greek Week and Spring Fiesta, but said those arefor organizations. He wants something that says, “Here you go, SanDiego State, this is yours.”

Ocen has three goals she wants to accomplish.

“I want to empower students, build bridges and improve pride,” shesaid.

As part of her goal to empower students, Ocen plans to bring inlecturers — especially speakers whom everyone knows. Ocen also saidshe would like to focus on making sure the student voice is heard.She would really like to get A.S. to make a difference when it comesto class sizes and other student concerns.

Another goal is to build bridges between student organizations andstudents, as well as A.S. and the general student body. Ocen saidshe’s not even sure if a lot of students know what A.S. is. Toachieve that goal, Ocen wants A.S. to put on workshops that wouldbenefit students in the classroom and in the professional setting,and show them how A.S. can help them.

Her last goal is to instill pride on campus. Ocen said she noticedstudents watching the men’s basketball game on Friday at Louie’s Puband cheering. She said it was nice to see that, and that behavior islike a “real college atmosphere.” Through A.S., Ocen wants to keepthat pride going even when the sports teams aren’t doing well. Ocenreferred to California State University, Long Beach’s school pridecampaign, “Go Beach,” and said SDSU should have something similar.

To achieve these goals, both candidates are going to have toutilize their personal strengths and control their weaknesses.

Miller said he is a people person and can relate to just aboutanybody.

“I’m very open-minded,” he said. “I can take things from differentaspects and try to find the best results. If there is a conflict, I’mgood at mediating and finding a middle ground.”

Miller said the only thing he is going to have to combat ifelected is waking up early next year. He said he’s not always thegreatest morning person, and next year he would have to be here at 8a.m. everyday, which is something he hasn’t done in his three yearson campus.

Ocen said she is persistent, which is a quality the A.S. presidentposition really needs because there can be a lot of setbacks andfrustrations. She said persistence is needed to push the envelope andask for the things students want on campus.

Ocen also said she is open to all people and has an open-doorpolicy where all students can go and voice their ideas or concerns.

However, Ocen said her strength could also be her weakness.

“I try to do a whole lot and sometimes it taxes on me personally,but that goes along with the position,” she said.