During a luncheon and dinner Monday, candidates emphasized promoting social programs and increasing voter turnout for the upcoming Graduate Students Association elections, which start today.
John Slifko, director of elections for GSA, said the events were important opportunities for graduate students to familiarize themselves with the range of issues that may affect them.
“They need to hear the ideas that candidates are working on,” he said.
About 20 people attended the dinner held in the Kerckhoff study lounge. Slifko said about 70 people went to the luncheon.
The two candidates for GSA president were in attendance at the events, while Monica Sanchez, the candidate for vice president of external affairs, attended the lunch and Arpi Siyahian, the candidate for vice president of internal affairs, was present at the dinner. Janet Cummings Link, the candidate for vice president of academic affairs, did not attend either event.
Each candidate was given two minutes to make an introductory statement and then took questions from the audience.
In her introduction, Siyahian, a biological chemistry graduate student, said her involvement in GSA began through her work in student groups.
She said if elected she hopes to increase student involvement by upping GSA funding for student groups to put on more activities and programs.
Presidential candidate Nurit Katz, a graduate student pursuing a joint masters degree in public policy and business administration, said that through her energy and effort, she has much to offer graduate students if elected.
“I want to focus on bringing graduate students from different departments together,” she said. “(Graduate students) can spend their entire life in one building.”
Tony Dunbar, a doctoral student at the School of Education and Information Studies who is running against Katz for GSA president, said his main focus is stopping student fees from rising.
Starting a movement against fees will require a significant, coordinated effort, he said, describing it like “going to war.”
Students in attendance asked questions about how to connect graduate students with each other, the issue of endorsements in GSA elections, and diversity on campus.
Dunbar discussed the need to maximize opportunities for students to interact and said he had a media plan in which visual spaces on campus would be used to increase GSA presence.
The endorsement process is in need of reform, he said, also discussing his work in diversity, highlighting the work he did with eight graduate student groups to throw a “people of color” party off-campus.
Katz said candidates should be able to choose whether or not to seek endorsements, and should go throughout campus to talk to people, clubs and departments to ensure GSA is accessible to the graduate student community.
She would draw from diverse groups when choosing her cabinet appointments, she added. All candidates urged the audience to encourage other graduate students to vote in the elections, which begins today at noon online at MyUCLA. Last year’s elections had a voter turnout of 15.93 percent. The academic council with the highest voter turnout will receive a $500 prize from the GSA Elections Board, Slifko said.
The incentive and events are aimed at getting graduate students involved, and helping them learn what the candidates for GSA office have to offer, he said.
“They can bring creativity and intelligence to the UCLA community and help with the flow of information,” Slifko said.