By Melody Wang
Daily Bruin Reporter
As of Wednesday evening, the Undergraduate Students Association
Council External Vice President position may be vacant because
current EVP Portia Pedro has not met eligibility requirements,
according to USAC officials.
To serve on USAC, a student must meet three requirements ““
be a registered UCLA student, complete at least four units a
quarter and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of
2.0.
President Elizabeth Houston said, as of June, Pedro had not met
two of the requirements and now doesn’t meet any of them.
An e-mail sent out by Administrative Representative Lyle
Timmerman to the Undergraduate Students Association account, which
includes USAC members, said Pedro could not produce documentation
that proves she is in fact eligible to serve on council. In the
same e-mail, Timmerman also wrote he thinks council is obliged to
hold a special election to fill the vacancy.
“By my read of your Bylaws, I believe a vacancy exists on
Council,” Timmerman wrote. “Actually I believe a rather
strong argument could be made that per constitutional language it
has probably existed since late June or early July ““ but went
unnoticed and unreported until just recently.”
Pedro, though, said she had not seen Timmerman’s e-mail as
of Wednesday night and still hopes an agreement can be reached.
“I think it’s something that is unfortunate and I
hope that if everything is cleared up tomorrow, we won’t have
to deal with a vacancy.”
Timmerman also wrote that Pedro contacted him just before 5 p.m.
Wednesday, saying she would not have the paperwork to prove her
eligibility until Thursday. But Timmerman wrote the Wednesday
deadline could not be changed because it was set by the USA
Bylaws.
Houston said she wishes the vacancy on council was not happening
because Pedro does her job as EVP well.
“I am really disappointed because as a student leader and
as a student, it was her responsibility to help maintain the
integrity of our council,” Houston said.
Facilities Commissioner Steve Davey said he is saddened Pedro
will lose her seat on council because she does a good job, but at
the same time, he said it was irresponsible of her to sit on
council without being eligible.
To fill the vacancy, Timmerman wrote in his e-mail that Council
will need to hold a special election, which he believes needs to
happen on or before Dec. 1.
The last time USAC held a special election was five or six years
ago, for the position of Facilities Commissioner.
As of now, USAC has not officially appointed a new Election
Board Chair, which would be necessary for a special election.
At Tuesday’s meeting, council members were aware a vacancy
was possible. Houston temporarily designated Alex Kaplan, her
original choice for the position, new E-Board Chair.
Members were not able to make an official appointment Tuesday
because they did not have quorum, which requires nine out of the 13
members to be present at the meeting for any action to be
taken.
At one point during the meeting, only five members were present
““ all of whom were elected as independents.
“That really disappoints me because the minimum
responsibility of council members is to be at council
meetings,” Houston said. “That shows a lack of
character, lack of responsibility and a lack of commitment to the
student body.