And as is suggested by his campaign strategy, he supports the failed Movement to Reform the Undergraduate Council (MRUC) proposal to establish direct elections of council officers by the entire undergraduate population.

Liston, in a dramatic move away from his past opposition to referendum movements like that of former council member Anjalee C. Davis '96, says council leaders need a mandate stronger than that established by the 20-40 percent voter turnouts of general council elections.

"I want to be able to say that I am the student body president," Liston says, "not just the Undergraduate Council president."

A New Image?

While Liston was once the favorite candidate for the presidency, the former vice president must now over-come a tarnished semester of limited engagement with the council.

In early December, Liston was expelled from the council for excessive absences. He was automatically reinstated, according to council policy, but the event epitomized a seeming withdrawal from council politics and policies.

Liston says that despite his lack of enthusiasm earlier this year, the council has always been his first priority.

"When I lost in the fall, I wanted Dave Hanselman to have a chance to run the council and [I did not want] to get in the way," Liston says. "Still, I was proud to step up when I thought it was absolutely necessary like in the debate over the term bill hike and the ROTC compromise."

Despite a comeback from attendance problems, expulsion is not the only black mark on Liston's record.

Liston incurred Hanselman's wrath at a presidential debate Wednesday night when he supported Gregoire's accusations of a conspiracy between Hanselman and Fine to selectively expel members of the council based on their votes on a constitutional reform package in the spring of 1993.

"I made sure people knew what Brandon said during the debate was true," Liston says. "But the theme I had that night is that I'm completely running on the issues."

Liston says he is most concerned about those issues that will directly affect everyday students' lives.

Planks in his position paper, entitled "The Contract With the College," include pressuring the University to improve lighting in dorm rooms, provide personal computers for students, increase MAC facilities, reform the Core curriculum, preserve choice in the housing lottery and relax the University's alcohol policy.

And even if he doesn't win the election and have the chance to implement those plans, Liston says he hopes to establish a new tradition for presidential campaigning.

"I'm the biggest thinker on the council, about where it is and where it needs to go," Liston says. "As well, I've gotten my hands dirty in some projects."