It was 9 o’clock on a Friday night when Jenny Wood, a
presidential candidate for the undergraduate student government
walked hurriedly to the interview.
She wasn’t coming from a party, date, or dinner with her
sorority. She was coming from a meeting ““ the final one in a
series of meetings and work that had her booked from 8 a.m. until 9
p.m. that day.
“That Jenny is an energizer bunny,” said Jason
Gaulton, the current Campus Events commissioner who works with her
on some campaigns.
Wood currently holds one of the general representative positions
on the Undergraduate Students Associations Council and is running
under the Student Power! slate. She said her schedule is booked in
30 minute increments of meetings with campus organizations, task
forces working on USAC campaigns, work, classes, and office hours
to hear students’ concerns.
“Sometimes when I talk to Jenny, I have to ask her how
much sleep she’s getting, so I am concerned, but I know
she’s really dedicated. She would rather empower students
than sleep,” said Blinker Wood, Wood’s brother.
Wood could have graduated this year, but decided to stay another
year to continue to advocate for university access, provide
opportunities for a holistic undergraduate experience and for the
prioritization of students on campus ““ her main goals for
running this year.
Walking back from being photographed for the Daily Bruin, Wood
said she would rather live forever than die tomorrow because there
are many more events and services she wants to plan and provide.
Extending her college career for another year is her way of
pursuing her aspirations.
Wood is one of four siblings and said that it was her two older
brothers and the time she has spent with them that helped her
develop her character.
“(My brothers) used to babysit my younger sister and me
all the time, and I used to help my older brother build his
school’s homecoming floats. We were always really
close,” Wood said.
In previous years, councils led by the same slate Wood will
represent have been criticized for only representing a fragment of
the student body and addressing issues that do not apply to the
majority of students.
The other two presidential candidates are running on the basis
of changing that trend.
But Wood believes a change is not necessary and would like to
continue the work of this years council.
Wood said that often times students who do not have access to
better educational tools may have exceptional learning or
leadership skills, but not have the GPA or test scores.
To mitigate what she sees as a problem with access to education,
Wood wants to work with outreach organizations to help create a
summer program that would educate students about UCLA’s
academics.
The university has “special admits” that may
constitute up to 6 percent of the total admitted students every
year who do not meet the minimum eligibility criteria. Currently
only about 2 percent of that permit is being used, much of it for
admitting student athletes. Wood wants to see the entire 6 percent
used to increase access to UCLA.
She also plans to revitalize specific student spaces by creating
a multi-use space for all student organizations with computer
access, fax machines and phones.
Wood wants to maximize access for students by streamlining the
facilities reservation process with a central Web site including
Student Union and UCLA Events facility calendars posted so that
student organizations can see what is available at all times.
Wood also said she would like to establish more gender-neutral
bathrooms on campus by changing some existing ones to cater to the
transgender community.
Wood started working with USAC her first year at UCLA through
different offices of USAC. In the past three years her involvement
varied from helping to organize the first Dance Marathon to being
the co-programming director at the Internal Vice President’s
office.
From the four years of practice and familiarity of working with
varying school organizations, she hopes to unite the groups in a
coalition to advocate for social justice.
In terms of the presidential office, Wood would like to expand
the existing student leadership class conducted by the current
president, Allende Palma/Saracho, and hopes to provide those
enrolled USAC interns with greater organizing skills while
receiving class credit.
Palma/Saracho pushed to have class credit awarded to the interns
currently enrolled, but was unable to because the class was not
recognized by the administration.
Wood’s other campaign platform ““ mandating the
prioritization of all students ““ addresses health care reform
within the Ashe Center.
She hopes to include rapid HIV testing, comprehensive STD
testing, increase accessibility to emergency contraception, and
ensure all health care includes the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender communities by demanding LGBT-sensitivity training for
Ashe Center physicians.
This past year in working with the general representatives
office, Wood helped coordinate the Students of Color Conference,
which brought over 500 students from across the state in workshops
and strategy sessions focused on hardships for minority
students.
Wood also collaborated with the Interfraternity Council,
Panhellenic Council, Student Welfare Commission, UCLA AIDS
Institute, and the Ashe Center to initiate Get Tested Week, an item
on her platform last year.
But all this involvement, Wood says, is second nature to
her.
“My parents both have very proactive personalities. My dad
is very determined and my mom is outspoken and
community-oriented.
“Both have influenced and helped in my development
tremendously,” Wood said.
Wood’s mother, Frances Wood, shared enthusiasm about her
daughter’s candidacy for president.
“We could never keep up with Jenny. She was always giving
110 percent of her time and effort in everything that she did.
“We’re all very excited and proud of her running
(for president),” Frances said.
“Jenny has always succeeded in everything that she has
done because of her work ethic and dedication to education and
service. That’s just our Jenny ““ she’s always
managed to do it and never fail at anything,” Frances
said.