Across the campus, students are working alongside administrators and faculty members on a number of committees to make student voices heard.
Student representative participate in their respective committees’ decision-making processes while keeping their peers in mind.
A few students on some of the committees said they want undergraduate and graduate students to have the best cumulative college experience.
They pursue this shared goal by participating in the voting of proposals and the allocation of funds to campus and student organizations.
Navid Pour-Ghasemi, undergraduate representative of the Student Health Advisory Committee, said he joined the committee because he wants students with the university health care plan to have the most benefits at the smallest cost.
“Yeah. I know it’s a noble goal, but I’ve been going after it,” Pour-Ghasemi said.
“Health care affects absolutely everyone, especially students,” Pour-Ghasemi said. “Of course I love my job because it helps me make a difference.”
Chris Blair, student representative of the Student Fee Advisory Committee, said his committee involvement derives from his relentless curiosity and student interest.
“When I first applied for the position, I wanted to know how the school is run and where funding money comes from,” Blair said. “My position has been really helpful in clarifying these things for me, but I want the students to benefit from what I learned too.”
Both Pour-Ghasemi and Blair have different committee responsibilities and individual benefits as student representatives.
Blair is one of eight student representatives on the Student Fee Advisory Committee and said the majority of decisions within the committee are made by the student members.
Blair said he receives a $3,000 stipend each year during his two-year appointment.
“Knowing how the school works and what UCLA offers is more gratifying,” Blair said. “Occasionally, I also get a free pen.”
The Student Fee Advisory Committee is in charge of money derived from registration and course fees and determines student service funding and student group allocations. Once all the committee members vote on a proposal, the decision is sent to the chancellor for approval.
“The chancellor has the final say, but (the student representatives) do all the voting,” Blair said.
Mussarat Bata, student representative of the Academic Senate and member of the Daily Bruin publishing board, is one of other student committee members who provide student input but cannot have their votes counted.
Bata works on the Academic Senate’s Committee on Diversity and Equal Opportunity, which provides advice to the administration in order to advance faculty diversity through the recruitment of women and underrepresented minorities.
Though she does not have voting power, Bata said that she still contributes necessary student perspective and brings important diversity issues to faculty members’ attention during meetings.
“UCLA is a big campus and has people from all walks of life,” Bata said, “I help people to become more aware of the diversity. That awareness will make this campus seem smaller and less complicated.”
Unlike Bata, Pour-Ghasemi said that he and seven other students vote and provide student input to health services and programs at UCLA, including the Student Health Insurance Plan every year.
“We do vote as a committee. We aren’t just a mouthpiece,” Pour-Ghasemi said.
Pour-Ghasemi said he receives a $1,800 stipend during his two-year appointment, but the money is not his primary reason for being on the committee.
“I’m helping provide a service to students and administration. I can do that because there the committee has self-initiative,” Pour-Ghasemi said.
Similarly, Jesse Rogel, an undergraduate representative on the ASUCLA Board of Directors, said he receives a stipend that pays the equivalent of one year of student fees.
He said his council has a student majority of undergraduates and graduates. All the members of the ASUCLA Board of Directors oversee the administration of ASUCLA.
Rogel said the student majority often passes decisions regarding student employment and services by tabled voting.
“This board not only takes student members’ opinions into account but also has the voting power to change what it wants so students can benefit from (its) decisions,” Rogel said.