By George Fujii Daily Bruin Contributor Eight students are vying
for three general representative positions, making this the most
contested position in next week’s undergraduate student government
elections.
Unlike many other positions on the Undergraduate Students
Association Council, the three general
representatives, according to USAC’s bylaws, have broadly
defined duties  "representing the collective interests of the
student body" and working with other campus groups.
Candidates from this year’s two slates plus three independents
seek the general representative position.
The Praxis slate, which stands for "reflection and action," and
its predecessor, Students First!, have held a majority of USAC
seats since 1995. This year, Praxis is running three general
representative candidates.
Ryan Bulatao, a second-year civil engineering student, plans to
create organizational fairs at the beginning of fall and spring
quarters to increase student involvement in campus programs.
He wants USAC to work closely with students and
administrators.
"USAC should be a partner with students (and) also a voice for
the administration to the students," he said.
Bulatao also serves on this year’s USAC Finance Committee, which
approves funding requests from student groups. He wants to hold
workshops on writing effective budget proposals, so student groups
can be better funded.
Cheryl Lott, a fourth-year African American studies, Chicana/o
studies and political science student is also running on the Praxis
slate.
This year, Lott served as a staff member for current general
representative Wendy Sanchez and worked on creating a hate crimes
policy.
Lott plans to finalize a hate crimes policy, push for joint
cultural programs between campus groups, and better publicize
existing self-defense workshops.
"I would like to raise campus safety at large," Lott said,
adding that she would work with UCPD to identify dangerous areas of
campus.
Lott said that she and Praxis are open to working with people of
different views.
"We invite people from all different backgrounds," Lott said.
"Student government is not a hierarchical organization."
Elisa Sequeira, a third-year political science student, is the
final Praxis general representative candidate.
Her primary goals are to inform students about education issues
through quarterly forums and to increase participation in retention
and community service programs.
She said being an immigrant has led to her interest in
educational issues.
"I’ve seen the inequalities in our social system and I have a
passion about education," Sequeira said. "More of us should be
giving back to the community."
She also plans to hold supply drives for community service
programs and advocates increased funding for student-led outreach
and retention programs.
"I think UCLA students care about the betterment of society,"
she said.
Viable Alternative, a new slate opposing Praxis, is running two
candidates for general representative. Viable Alternative stresses
campus issues over student advocacy under its slogan of "Putting
the student back in USAC."
Noah Bookman, a third-year American literature and culture
student, has served a variety of positions in on-campus
housing.
"I consider myself a very qualified student leader," he
said.
To increase student awareness of USAC, Bookman plans regular
office hours, monthly USAC meetings at the residence halls, and
tabling at every orientation session.
"I think a lot of students feel alienated by USAC," he said.
Bookman also wants campus libraries to open one hour earlier,
at
7 a.m., and would work to create a three-day weekend parking
pass for visitors.
Bill Elliott, a second-year history and political science
student, is Viable Alternative’s leader and a general
representative candidate.
Elliott, chief of staff for current General Representative Adam
Rosenthal, was also Joe Bruin, UCLA’s mascot, this year.
He plans to improve UCLA’s relationship with Westwood. He wants
to create an incentives program for Westwood businesses which
accept the BruinCard and offer students study space.
He does not see a revived Westwood as a threat to the Associated
Students of UCLA, which runs campus restaurants and the student
store.
He also plans a regular series of debates in Meyerhoff Park on
current issues.
"This campus often doesn’t have a sense of itself," Elliott
said.
Three independents are also seeking to be general
representatives.
Katrina Eiland, a first-year political science student, said the
current council does not relate to all students.
"The group that’s in power represents only a small group of
students on campus," Eiland said.
She wants to make USAC fund student groups more proportionally
according to their size and to improve campus parking and
safety.
"We have a very, very small amount of parking," Eiland said.
She said not having a slate has its advantages.
"By being an independent candidate, I am more open to form
alliances with other people," she said.
Dan Moroaica, a first-year economics student and a member of the
Bruin Republicans, plans to work primarily on campus issues.
"World affairs are interesting but that is not our job as USAC,"
he said.
Specifically, Moroaica wants to increase the value of dorm lunch
meal coupons from the current $1.85 to $3, and fight parking fee
increases.
"I’m very upset by the (proposed) raise in parking fees," he
said.
He said being independent allows him to better reflect student
concerns.
"Slates are not for me," Moroaica said. "I think USAC needs some
fresh new ideas and they need them now."
Kendra Striegler, a first-year history student, said her primary
goal is ensuring equal funding, or that student groups receive most
of the funding that they request.
For example, she said the Greek system, of which she is a
member, received inadequate funding from USAC this year.
"I don’t believe any group should receive more attention than
others," Striegler said.
She also said that campus groups should reach out to all members
of the UCLA community.
CANDIDATES FOR GENERAL REPRESENTATIVE
Ryan Bulatao
Slate:
Praxis
Bill Elliot
Slate:
Viable Alternative
Cheryl Maire Lott
Slate:
Praxis
Noah Bookman
Slate:
Viable Alternative
Elisa Sequeira
Slate:
Praxis
Dan Moroaica
Slate:
Independent
Katrina Eiland
Slate:
Independent
Kendra Striegler
Slate:
Independent
SOURCE: candidates
Original graphic by JACOB LIAO/Daily Bruin
Web adaptation by EDWARD CHIAO