With experience on the University of California Students Association running student lobby clinics and organizing students to attend conferences, Jeanalee Obergfell has what it takes to lead as the USAC external vice president.
Obergfell has some very specific and focused goals in her platform, including lobbying for a decrease in student fees, increasing financial aid and funding for academic-preparation programs.
She has good ideas about how to better relationships with state legislators and has already made connections with students from California and across the country by attending conferences and networking.
The external vice president is one of the most important offices on council because of the long-term efforts involved.
No single officer can make effective changes in one year, and it takes a series of very committed and focused people running the office for years to maintain relationships with legislators and work toward a goal.
Part of opponent Bruins United candidate Justin Hotter’s platform is expanding the lobbying efforts of the office to include the Los Angeles City Council on behalf of Westwood residents.
Hotter wants to work on Westwood sidewalks, lighting, rent control and other issues that, as he puts it, “have a direct and tangible effect on students.”
And though Hotter told this board he would not cut back on the state and national lobby efforts, with a limited staff and budget it would be hard for him not to.
Hotter’s ideas for the office are also repetitive, as they fall under several other people’s campaigns and should be worked on through other bodies, such as the new Westwood Neighborhood Council.
The external vice president’s office has been a gear in a very large statewide UC student lobby effort, which has included getting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to buy out student fee increases last year.
Organizations like UCSA, which takes funding from UCLA students and has a seat on its board reserved for the USAC external vice president, demand time and consistent commitment.
Obergfell has already had a seat on the UCSA board for two years and has participated in efforts to lobby on behalf of students and introduce beneficial legislation.
She has also been an active participant in the Office of the External Vice President ““ experience that Hotter simply does not have.
But there are problems with Obergfell’s platform. This board would like to see her make an effort to expand her lobbying beyond these three core issues and make an effort to expand on the ideas of previous external vice presidents to work toward change.
If Hotter has too broad of a platform, Obergfell has limited herself too much.
Her idea to expand UCLA Lobby Day would be influential, but it is only one conference, and her idea to institutionalize the Students Vote! Coalition is confusing because there is no election next year.
Hotter also makes a very good point in his platform, which is that the external vice president’s office needs to be more transparent. Historically, the office has been very closed to outside students and mired in slate politics.
This year, applications for travel funding and conference attendees were instituted, and Obergfell said she has plans to continue this practice and work additionally on transparency.
Obergfell should make a steady and consistent effort to let students into her office with a diverse set of ideas and slate affiliations.
A group’s ability to obtain travel funding through the office, or a student’s ability to attend a conference, should not be limited by any factors other than their qualifications.
That having been said, this board has confidence in Obergfell’s ability to inspire students to lobby as well as to teach her staff all of the necessary skills to continue in the office’s excellent tradition of advocacy.
A final thing to note about Obergfell is that her candidate statement was turned in to this board four hours after the deadline. Hopefully in the future she can be more organized.