Editorial: New USAC slate will encourage competition, expand representation

A new slate will run candidates in this year’s student government elections – a move we hope will encourage healthy competition and broader student representation within the Undergraduate Students Association Council.

The slate is called True Bruin, and its core values align with its namesake. The goal of the slate is to represent all students, instead of just the small percentage that the current slates focus on, said third-year political science student and True Bruin co-chair Taylor Bazley.

It’s too early to know how large the new slate will grow, whether it will live up to its principles, or what it will achieve. But at the very least, the introduction of a new slate will bring more candidates and more ideas into USAC elections.

Typically, the Bruins United slate – which currently holds nine out of 13 council seats – has been identified with Greek organizations. The slate was founded in 2004 by students from Greek organizations, Hillel, Bruin Republicans and Bruin Democrats.

The Students First! slate, which chose not to participate in last year’s elections, was identified with campus cultural groups.

But with only these two options, USAC can seem irrelevant or out-of-touch to a large part of the student body.

The introduction of a new slate means there will be more candidates reaching out to students not already engaged in USAC.

According to Bazley, True Bruin’s approach is different from the current slates’ in that they do not want to appeal to any one group, but rather to all students.

Their goal is for members of the slate to consent unanimously to a candidate in order for that candidate to run for office.

True Bruin’s goal of reaching out to all groups on campus, instead of a small selection, is a good one. This board hopes that this move will spur other slates to address issues on campus that are important to commonly overlooked student groups.

We also think True Bruin is starting off right by making transparency a priority. Both the chairs’ personal phone numbers are listed on the website, and meetings, which are open to everyone, are posted on Facebook before they happen, Bazley said.

The current USAC council has started making efforts to increase its transparency and reach out to different parts of campus. This week, the council will hold its Tuesday meeting on the Hill instead of in Kerckhoff Hall.

We hope commitment to reaching out to as many students as possible is a priority among all slates as election season gets into full swing.

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