Three hopefuls for the undergraduate student government’s
general representative positions said they would work to better
represent the diversity on campus if elected this spring.
As one of the Undergraduate Students Association Council’s
general representatives, candidates would be mainly responsible for
representing the collective needs of the student body, according to
council’s bylaws.
The candidates are Jenny Gálvez, Nelson Saldaña and
Linda Lam. Gálvez, Saldaña and Lam are three of nine
candidates that are running for the general representative
positions.
Each of the three candidates said they would work with the
flexibility of the office to implement programs that would better
represent students. All three candidates are members of the
Students First! slate.
Second-year history and political science student Jenny
Gálvez said one of her priorities would be to educate students
and solicit their input about the diversity requirement. Having
advocated for a diversity requirement at UCLA this year,
Gálvez said most students were uninformed about the issue.
Gálvez, also a member of the student group MEChA, added
that she is concerned with the student health services on campus,
especially in light of the state budget cuts this year. She would
work to maintain the free HIV testing and flu services at the Ashe
Center, she said.
Another candidate, Nelson Saldaña, a second-year
microbiology and engineering student, also said he had a
“vision” to improve the campus.
Saldaña said his goals are to increase diversity within
student organizations, bridge the gaps between the organizations
and promote student leadership. He said he would accomplish this by
coordinating an “Org Day” on campus.
“I want to bridge the polarity between (student
groups),” Saldaña said. “We stick together within
our own organizations but don’t work together as we
should.”
Saldaña is also an activity coordinator of Samahang
Pilipino and a Student Health Advocate in the dorms.
Linda Lam, a third candidate and third-year psychology and Asian
American studies student, also said educating students on different
issues would be a priority if she were elected. Lam is a member of
the Asian Pacific Coalition.
Lam said she would work to repeal the minimum progress
requirement and advocate against the Racial Privacy Initiative, a
2004 ballot measure that would prohibit state agencies from
collecting race-based data.
Some candidates said they would work to remedy what they said
were shortcomings of this year’s general representative
offices.
“(The office’s) main role has been to be connected
with the student body and that hasn’t been done in the last
year,” Gálvez said. “Our job should be to expose
students to resources.”
Saldaña agreed that he wanted to increase the visibility of
council so students would know that USAC is there for them.
All candidates belonged to the Students First! slate and assured
they would put student needs first, before slate interests.
“As a general representative I have to take into account
how the campus is feeling and be able to make a decision for
students,” Lam said.