By Karen E. Graulich
Daily Bruin Contributor Student Empowerment! candidates Jenny Lam
and Allende Palma-Saracho are running for two of three general
representative positions on the Undergraduate Student Association
Council. Their goals are quite specific, yet they did not give much
information on how they would like to accomplish them. The function
of having general representatives is to represent student views and
opinions to the more specific USAC commissioners.
Jenny Lam
Hate crimes and child care Lam plans on making
hate-crime awareness and student access to child care services her
two main issues. The definition of “hate crime” is too
broad and elaborate, she said. When asked to define it, she said:
“It’s so broad I wouldn’t be able to.” But
if elected, she plans to eventually define hate crime. She said the
statement “I hate USC” would not classify as hate
crime, but saying “I hate the president” would.
Although only five hate crimes have been reported to the UCPD since
1999, she feels hate crimes are a serious problem at UCLA. She also
feels it is unfair that not enough students are given access to
child care services, which she said currently serves 2,000
students. It is her goal to work with child-care services so that
they cater to low-income students. Although she did not take a
position on other issues relating to the rest of the student body,
she said she recognizes “issues students are facing right
now.” She also was unable to articulate the issues of her own
slate. Lam would like to implement a resource fair to educate UCLA
students about hate crimes. She would like to have workshops about
hate crimes but would allow other officers to focus workshops on
other issues as well.
Allende Palma-Saracho
Workers’ rights and transportation
Palma-Saracho would like to work to continue the BruinGO! program
and protect workers rights. He feels BruinGO! helps promote
education and helps UCLA workers get to work. He would like to stop
the Associated Students of UCLA employees from being sub-contracted
and help them vote for unionization. When asked to rank his list of
goals in relation to other issues, such as housing, he said that
“it’s hard to be able to prioritize something.”
His priorities are not necessarily set by the public, he said.
“It’s dangerous to go by what the general public wants
because the general public is homophobic or sexist,”
Palma-Saracho said. “We don’t care about issues that
affect other people and that is homophobic,” he said.
Diversity at the university Both candidates are
for a diversity requirement in the UCLA curriculum. “The goal
of USAC is to promote diversity ““ different beliefs,
cultures, gender issues, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender. It is a
form of educating people as we relate as a group,”
Palma-Saracho said. Lam has conflicting statements about
affirmative action. She said she was against Proposition 209, which
bans affirmative action in the state, but said she was upset that
the UC regents repealed SP-1 and SP-2, which prohibited the use of
race in UC hiring and admissions. “I hope this year (the
regents) re-decide on this,” Lam said.
The push for state-subsidized housing Both
candidates are for state-subsidized housing, though neither said
how they will to get these funds. Palma-Saracho said that he
doesn’t feel he has much influence over housing. Lam hopes
the completion of De Neve Plaza will create more space, though
rooms are complete and many students have already moved in. She
believes it is better to have more rooms occupied as triples than
having people living in lounges.