Ticket joins list of IUSA candidacies

Labeling its six campus priorities "A Student Quality of Life Platform," Monday, The Golden Ticket announced its candidacy for IU Student Association offices. The Golden Ticket is the fourth group to join the race since the Jan. 18 kickoff. \nThe Golden Ticket will only have executive office candidates and no congressional candidates, members said.\nThe Golden Ticket's executive candidates are sophomore Chip Patterson for president, sophomore Daniel Fruchtman for vice president for administration, freshman Renon Thomas for vice president for congress and freshman Adrienne Cleveland for treasurer.\nPatterson, now an IUSA greek senator, said the name of the ticket was chosen because it was recognizable and creative. It also refers to the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," he said.\nThe ticket's top priorities are student safety, education, diversity, campus, fiscal responsibility and parking. Patterson said the ticket will work on current IUSA initiatives but will take a different approach to campus issues.\nGolden Ticket members said they will focus on education to improve safety on campus. The ticket's platform said it aims to provide rape prevention, self-defense and alcohol management classes.\nThomas said such classes could be held at freshman orientation.\n"I think student education about self-defense and alcohol prevention are most important," Thomas said. A larger police force is a good idea, but that can't really prevent crime, he said.\nThe ticket said it also wants to improve education. It plans to do so by expanding resources that will benefit students, such as tutors, longer help center hours and more computer access.\nThe Golden Ticket's third priority -- diversity -- is one of the most important, members said. Patterson said despite the diversity of campus, some areas, such as the greek system, are still segregated. The ticket said it will take responsibility to ensure minority students succeed, forming a Minority Achievement Committee of mentors.\nImproving campus comfort and convenience is another priority. One idea the ticket will work for is enclosed bus stops. It said fighting for increased student input in financial matters is also a priority. At the very least, Patterson said, students should know where their money goes.\n"In financing things, there's not much of a student voice," he said. "I'm looking to put money where students want money."\nLowering fines and increasing options are solutions The Golden Ticket said it will work on, if elected.\n"We understand if they decrease the fines too much, people won't care," Fruchtman said. "(The tickets) can be just as much a deterrent without getting people into financial problems."\nPatterson said The Golden Ticket chose a realistic platform that will lead to improvements on campus and in student quality of life. \n"All these things I feel we could accomplish in one year," Patterson said.