“What does USAC stand for?” I asked some fellow
students in Ackerman Union.
The most popular answer was
“Uh … .”
Some people tried to take a good guess. “The University
Students Association of California?”
My favorite was “What’s USAC?”
““ a response that was uttered more than once.
The goal of my informal survey was not to embarrass anyone. I
freely admit that, prior to this column, the only thing I knew
about USAC (which actually stands for the Undergraduate Students
Association Council) was that as our student government, they are
supposed to be doing some kind of governing.
I say “supposed to” because in the two years
I’ve attended UCLA, I have never felt directly impacted by
anything USAC has done.
Wanting to know exactly where my student fees are going, I
attended one of USAC’s weekly meetings, which takes place in
Kerckhoff 417. There our representatives sit around a long table
while being observed by the painted portraits of people who appear
to be George Washington’s aunt and uncle.
The president of USAC, Marwa Kaisey, even had a gavel ““
which she used with a straight face.
The drawn out formalities ““ which lasted for two hours
““ made it easy for me to understand why several of the
council members were chatting online or scrolling through a
Facebook profile on their laptops.
Apparently I got lucky. Kaisey told me later that “usually
the meetings last for four hours.”
While I thought the formalities were trite and time-consuming,
the council seemed productive.
I learned that UCLA students have access to sneak previews of
films and $2 movies due to the Campus Events commissioner’s
hard work as a part of USAC.
According to the Community Service Commission’s Web site,
it is the largest student-run, student-initiated community service
organization in the nation ““ and also a branch of USAC. These
are only two of the many programs the council organizes.
“I don’t think (UCLA students) realize exactly what
USAC does,” Kaisey said.
Kaisey explained that she believes the lack of awareness about
USAC’s activities is due to the council’s need to do a
better job advertising their accomplishments and goals.
The organization could certainly use some good publicity.
USAC is commonly criticized for wasting time discussing
technical issues and for wasting money on advertising resolutions
they pass during their meetings. This summer, for instance, USAC
passed a resolution expressing their opinions on the conflict that
occurred between Israel and Lebanon.
Carlos Saucedo, a USAC general representative who voted for the
resolution, told me over the phone: “We’re not just
here trying to represent students on a campus level but on a
community level too.” Apparently Saucedo sees UCLA’s
community extending far beyond this tiny campus, all the way to the
Middle East.
“Do you really think resolutions like those have an
impact?” I asked Kaisey.
She admitted that it was “a waste of time” and had
“no influence” on the conflict. She emphasized that
USAC should be spending its energy on issues they could have a
tangible impact on.
Despite being a college student, Kaisey is still a politician.
She made sure to tell me to include that she thinks “the
people who wrote it felt fulfilled.”
I don’t know if a handful of people’s individual
fulfillment is worth the $990 of student fees that USAC generally
uses to pay for full-page ads in the Daily Bruin to advertise their
various resolutions.
But that’s beside the point. Kaisey’s request
reminded me that USAC is a political organization ““ and just
like politicians in higher levels of government, the council
members are prone to screwups if the public isn’t breathing
down their necks.
Despite its flaws, USAC does a fairly decent job. It’s sad
to think, however, that dozens of people are working around the
clock every day just for us, and we have no idea who they are or
how better to selfishly take advantage of them.
When I asked Derrick Washington, a fourth-year anthropology
student, if he understood what USAC was or did, he said
“vaguely,” and then added that USAC “does not
relate closely with my life.”
It’s time for USAC to begin revamping its image ““ or
at least create one. And it’s also time for more UCLA
undergrads to begin keeping up with the organization’s
activities.
By making itself more accessible, USAC will increase student
involvement ““ and by reading the news reports on their
incredibly dull meetings, we’ll know beforehand what
resolutions to stop them from passing and which members’ egos
need some serious deflating.
If you secretly use gavels without laughing, e-mail
Strickland at kstrickland@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to
viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.