By Andy Shah
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Although it wasn’t a re-enactment of the movie
“Primary Colors,” Monday’s debate between
Undergraduate Students Association Council presidential candidates
featured opinions as distinct as the colors blue, red and
yellow.
The blue-clad crowd gathered in Meyerhoff Park to support
independent Elizabeth Houston at the debate sponsored by the Daily
Bruin, while those in red were in favor of Praxis candidate Katynja
McCory. Independent Jason Lautenschleger said he relished not being
part of a slate.
The yellow-clad Viable Alternative slate was busy campaigning in
the background, since it isn’t running a presidential
candidate in the USAC elections on Wednesday and Thursday.
Accessibility to USAC was a main topic of the debate, as was
student unity, funding student groups and the role of student
government in undergraduates’ day-to-day lives.
McCory, who is a USAC general representative this year, detailed
her experience and said student unity was the key to change.
“A united student movement is the most powerful
movement,” she said. “Student government
shouldn’t cater just to a specific segment of the
population.”
McCory added that USAC did represent a wide range of students by
funding the most student groups this year, and holding programs
like Welcome Week, the Booklending Program, and Days of Dialogue,
which she created.
Lautenschleger emphasized increasing accessibility to USAC and
holding forums and meetings to get a broader range of students
involved with student government.
At the debate, Lautenschleger said his priority is to get the
apolitical students passing by on Bruin Walk connected to student
government.
“Ninety percent of the people here know who they’re
supporting,” Lautenschleger said to the crowd gathered for
the debate. “My goal is to get those people behind you
involved.”
The underlying theme throughout Houston’s answers was
discontent with the current council, which she called a
“political machine.” Her campaign, she said, would
reach out to all students and would address issues like parking,
safety and library hours.
“What USAC needs to be about is student issues, not
pushing a political agenda. USAC is not open to all
students,” she said.
Both Lautenschleger and Houston agreed that the largest problem
at UCLA is that people are not represented or unaware of USAC.
“Our biggest problem is that people don’t know what
student government is,” Lautenschleger said.
McCory, however, said her biggest concern was equal access to
education.
“I want to make sure education remains a right to all
students, not something that caters to a privileged elite,”
she said, adding that rising fees and the loss of affirmative
action have created barriers to university entrance.
The issue of fair funding to student groups has been a focal
point of this campaign, and was brought up again by the
candidates.
Houston said USAC unfairly funds student groups and gives most
of the funding to a few organizations.
“USAC’s in pretty bad shape,” she said.
“There’s unequal funding and unequal
representation.”
McCory, however, said USAC is fair in its funding, and the issue
shouldn’t divide students.
“If you know anything about USAC, you know there is a
limited amount of funding,” she said. “Only by dividing
ourselves are we weakening student unity.”
Lautenschleger, however, said he planned to increase
representation of all students on the council by talking to them on
an individual basis.
“I want to extend office hours and just hang out with
people and find out what their concerns are,” he said.
He said being an independent is beneficial because he can offer
a fresh perspective on student politics.
“I’ve never held a position on USAC, and
that’s actually better. I’m on a “˜clean
slate,’ if any,” he said.