Many of the candidates running for undergraduate student government positions were chosen during a party nomination process for each of the two campus political groups, Bruins United and Students First!.
Each slate ““ the equivalent of a campus political party ““ nominates potential candidates in a process similar to that of a caucus. Sixteen of the 20 candidates running for the 13 Undergraduate Students Association Council positions come from the two respective slates.
Student leaders from Bruins United and Students First! said their slate members began initial dialogue about potential candidates prior to spring break.
Gabe Rose, current president and campaign manager for Bruins United, said many students interested in running for office talked with several Bruins United members earlier in the year.
Students First! campaign manager Greg Cendana said his slate talked to many leaders of student organizations and asked them who they would consider potential candidates.
“We can figure out who potential candidates are when they stick out from other student leaders’ memories,” Cendana said.
Over several weeks, Bruins United and Students First! convened separately to discuss their potential candidates.
Bernice Shaw, the current Cultural Affairs commissioner from Students First!, said the nominating process consists of various meetings where candidates from last year’s slate discuss and agree on candidates for USAC positions.
Shaw said Students First! members take into account students’ past work, involvement on campus and commitment to Students First! issues such as affordability for college, sustainability and campus safety.
Cendana said Students First! nomination meetings are not structured. Instead, they try to incorporate as many students as possible, and once general consensus is made regarding all the candidates, Students First! members ask chosen students if they would be interested in running for particular offices.
Rose said Bruins United held similar meetings, which included past Bruins United candidates and interested students such as USAC staff members, other campus organizations’ members, friends of candidates and students with little USAC experience.
During these meetings, slate members discuss students who can embody Bruins United’s ideals of fairness and transparency, and students also stated their cases as to why they should be considered for candidacy, Rose said.
Rose said the nominating process is neither closed nor exclusive but rather an open forum for discussion.
“It is definitely not a smoke-filled room filled with party elders,” Rose said.
Rose said arguments over potential candidates occur every year during nominations, but members generally agree on the candidate selection.
“We eventually talk everything out,” Rose said. “Sometimes the candidates work it out among themselves.”
Rose said the nominating process occurred over many weeks because slate officials made sure each candidate is qualified for his or her position.
Jenn Lorch, chairwoman of Bruins United, said choosing candidates is an important process to consider.
“Bruins United seeks to ensure that our candidates have the utmost experience and qualifications,” Lorch said.
Cendana said his slate’s nomination process has not changed since he was a first-year student and has remained open and progressive.
“The process is very fluid and organic in nature,” Cendana said.