Associated Student Government will a bring a resolution to the floor tonight supporting Kellogg Prof. Allan Drebin in his campaign for alderman against incumbent Ald. Arthur Newman (1st).

ASG President Adam Humann, the author of the resolution and also a member of Drebin’s campaign team, said he believes Drebin could change the tone of relations between Northwestern and Evanston.

“Getting Newman off City Council would dramatically improve the university’s relationship with Evanston,” said Humann, a Weinberg senior. “The single reasons to support Drebin are compelling enough, but holistically, it’s not even a question that we want to get behind Drebin.”

But Newman said he doubted an ASG resolution would prompt students to change their minds about the candidates.

“Most people don’t vote because of a certain endorsement,” Newman said. “I think students will be independent-minded.”

Senators had mixed reactions to the proposed resolution.

College Republicans Sen. Ezra Church said the decision to support Drebin “isn’t so clear cut.”

“I don’t see a purpose in supporting one over the other,” said Church, a Weinberg junior. “I don’t think it is obvious that one candidate would serve the university better. Newman definitely made the case last week that he does work to serve the university’s interest.”

Giving ASG support to one candidate could hurt Evanston-Northwestern relations if the other person wins the election, Church said.

“If we support Drebin and Newman does win, all this will do is further strain relations,” he said.

But Bobb-McCulloch Hall Sen. Lindsay Rickel said Drebin’s emphasis on future town-gown relations made him deserving of ASG support.

“In his speech, Newman concentrated more on what he did in the past then on what he plans to do for the future with the Evanston community and the university,” said Rickel, a Weinberg freshman. “Drebin seemed to relate more to students.”

If approved, the resolution would mark the second time ASG has backed a candidate associated with NU against Newman. In 1997, ASG adopted legislation supporting then-Weinberg sophomore Raj Udeshi in his write-in bid for Newman’s seat on the City Council.

Humann said that although having a student representative on the council would be “ideal,” Drebin has demonstrated interest in student issues.

“A student (on City Council) wouldn’t be taken as seriously or respected,” Humann said. “Drebin has made a great effort to gauge what interests students care about.”

Humann denied that there was a conflict of interest in sponsoring a resolution to support a candidate he works for, noting that both candidates were invited to address the Senate.

“I can tell the Senate what I think, but they make decisions for themselves,” he said. “We haven’t tried to railroad support for Drebin because we’ve had both sides come and speak. I wouldn’t try to pass this legislation without hearing both sides.”

But Newman said he wished he knew Humann’s basis for supporting Drebin.

“I think (Humann) is using ASG to help his candidate, but I can’t do anything to stop that,” Newman said. “I’ve never met Adam until I spoke at Senate last Wednesday. He’s never expressed any opinions previously to me showing that he’s upset at the direction of the council. He’s never been to a council meeting.”

Newman said that if re-elected, he would work with ASG even if they vote to support Drebin.

“Whatever ASG decides, if I am re-elected, I would be more than happy to work with them on issues,” Newman said.