Now that elections are over, the transition between the outgoing
and incoming undergraduate student governments has begun.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council of the 2002-2003
term said they had accomplished most of their goals and gained
valuable experience as they meet for the very last time tonight.
They will make way for the new council, who will be meeting for the
first time.
The newly-elected USAC officers will be sworn in and officially
begin their term at tonight’s meeting.
Most council members of this year’s term said they will
leave the table happy about the accomplishments they have made
throughout the year.
Changing the budget allocation process at the beginning of the
year was a big step forward for USAC, said President David
Dahle.
Dahle said other accomplishments USAC made were the passage of
the fall referendum to increase the council budget and the
implementation of online voting.
External Vice President Chris Neal said he believed he achieved
his goal of representing students on a state, national and global
level.
Neal also said his goals changed throughout the year with
different needs that arose.
For example, the EVP office took on an unexpected teaching role
for different student groups when they needed instruction on how to
apply for funding, Neal said.
Despite the achievements they made, Dahle and Neal said they
were not able to accomplish all their goals.
“I wanted to expand funding for all independent groups but
I didn’t get to do that,” Dahle said, adding that it is
still an important issue that next year’s council will have
to address.
In the same sense, Neal said he was not able to expand his
office and establish a solid staff as he had hoped at the beginning
of his term.
USAC commissioners also said they had accomplished most of their
goals through the use of the fee referendum. Students consented to
pay an additional $9.25 in USAC fees each quarter, when they
approved the referendum last fall.
Campus Events Commissioner Ryan Wilson said he made good use of
the increased funding by increasing the commission’s
advertising and programming from past years.
Some council members said though they feel their duties in
office are done, they will still help their replacements make the
transition into office next term.
“My focus for the next few days is going to be making sure
(the next internal vice president) transitions well,” said
current IVP T.J. Cordero.
Though the IVP-elect Allende Palma-Saracho was the
office’s chief of staff this year, being an actual elected
representative is different, Cordero said. Cordero said he would
help Palma-Saracho in overseeing the office and managing daily
operations.
Next year’s council members said their first goal is to
build a staff.
Matt Kaczmarek, the EVP-elect, said he would focus on staff
recruitment because he believed nothing can get done without a
staff.
Josh Lawson, a general representative-elect, agreed that setting
up office will be key to successful programming throughout the
year.
Some members of this year’s council said they hoped the
student body was in good hands next year.
“I hope next year’s council works to represent all
of the student body,” Dahle said.