The three candidates running for the internal vice presidential
position of the undergraduate student government all said their top
priority would be to increase council’s visibility if they
were elected next week.
As the Undergraduate Students Association Council’s
second-in-command, an understanding of council is important for the
position, said current IVP T.J. Cordero.
The IVP’s main function is to be council’s liaison
to various on-campus entities like the administration, student
groups and faculty, Cordero said.
The candidates, Kendra Carney, Allende Palma-Saracho and Gideon
Baum, said they had specific goals to expand the office’s
effectiveness and visibility on campus.
“Most students don’t even know what IVP stands
for,” said Carney, third-year neuroscience student from the
United Independents slate. “It should be easier to reach
counsel.”
Carney said she would have office hours on Bruin Walk, produce a
bi-quarterly newsletter, improve the office’s Web site and
outreach to residents on the hill to make USAC more accessible.
Carney added that she would attempt to contact every student group
on campus to solicit input.
Though she has no direct experience in the IVP office, Carney
said she was involved in USAC through other ways.
Carney said she had some experience working in the Financial
Supports Commission contacting student groups about base budget
allocations. Carney also said she had extensive community service
experience as the philanthropy chair in the Delta Delta Delta
sorority.
Carney added that she had worked with councilmembers when she
travelled to Sacramento for the University of California Students
Association Lobby Day in March. Students went to Sacramento under
the leadership of External Vice President Chris Neal.
“I work well with a lot of different people. … The trip
to Sacramento showed me it is possible to work together with other
councilmembers,” Carney said.
A second candidate, Palma-Saracho, a third-year American
literature & culture and Chicano studies student, also said one
of his main goals is to have greater USAC access on campus.
Palma-Saracho is a member of the Students First! slate.
Palma-Saracho said he also wanted to provide student services to
mitigate the impact of the budget cuts and facilitate student group
interaction. He would do this by inviting organizations to USAC
meetings to present and discuss issues each month. He added that he
would make students aware of the services available to them.
In addition to working to improving other housing and
transportation services, Palma-Saracho also said he would work to
keep BruinGo! free for students.
As far as experience goes, Palma-Saracho said his experience is
unmatched. Palma-Saracho is the current chief of staff for the IVP
office and coordinated many of its programs this year. There is
about $1,956 left in the IVP budget that Palma-Saracho said would
be used for programs like the budget cuts forum later this
quarter.
He is also the vice chair of the Student Fee Advisory
Committee.
The third candidate, Baum, a second-year political science
student, said he hopes to remedy the “deep state of
crisis” that USAC is currently in. Baum is from the Students
United for Reform and Equality slate.
There are students who want to know about USAC and get involved
but don’t feel that student government is reaching out to
them, Baum said.
Baum said he wants to bring the individual back to student
government. He would program a USAC welcome week and introduce USAC
to incoming freshmen during orientation. Baum said he plans to
bring student groups together by creating a leadership forum.
Baum added that he would draw from his experience as the
co-president of the Jewish Student Association and his duties as
chief of staff for the USAC President David Dahle’s office.
There is currently $2,681 left in the president’s budget, of
which Dahle said everything but about $300 would be used.
Candidates agreed that each of their slates promotes
accountability to the students.
“The principles of (accessibility and non-partisanship)
advocate the representation of all students,” Carney
said.