Dahle is the USAC general representative.
By David Dahle
There is a big problem on this campus.
Only 27 percent of students that responded to a recent USAC
survey know what their student government’s function is. This
is disturbing because the Undergraduate Students Association
Council is the primary advocate of student opinion, attitudes and
needs. If students don’t know what their government does, how
can they utilize it or get involved?
USAC and the Daily Bruin are the two entities that should
shoulder most of the blame for student ignorance. While the council
regularly sends out USAC newsletters, buys advertising space for
programs in the Daily Bruin, passes out fliers, and generally tries
to get out information, other steps need to be taken to increase
visibility.
In the online USAC survey that my office recently sent out, 51
percent of the respondents indicated they found out about USAC by
reading about it in the Daily Bruin, making The Bruin by far the
biggest and most influential USAC information distributor.
With that said, The Bruin also must share the blame for not
providing coverage of important USAC programs, meetings, issues or
officer opinions. The Bruin has failed to introduce members of the
council or their respective offices to the student body in any
substantial fashion. Most students probably can’t even name
the USAC President, who is the symbolic figurehead of UCLA’s
student voice. And even when USAC does get press, The Bruin often
digs for scandal or inter-council drama, or prints inaccurate
statements or facts.
My point is not to bash the council or The Bruin staff in this
submission; it is rather to emphasize that there needs to be more
dialogue between USAC and The Bruin in order to effectively
disseminate correct information to the student body. This is the
essence of good governance.
One of the goals that I set for my office this year was to
increase student knowledge of USAC and to increase the
council’s visibility. I think the widespread apathy that
students have toward student government is a result of not knowing
what USAC is doing with the mandatory student fees that we all pay.
So this will be a quick lesson in what USAC is and what we as
council members do.
What is USAC? The official description states USAC is the
governing body of the Undergraduate Student Association whose
membership is comprised of every UCLA undergraduate student.
USAC’s 13 student officers and commissioners are elected by
UCLA undergraduates at an annual election held during Spring
Quarter. In addition to its 13 elected members, USAC includes
appointed representatives of the administration, alumni and
faculty, as well as two ex-officio members, the ASUCLA executive
director and a student finance committee chairperson who is
appointed by the President and approved by the rest of council. All
members of USAC may participate fully in council deliberations, but
only the 13 elected student members have a vote.
Council members have various functions. We are the advocates for
undergraduate students, we fulfill the educational mission of the
university by putting on or sponsoring beneficial programs, and we
responsibly engage many political, academic and social issues.
Some members of council are heads of large commissions, which
put on noon-time activities, concerts, the Jazz Reggae festival,
Ackerman movies, Children’s Walk, Safety and Health fairs,
blood drives and much more. Also, the Community Service Commission
oversees over 20 volunteer outreach programs, and the Facilities
Commission deals with issues regarding construction projects and
all facilities used by students.
This is only a limited description of the responsibilities and
capabilities of USAC. Each respective office can also choose to
work on individual projects of concern, or address issues that
students have brought to the council’s attention.
For example my office has focused on safety issues, conducted
the first USAC online survey, and worked with the other general
representatives on parking issues, while carrying out normal USAC
functions like attending meetings every Tuesday night.
Like me, all members of this year’s council have worked
long and hard hours, and we have worked together effectively. I can
honestly say we have tried our best to cover the wide range of
issues that confront students on a daily basis.
In order to improve the current situation, I suggest that USAC
and the Daily Bruin agree on mutual goals. Both organizations
should help each other in disseminating and reporting accurate
information on issues, problems and newsworthy matters. USAC should
establish a rotating column that highlights certain council members
and that displays the issues that their offices are working on. The
Daily Bruin should try to introduce council members and their
projects to the student body so that the perceptions of USAC match
the amount of good work that gets done.
Finally, although I respect the separation of media and
politics, the Daily Bruin editorial staff and USAC members should
have regular meetings so that the culture of suspicion that plagues
both organizations disappears. We all work for UCLA students so we
should maximize our efforts by working together.