As voting takes place this week, you’re going to hear a lot about the different slates’ ideas for next year’s Undergraduate Students Association Council. There is an issue that is less often discussed: What did they actually do for me this year?
I got a call from a Daily Bruin columnist, Nam-Giao Do, this past weekend. She asked me one question, said thanks, and hung up. She proceeded to write an article about how Bruins United has done nothing this year (“Eight of 10 doesn’t amount to much,” May 6).
Now you could be confused here ““ since I was already on the phone with her, why didn’t she just ask what we’d done? Wasn’t she curious? Or maybe she just had already made up her mind.
So to make up for the Daily Bruin’s lack of curiosity, I’m going to tell you the answer to that unasked question: What did Bruins United actually do this year?
“¢bull; Created the business minor, which will offer classes starting summer 2009
“¢bull; Extended CSO hours so you can feel safer walking home
“¢bull; Raised the value of meal coupons to save students money
“¢bull; Fought against the apron parking ban and saved 300 parking spots in Westwood
“¢bull; Worked with the administration to keep the Undie Run alive
“¢bull; Exposed the fraudulent funding requests of a Students First! council member
“¢bull; Continued to fairly distribute funding to more student groups than ever
I could go on all night, but then I thought of another interesting question: What has Students First! done this year? I mean, it’s only fair to list their accomplishments, too, right? A few come to mind:
“¢bull; Had one out of their two council members resign after trying to forge funding documents
“¢bull; Put on the Annual JazzReggae Festival (a great concert ““ really, I’m not being sarcastic)
“¢bull; Continually voted against every new proposal Bruins United brought to make funding and office space more fair and to reform USAC
But hasn’t Bruins United failed at something? Of course. That’s what happens when you try big new things. My biggest idea last year was putting on a huge concert in Pauley Pavilion. Scheduling conflicts kept it from happening this spring, so it probably won’t happen until next fall.
Contrast that with Students First! candidate Homaira Hosseini, whose biggest idea for next year is to make a speech every quarter. Provided she will still able to speak after fliering this week, I’m fairly confident she could accomplish that one next year if she won. But what will that actually do for you?
This week, you all have an opportunity to vote for who you think will best spend the $120 you give to USAC every year. That’s an important choice, and I urge you to look into both slates and all candidates. But if you’re looking for a slate with a record of actually creating change on campus, for all students, I think the choice for most is pretty clear.
Bruins United was founded three years ago to end the corruption of Students First!
We are beholden to no one, and committed to making UCLA a better place for everyone. We are a coalition of Democrats, Republicans, students from North and South Campus, commuters, transfers, and students from everywhere who just want to make a change on our campus.
We submit to you, our fellow students, our record of accomplishments and our new ideas as proof of our ability to make USAC something that improves your life here at UCLA. Come check us out ““ we’ll be by the Bruin Bear all week.
Rose is the current USAC president and a member of Bruins United. He is a fourth-year student studying political science and communications.