A commissioner of the undergraduate student government announced
Friday his separation from the slate he had been affiliated with
for the past two quarters and his desire to become an independent
for the remainder of the school year.
Andrew LaFlamme, the Undergraduate Students Association
Council’s Financial Supports Commissioner, said he was
detaching himself from the Students United for Reform and Equality
slate in an effort to better represent students. Slates are
coalitions of students formed during council elections to
strengthen their chances of winning seats.
LaFlamme’s slate affiliation is no longer providing a
benefit to him, he said.
“My slate affiliation had helped me provide better
representation for students, but it has been serving that purpose
less and less,” LaFlamme said. “(The split) is best for
me personally and best for the slate.”
LaFlamme added that his slate affiliation had also presented a
barrier to working with all of council, especially councilmembers
of the Student Empowerment! slate.
LaFlamme said he also disagreed with the rest of S.U.R.E. on the
role that slates should play in USAC. Ideally, LaFlamme said he
would like to see a council free of slate influence.
While LaFlamme wanted to loosen councilmembers’ ties with
the slate, the rest of S.U.R.E. wanted to tighten them, he
said.
LaFlamme said he had been considering the decision throughout
winter quarter and had come to a final decision over spring
break.
Some councilmembers said they were not surprised by
LaFlamme’s decision.
There had been ongoing discussion between LaFlamme and S.U.R.E.
throughout the year about the slate’s direction, said General
Representative Adam Harmetz.
“(LaFlamme) wanted to take the slate in one direction and
the slate didn’t want to follow,” Harmetz said.
“We realize this is a make or break quarter for us; we
have to get back to fundamentals “¦ (LaFlamme) didn’t
realize that,” Harmetz said.
But there is no hostility between LaFlamme and the slate,
S.U.R.E. councilmembers said.
“There is no animosity between (LaFlamme) and the rest of
S.U.R.E.; we respect his decision,” said President David
Dahle, who led the slate during last year’s campaign.
Most councilmembers also agreed that LaFlamme’s split from
the slate would not greatly impact council’s functioning as a
whole.
“I am optimistic that everything will be the same.
Hopefully this incident won’t affect council,” said
Internal Vice President T.J. Cordero, an Empowerment! member.
S.U.R.E. councilmembers shared the sentiment.
LaFlamme and the rest of the S.U.R.E. members see eye-to-eye on
most issues and USAC would not be significantly affected, Dahle
said, adding that it’s hard to predict whether the slate
would be weakened in any way.
Still, Harmetz said he felt the slate remained strong especially
as the USAC spring elections approach.
“It doesn’t weaken us in the elections,”
Harmetz said, adding that he believes in S.U.R.E. and plans to take
an active role in the slate’s leadership next year.
LaFlamme, who is not graduating this year, said he is not yet
sure of his council plans for next year.