PUCC candidates ran on a platform of bringing change to the council, specifically giving council members a student mandate and increasing the relevance of the council on campus.

"PUCC's influence was substantial," Purdy said of the officers' elections. "PUCC did, despite the lack of an effort to organize, vote as a block. I hope that is indicative of what we can do."

According to first-year council member and PUCC candidate Joe A. Sena '99, the council's Freshman Caucus was remarkably united in opinion before the elections.

"The Freshman Caucus met before the elections and we passed around an anonymous sheet to see who everybody was voting for. Support was very strong for Rob [Hyman] and [vice-presidential candidate Elizabeth A. Haynes '98]. I don't know who everybody voted for in the end," Sena said.

Over all, the candidates who did not look like they were playing politics got the first-year vote, Sena said, explaining that caucus members were looking for candidates who broke the stereotype of council members.

In past years, the council has been criticized because of low voter turnout, lack of relevance to student life and lack of popular elections for council officers. This spring, the president and vice president will be elected in a campus-wide vote.

Both Hyman and Blais took significant steps in their campaigning and position papers to reach out to PUCC members who called for a more relevant council.

In a PUCC questionnaire sent to presidential candidates, Hyman answered virtually all of the questions in accordance with PUCC views, saying the council should work toward guarantees of financial aid, core reform and an ethnic studies committee.

While Hyman said he is in agreement with PUCC's general principles, he stressed his status as an independent who is not officially tied to PUCC in any way.

"I would say I have worked closely with PUCC members and leaders both off and on the council, and I have agreed and disagreed with individual members, but I support the overall goal of increased representations and student input with the administration," Hyman said.

"I am an independent and I strongly believe that rather than anything else the president should be a collaborator and include as many members of the council as possible," Hyman added.

Blais also staked out middle ground, saying in his campaigning that he tried to reach out to as many council members as possible, taking special steps to meet first-years and those who had not been on the council before.

"I think I had a great deal of support from freshmen and PUCC as well as from returning council members," Blais said. "PUCC was certainly a factor. The secretary and treasurer were PUCC candidates and Rob and I both have a great deal of PUCC support."

What Next?

After what PUCC leaders call a resounding victory, many council members say they are waiting to see how successful PUCC will be in passing its legislative agenda.