In a year of crisis after crisis, we, the student body, responded by rising to the challenges. The hits kept coming, as people like to say, but we have managed to deliver concrete victories for students and advocate our needs.
Through the completion of an ambitious agenda, the Undergraduate Students Association Council has reached its true potential as a representative body working on behalf of students on real issues.
From the grassroots organizing that fostered the engagement of hundreds of students to lobbying representatives and hosting legislative representatives, the work of the External Vice President’s office has engaged students from all parts of campus. The work of the USAC EVP’s office has also been recognized by partners including the United States Student Association, which presented UCLA with the Campus of the Year Award for our significant efforts to challenge the student fee increase and our work to pass student aid reform.
The USAC Office of the President’s series of town halls during fall and winter quarters ensured that students had access to key administrators and resulted in a student position on the newly formed Restructuring Steering Committee. The efforts of the president’s and EVP’s offices led then-Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass to attend an open forum with UCLA students to discuss issues of higher education.
Every student felt the impact of rising fees and the financial crunch on the University of California system, the effects of which were felt in resources students utilize every day. The president, academic affairs commissioner and general representative 1 worked relentlessly to secure funding for Night Powell and to ensure that Covel Commons tutorials remained in full effect for the upcoming academic year.
The Academic Affairs Commission co-sponsored the USAC resolution in support of the international development studies major and worked with students of international development studies to demonstrate support for the major, ultimately leading to the reinstatement of the major. Additionally, the Financial Supports Commission expanded its textbook scholarship to address middle-income bracket students and launched the EduBudget website ““ a tool designed to help students better manage their finances.
Lastly, the program BruINTENT, sponsored by the Office of the Internal Vice President, highlighted the real struggle of students that are homeless.
We remained committed to bringing quality programming to the student body. The Cultural Affairs Commission alongside the Campus Events Commission successfully brought Jay-Z to campus so that students could witness the performance at a minimal cost.
This year, USAC can be summarized by one word: effective. It is rare when a group of highly motivated and committed individuals can come together and work toward a better university and a better world ““ this year’s USAC was able to do just that.
De La Fuente is a fourth-year Latin American studies and political science student.