Houston is a fourth-year political science student and president
of USAC.
By Elizabeth Houston
Welcome to winter quarter, Bruins! As my second quarter as
president of UCLA’s Undergraduate Students Association
Council begins, I am more determined than ever to fulfill the
promises that I made to you during my campaign ““ promises for
a more equitable funding process and equal representation in our
student government. Due to the success of fall quarter’s
efforts, I am confident that we are seeing permanent reform, change
and diversity brought back to the Undergraduate Students
Association.
Fall quarter marked a time of planning and progress for USAC and
the president’s office; trudging through the mud of
disagreements and controversies, we saw progress nonetheless.
Whether investigating discrepancies in the funding process within
our student government or trying to bring student focus back to an
extremely politicized USAC, this past quarter we made the first
step in the effort to open the doors of our student government to
the UCLA student body.
The presidential appointments have been a long process that
still isn’t over. Almost every one of my nominations was
challenged. The ideological battle on our campus is real. Yet, I
believe that we now have the most diverse set of student committees
and boards in many years. People from all over the campus are
getting involved ““ people of different ethnicities,
religions, backgrounds and world views are trying to make an impact
on our campus. I am proud that so many Bruins, regardless of their
experience, stepped up to the plate to get involved.
Our focus this last quarter has been to actively evaluate the
funding allocation processes for student groups and offices. We
have established a committee to review the budget allocation
process, guidelines and criteria to protect the process against a
“spoils system.” Our review should take us into
February, and will take effect in June when the funding allocation
process starts all over again. These changes represent one small
step in the area of reform for USAC, but have a huge impact on the
students of this campus. My hope is that we will see more of this
kind of reform in the coming years.
This past quarter, the president’s office launched an
aggressive Public Relations Network. Student volunteers, many of
them freshmen, were sent out from the president’s office to
establish communication with many student groups on campus. The
groups that have responded to this effort have expressed enthusiasm
and appreciation for the outreach efforts, and the program has been
a success. We intend to continue these efforts in order to connect
more students from all parts of the campus to their student
representatives in USAC.
As winter quarter begins, there are some very exciting
opportunities for you to get involved in your campus community. The
president’s office will be putting on several projects this
quarter. The People’s Jam, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament on
February 11, will raise money for the USAC President’s
Student Retention Scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded to
one female and one male student through an application process and
open to anyone involved with the Student Retention Center (SRC) or
the Academic Advancement Program (AAP).
In addition to the basketball tournament, the People’s Jam
will host an inner city high school step team called K-Phi-O. This
will also include a DJ, a Sega Dreamcast competition inside the
Nike Cali Cruiser, a 3-point shootout, raffle prizes and free food.
The president’s office is attempting to get sponsorship and
participation from many student groups on campus. We hope that our
campus community will take this opportunity to show its support for
student retention efforts at UCLA.
As many of you know, February is Black History Month, a
celebration of the African American heritage and spirit of
perseverance. The president’s office has invited two
successful African American speakers who are working to restore the
African American community in our country. USAC, as a whole, will
be sponsoring more events to commemorate Black History Month.
Last year, as the Director for Women’s Issues in the
Student Welfare Commission, I hosted our first Women’s Forum
at UCLA. Due to the success of the event, we will hold our Second
Annual Women’s Forum 2001. I am very excited about this
because the forum will address women’s experiences from a
cross-cultural perspective. I hope this piques your interest. Stay
tuned to the Daily Bruin for details on all these events.
All too often college can become a blur of activities and
assignments. Through all of the parties, sporting events and
classes, remember that it’s not what you’re doing, but
what you’re becoming that is important. Most people walking
around on this campus don’t have a clue as to why they were
put on this planet or who God created them to be. I challenge you
to find out your unique purpose.
In addition to encouraging you to do your very best in your
academics this winter quarter, I also would like to encourage you
to get involved in your campus community. Whether through student
government or a student group, you will find the experience
invaluable as you continue your education at UCLA. I would also
like to personally invite you to attend our Undergraduate Students
Association Council meetings. Every Tuesday night at 7 p.m., your
student representatives discuss the issues that affect you.
Would you like to have some say in what affects you? I want all
students to know they are welcome to attend these meetings.
Last, I want to thank you, my fellow Bruins, for your support
and involvement in your school community and student government. I
look forward to another quarter serving you as your president, a
responsibility that is a great honor for me. Good luck and God
bless you!