Wednesday, 5/7/97 Candidate rebuttal statements
Ben Hofilena President The Access Coalition is a group of
students of diverse backgrounds and interests who have a clear
vision for UCLA and the future of our student government. We are
not a "slate" of students who agree on everything; we are a student
coalition who fundamentally believes that student government should
be a vehicle for empowerment, advocacy and programming for all
undergraduates. Inherent in our name "Access Coalition" is our
commitment to fighting for access to this university and higher
education. This means that student government should be political
and should take strong and progressive action in advocating for
increased financial aid and lower registration fees, for the
empowerment of historically underrepresented groups, and for
ensuring that our university maintains its long commitment to
diversity. The Access Coalition is equally committed to opening the
doors to Kerckhoff Hall, providing access to more groups and
organizations to available resources. We believe that student
government should be accessible as a means for students to work
with their leaders on campus issues directly involving our quality
of life as students at this university, promoting student academic
success and ensuring the worth of our UCLA degree. Christopher M.
Hecht President This year is a monumental year for undergraduate
elections. The sheer number of candidates for president represents
the fact that students are dissatisfied with the two traditional
slates/coalitions running for office (for reasons of consistency I
will refer to them as "regimes"). … Being a realist, I know it is
impossible for every voice at UCLA to be heard, but what I can
ensure is that certain voices do not drown out the cries of others.
Upon examination of the regimes that traditionally dominate the
elections, it is clear that they have tunnel vision. By this I mean
only the concerns of their constituents will be heard. If these
political machines are not destroyed, issues of concern and campus
betterment will continue to be overlooked. What do I mean by this?
Well, for one, when last year’s regime was asked for an increase in
student fees of 700 percent to bail out a mismanaged ASUCLA, they
agreed. Students, who strongly opposed this increase, were ignored.
There was neither communication nor student referendum, thereby
leaving students truly muted. When it comes down to campus safety,
an issue during last year’s campaign, again USAC neglected to take
action, and student concerns a year ago and today, issues of safety
have failed to be addressed. In one week alone during this month,
18 automobiles were stolen from UCLA, according to a Daily Bruin
Crimewatch. These incidents of automobile accidents have
dramatically increased, and certain construction inhibiting traffic
does not alleviate these problems by any means. … Two examples,
you say? … Here is another: Next year, students will witness the
closure of Hershey Hall, and since first-year students no longer
have the guarantee of two years of on-campus housing, a large
number of students will be displaced. Again the cries of students
will not be heard. Bruin Vision, along with the other independent
candidates, is tired of the power-hungry elitism that is intrinsic
of our unethical opportunistic opponents. … James Burkhardt
Internal Vice President We find ourselves in a challenging time,
when tension is high and the university needs leadership that has
experience, integrity and vision. The current leadership has proven
itself to lack principles, consciousness and inclusiveness. The
lack of quality leadership has created a void on this campus – a
void that needs to be filled. As a Judicial Board justice, I have
experience within the structure of student government. During my
justiceship I encountered cases that required my understanding of
the UCLA Constitution, guiding documents and USAC structure.
Although I enjoyed my time as a J-Board justice, I was frustrated
by the apoliticalness of my position. I felt that my passion and
vision were being wasted. After contemplating the decision, I
decided that my qualifications and experience would best serve the
university at large through the office of the internal vice
president. Through the powers of the vice presidency, I would like
to bring ideas that make sense for the university: * Creation of a
Student Senate to ensure equal access to all student groups * A
constitutional amendment establishing the Judicial Board as an
effective governing body * A USAC Web page with links to each USAC
office, where students can interact with their representatives *
Mass e-mail to foster communication between representatives and the
student body * Twenty-four-hour access to Powell Library’s study
lounge and computer lab * Publication of professor evaluations *
Promoting campus safety by extending the hours of the CSO escort
service and increasing the lighting in parking structures These are
the visions that I see making our university a better place. I am
not, however, limited to these ideas. I am dedicated to giving
access to everyone at this university so that we can break the
swinging of the pendulum and move in only one direction – forward.
… Carol Lee Internal Vice President With the enormous
responsibility of the internal vice president, you need somebody
who not only knows how to run the office, but somebody who knows
how to get things done. As the current chief of staff of the
internal vice president’s office, I have worked on all aspects of
the office and with many other council offices and student
organizations as well. This year, we’ve been able to help restore
the residence hall meal coupons and increase their value by 30
cents; co-sponsor the Campus Interaction Forum and the current
Women’s Leadership Conference; publish the student government
newsmagazine; work with the many other Students First! Offices on
things like the Millennium Campaign and the Food Discount Program;
and establish a solid foundation upon which I want to continue to
build. Next year, I plan to focus on three major things: outreach,
student services and campus affairs. In terms of outreach, I plan
to continue to establish relations with students and student
organizations with programs like the Campus Interaction Forum and
an internship program to be set up with the president’s office. For
campus affairs, our office will continue to address all relevant
issues directly related to the UCLA campus including housing,
parking, ASUCLA, campus-based fees and construction. Finally, in
terms of direct student services, you will soon be seeing the Speak
Up! Program developed through our office where any comments,
suggestions, etc., can be given to us in little black boxes all
over campus where we are guaranteeing a one-week turnaround; and I
will be setting up a student advocate office where one-on-one
student advocates will be there to address the specific concerns of
individual students regarding such issues as late registration fee
payment, discrimination, and even immigration. … Joe Slone
Internal Vice President Something is wrong at UCLA. Throughout my
two years at this construction-mangled campus, I have noticed a
number of things. Although UCLA is probably the most diverse campus
in the nation, there is very little unity among various ethnic
groups on campus. … The average student is left out of the
process of student government. The student government is complacent
with the administration and the whims of ASUCLA to raise fees. USAC
is more concerned with state and local politics than with campus
issues. … From the eyes of the IVP, I see the two most important
issues being campus safety and promotion of multicultural and
preprofessional events on campus. Campus safety needs to be
addressed in a few ways. First, the amount of community service
officers needs be expanded greatly. As a personal dedication to
that cause, I and the other members of Bruin Vision plan to donate
our USAC stipends to that program should we be elected. USAC is a
game of funding student groups. I believe some groups are
overfunded and some groups are underfunded now. … It would make
sense to fund larger events, involving more students, especially
ones from outside particular groups. I propose "cultural festivals"
to be held outside during the daytime to involve many students, and
allow groups to "branch out" to people who would not attend one of
their events otherwise. This is not to say groups shouldn’t hold
events by themselves as well, but it would be great for seemingly
nonsimilar groups to stage an event. Preprofessional organizations
are of paramount importance to UCLA, and are sometimes overlooked.
Bruins need jobs when they graduate. Job fairs are a great start,
but I want to provide enhanced support to expand the chances of
graduating Bruins getting jobs. … David Krinsky External Vice
President Students First! keeps mentioning "500 Years of Oppression
for People of Color." While there is no denying the disadvantages
that people of color face, this statement shows that Students
First! has clearly overlooked several groups when choosing its
focus. … While there may be a multitude of student groups on this
campus, there is no one group on campus that actively represents
all women. I propose a women’s coalition that will be drawn up of
representatives from the different racial, ethnic and gender groups
on this campus. While the group will be primarily composed of
women, men will be strongly encouraged to get involved as overall
change cannot be accomplished from only one side. This coalition
will be able to better address women’s issues on this campus, as
well as to provide a unified voice for UCLA’s women to the outside
community. Furthermore, the carefully constructed diversity of the
coalition will help promote unity and understanding between the
different groups represented. Another overlooked group is the gay
and lesbian community. Discriminated against for much longer than
500 years and not just in this country, the gay community needs
USAC’s support and legal power to help fight the ban of same-sex
marriages and other issues that affect the community. …
Furthermore, the gay community knows no color lines and should
therefore receive more support from all the different student
groups. Another group that knows no color lines is the Jewish
community. … Despite the fact that the Jewish Student Union has
established several multi-racial Jewish groups, USAC usually acts
with the view that all Jews are Caucasian and, along the same
lines, does not include mention of the 6 million Jews killed in an
attempted genocide hardly 50 years ago. It’s time USAC recognized
the hardship and biases that the Jewish community has faced in
recent years. … Marc Olson External Vice President Special
Students First! has failed. Instead of representing the interests
of all students it bows to the pressure of a select few student
groups. All other students fight over the ever-shrinking pie.
ASUCLA is in seven-figure debt because of the reckless spending of
your present student government. Because of this, your fees to
ASUCLA will be raised by over 700 percent next year. I believe that
you have the right to choose how that money is spent. If you do not
like the practices of your student government you should be able to
demand your money back and use it as you see fit. Student
government should not make arbitrary decisions about what student
groups and activities get funded. Student groups should also not
rely on student government to underwrite their expenses. They need
to be responsible for their own income and budgets. I also believe
that you have the right to free speech. Under current university
policy, by using words deemed offensive or hateful, you could be
kicked out of the university. Truly free speech is the only way to
ensure free discourse of ideas. Hate speech codes are the first –
not the last – infringement on academic freedom and free speech.
You need a student government which will fight for the rights of
every individual student and not sway to the pressure of power
groups. Jamil Jaffer Academic Affairs I am seeking election to the
office of academic affairs commissioner as a member of the Access
Coalition. In considering who to vote for, it is critically
important that you examine the experience and ideas of each
candidate. As a member of the General Education Workgroup since its
inception in 1994, I have advocated strongly for the creation of a
student-friendly curriculum which address the needs of the diverse
UCLA community. In this role, I have pressed forward in fight for
the inclusion of issues of ethnicity and gender within the entire
general education curriculum. At the same time, I have advocated
for a reduction in the number of GE requirements while arguing for
an increase in the quality of the courses offered. As a result of
these efforts, the general education proposal currently before the
Undergraduate Council reduces the number of G.E. classes from 12 to
nine while requiring that the courses and faculty which are
approved for general education must undergo a rigorous selection
and evaluation process. When elected to office I will create a
student-run professor- and course evaluation guide which will be
published annually – a promise made by the incumbent, but never
kept. In addition, I will establish an organization which allows
students to create educational programs while providing an adequate
opportunity for opposing points of view – something the incumbent
feels is unnecessary. Finally, I will implement a program which
will improve the access to and efficiency of retention programs on
this campus. In closing, let me suggest that it is particularly
critical, especially on a campus as diverse as UCLA, that there is
an adequate opportunity for students to voice their concerns to
their student government. … Vote Access Coalition. An Le
Facilities Serving in student government is about more than sitting
on committees and accumulating empty titles. I am the only
candidate with extensive experience working with student advocacy
groups on programs aimed to improve the quality of education and
service to the campus and community. My experiences have given me a
strong sensitivity to and understanding of student programming. I
am the only candidate with the relevant experience necessary to
make the Facilities Commission an office that would work towards
minimizing the many complicated logistical concerns so that student
organizers can concentrate on the quality and content of their
events. As a woman of color, I am personally affected by such
issues as campus safety, but I also have experienced first hand the
kind of sexism and racism that perpetuates sexual assault and
violence against women. Technical knowledge is something that can
be quickly and easily learned. However, the challenge today is: How
can the office of the facilities commissioner broaden and expand
upon its traditional duties to better serve students? My experience
and my commitment to student needs best qualifies me for facilities
commissioner. Eric Shaw Facilities I’m running again to ensure that
students have an informed and aware representative going into next
year. The 1997-98 school year will be a busy one for the Facilities
Commission. Major construction is taking place in the heart of the
campus; Parking Services is completely revamping the parking point
system; a new residence hall is being built and others are being
renovated; and the issue of the safety of people and property on
campus is becoming more important than ever. As this year’s
commissioner I have been working with the university on all these
issues and recognizing and addressing undergraduate concerns.
Experience is needed and experience is necessary to make sure that
undergraduates are truly represented. Parvaz Farnad General
Representative I believe I am the most qualified candidate. So much
involvement with various organizations, such as the Pre-Med
Society, the Flying Samaritan and the Iranian Students Group has
provided me with a clear vision about the university and how to
make it a better environment for everyone. I stand for access to
higher education and to available resources; I stand for
underrepresented groups; I stand for diversity in all respects. I
stand for my integrity. I am willing to make a change, but it all
starts with you. You have to make your voice heard. You have to
stand for your rights; rights to have access. Vote Access, get
access! Olin M. Ghosh General Representative As a member of the
Access Coalition, I have a strong commitment to the betterment of
the UCLA community as a whole. Providing students with an outlet
through which they can meet their social and academic needs is our
highest priority. We want to bring you closer to student government
by freeing it for use by all students regardless of race or
political beliefs. We will create a stronger and friendlier
presence on campus. I will hold my office hours on Bruin Walk to
make myself more accessible to you, the student. I will also deal
with pertinent issues such as community outreach, campus safety,
lowering registration fees, quality concerts and events programming
and, most importantly, bringing funding back to campus
organizations so that we can financially back ideas from students
like you. We will implement a strong plan of action, which includes
establishing a student senate to create more voices and votes in
student government. This will help us become more creative and
innovative in dealing with funding issues and student needs. These
ideas can become reality only if you use your vote and your support
to empower Access. I have experience with well over 30 on-campus
organizations and have been an active part in voter registration
drives, community service and educational outreach to
underprivileged youth, as well as starting my own campus
organization. In addition I have held six jobs – two as a manager –
and established a strong, successful track record at each position.
Remember: The key is a friendlier, more positive, more effective
student government. … Access is the key! Make your vote count!
Vote Olin M. Ghosh. Vote Access Coalition. Joe Medico General
Representative Through my work with Students First!, I have had the
opportunity to work with many different people and what I have
learned is to work hands on with students on important issues. I
believe this is what differentiates Students First! Other
candidates may have experience, but they lack the sincerity and
passion to work on pressing issues such as the anti-Proposition 209
campaign, the voter registration drive and the diversity
requirement petition signing. They may support these issues but
lack experience in grass-roots organizing on these things. The real
power exists in the student and not in the USAC officer’s position.
This is an ideology that Students First! has lived by and will
continue to believe in the years to come. Mike Hamilton Cultural
Affairs As cultural affairs commissioner, I not only provide an
element of diversity, I bring to the spectrum a renewed sense of
excitement and energy which the Cultural Affairs Commission has
lacked for some time. My expertise in critical programming,
organization and development will bring new events to UCLA, as well
as the expansion of traditional CAC events. These will represent
the concerns of the UCLA student body, regardless of race, creed or
color. It’s my attempt to add a more cohesive cultural atmosphere
enriched in unity through creative ideas and envisionment.