GUSA is history. It met its demise sometime over the summer at the hands of – well, GUSA. Leaders of the Student Association, hoping to rehabilitate their image after another year of election scandal, unceremoniously dumped the acronym and, they hope, all the baggage that comes with it. “We thought it left a bad taste in people’s mouths when they heard it,” said Twister Murchison (SFS ’08), president of the organization formerly known as GUSA. “We are trying to project a more professional image.” The more professional GUSA is known simply as “the Student Association,” and its president styles himself “the student body president.” It’s not really even a name change, Murchison concedes, just a change in the way the name is said. The new nomenclature is strictly enforced. “They get a slap on the wrist,” Murchison said jokingly of staff members who utter the maligned name. Still, Murchison admits that re-branding is a small concern in comparison to other changes that GUSA is undergoing – like changes to its office. The space in Sellinger Lounge is being completely renovated and refurnished, forcing GUSA members to temporarily conduct business elsewhere. Not that Murchison has had much need for the office lately. During Welcome Week, he was practically ubiquitous, speaking at panels for Leadership and Beyond and International Pre-Orientation and at Wednesday’s inaugural “Day One” assembly for all new students, telling his newest constituents that GUSA can help them. And he and his staff are doing their best to back up that promise, developing detailed action plans for some of the proposals he emphasized most heavily in last year’s campaign, like GOCard expansion, meal plan usage in Hoya Court and extended weekend GUTS Bus schedules, which he said will be in place this semester. Some original initiatives are also in the works. Murchison said GUSA is hoping to obtain an official charter from the university’s Board of Directors to recognize GUSA as the official student body representative. “The role already exists through custom and practice,” he said. urchison added that during their meeting with University President John J. DeGioia this week, he and Vice President Salik Ishtiaq (SFS ’07) suggested that DeGioia hold office hours with students. “We were very impressed by his willingness to try new things,” Murchison said. Some other proposals are perennial GUSA projects. Murchison said that GUSA will soon unveil a new Web site – its second in two years. Deputy Chief of Staff Matt Stoller (COL ’08) is developing an amendment to the constitution under which Assembly members would be elected by on-campus geography, rather than by class, a plan proposed by former GUSA President Pravin Rajan (SFS ’07) that was never realized. Above all, Murchison remains upbeat about his prospects for the year, noting that he has already gained a friendship with Ishtiaq. He said he was pleased with his vice-preisdential choice. “We go to movies together,” Murchison said. “I’m enormously grateful that he said `Yes.'”