Despite similar approaches to many issues, the six parties in the Columbia College Student Council first-year elections attempted to draw distinctions between each other in a debate Sunday night.

True to its name, the Candor Party pledged honesty and transparency.

“We’re going to be void of any corruption,” representative candidate Akito Terasaki said. He is running with Rolando Rodriguez for president, Jasmine Senior for vice president, and Alana Tung and Suhaydee Tejeda for representatives, all CC ’12.

Syed Hossain, CC ’12 , the self-described “lone wolf,” shared Terasaki’s concern, and said he was running for representative as the sole member of the Liberty Party because, “I don’t have loyalties associated with other people.”

Creating citywide opportunities for students was the theme of the New York Connection party, headed by Gavin Newton-Tanzer, with Alice Zhang for vice president and Brandon Christophe, Susan Thomas, and Keith Miao, all CC ’12, for representatives.

In addition to strengthening relationships with local restaurants, businesses, and organizations, the party seeks “a calendar that is specific to freshman students,” Miao said.

In a rare rejoinder, Vision 2012 vice presidential candidate Cindy Pan, CC ’12 pointed out that there were already plenty of online event calendars.

“We don’t need to start another Web site,” said Pan, who is running with Mason Fitch for president and Sarah Chai, Noruwa Agho, and Kenny Durell—CC ’12—for representatives.

Vision 2012 called for more flexible registration during orientation week.

Perhaps the most diverse array of proposals came from the Real Party. The Real Party, led by Erik Kogut for president, Hannah Wilentz for vice president, and Diego Arango for representative, all CC ’12, have offered a list of programming that would include a shared bicycle program, crawfish boil, and crafts festival.

The Woof Party threw in a programming idea of its own when asked how it could contribute to homecoming this week.

Representative candidate Richard Huang, CC ’12 reasoned that, because freshmen were still getting used to Columbia, they didn’t have a “home” to come back to yet.

“Why not call it a ‘housewarming?’” Huang said.

Also in his party are Sahil Gupta for president, Saahil Patel for vice president, and Sanjiv Mehta, and Holly Dykstra, all CC ’12, for representatives.

Elections are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 7.

lien.hoang@columbiaspectator.com