The acronym USAC does not refer to a secret Army weapon. You
don’t have to worry about catching USAC if you visit another
country. It’s not an undisclosed location where Dick Cheney
hides. And, it’s not a test you have to take to get into the
UCLA honors program. But if you are a member of the UCLA community,
you should know how it can affect you.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council serves an
important role on campus, but last year only about 20 percent of
students voted for any candidate.
Thankfully, USAC council members continue to work, plan and
produce ““ and, despite their status as burgeoning
politicians, they do actually succeed in making the campus a better
place. USAC distributes hundreds of thousands of dollars to student
groups and event planners. This money comes from mandatory student
fees that eventually fund everything from culture nights and music
festivals to lobbying efforts and campus debates on issues such as
war.
And, of course, USAC also funds the Chess Club.
Students may say they do not care much about USAC, but many of
those same students probably do care about the Hip Hop Xplosion and
the Jazz-Reggae festival ““Â both put on by USAC’s
cultural affairs commission. USAC’s campus events commission,
meanwhile, uses subsidies to bring $2 movies to Ackerman Union.
These events benefit thousands of students and spice up the campus
atmosphere.
Even if students don’t care about funding or campus
groups, USAC is still important to their lives. USAC is the
official undergraduate group that defends the rights of the student
body when campus administrators or state legislators propose budget
cuts, fees or detrimental policies.
USAC has worked on several issues of significant impact
recently. When a minimum per-quarter unit requirement was being
established, USAC worked to ensure that the administration remained
sensitive to students who work many hours or are heavily involved
with extracurricular and community activities. With the state
budget in crisis, USAC sent representatives to lobby Sacramento so
that cuts to UCLA were as small as possible ““ they worked to
limit the student fee increase, something all students can
appreciate.
And, when war with Iraq was imminent, the council approved a
resolution against military action. Some students were upset by
USAC’s stance, but these students should also realize that
politics is a two-way process ““ if students don’t like
something the council does, they should do something about it. They
should tune in and turn on ““Â not drop out.
Though USAC’s goals sometimes seem too narrow, the council
is still able to offer something for everyone. This year there is
much more political diversity among the candidates than there has
been in recent years.
Students First!, Students United for Reform and Equality, the
United Independents, and others will vie for seats on next
year’s council. Candidates from all alignments should
remember that the Undergraduate Student Association is designed to
serve the students of UCLA, not to further the careers of campus
politicos. Only constituents, through their vote and other means of
expression, can ensure that USAC fulfills its mission.
As candidates prepare to ask students for their votes this
spring, each student should do his campus a favor: get informed,
think about and discuss the issues, and, if nothing else, at least
vote.