Meeting on Hill hopes to bring student engagement

The undergraduate student government will hold its weekly meeting to the Hill tonight instead of the usual Kerckhoff Hall location, in an effort to reach out to more students.

The Undergraduate Students Association Council will meet tonight at 7 p.m. in the Covel Commons West Coast Room at the same time as the On-Campus Housing Council, the Hill’s student government, holds their meeting.

OCHC will meet on the third floor of Covel Commons in the North Ridge Room, instead of meeting in Tom Bradley International Hall as usual. Before both councils have their regular meetings, their members will be available to talk with students about what they do.

Berky Nelson, a USAC administrative representative who has been on the council for over 10 years, said this is the first time in recent memory that USAC has met on the Hill.

“By having both our meetings going on in the same vicinity, we are hoping students will take advantage of this and know their student government is more approachable,” said Andrea Hester, USAC internal vice president, who initiated the location change.

This is the first time USAC and the OCHC are collaborating for their meetings, Hester said.

Oprah Revish, the co-adviser for the housing council and assistant resident director of Delta Terrace, said the two councils hope to inform more students about what they do through the partnership.

Hester said USAC has been informing students about the meeting through a Facebook event.

In addition, they are encouraging members of OCHC to contact Hill residents and influence them to attend the meetings.

Several students, however, said they were unaware of tonight’s meeting, despite these efforts.

Amit Bhasin, a second-year business economics student, said he didn’t know about the meeting, but thinks the change in location is a good move because the Hill is closer to where many students live. He added he might attend the event and meeting.

Mitchel Misaki, a first-year psychology student, said he thinks USAC should consider meeting on the Hill more often.

USAC President David Bocarsly said he hopes future councils will continue to hold meetings in different places to increase visibility.

USAC plans to have a meeting in the Student Activities Center within the next month and another a little later in the quarter, he said.

The goal is to hold two meetings a quarter in locations that are more accessible to students, Hester said.

“We hope students will be compelled to speak up at (today’s) meeting and get involved,” she said.

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