Natalie Delgadillo: USAC is too swift with resolutions

During a heated meeting last week, the Undergraduate Students Association Council discussed and meticulously tweaked a resolution that makes demands of the new University of California president, Janet Napolitano. The meeting lasted four hours and ended with an impressive compromise that passed the resolution with unanimous consent. Tonight, the council has yet another potentially charged […]

Natalie Delgadillo: USAC should maintain dialogue with UCOP, reach out to student body

At the Undergraduate Students Association Council meeting Tuesday, councilmembers showed an ability to effectively navigate contentious issues when they unanimously approved a resolution that could have split them along slate lines. Late into the evening, they discussed a resolution to address student concerns about Janet Napolitano’s appointment as UC president without shutting the door on […]

Natalie Delgadillo: Large-scale Volunteer Day fails to provide meaningful experience

My first experience as a volunteer at UCLA involved very little volunteering and lots of awkwardly standing around.

I was supposed to be repainting fences for polo ponies at UCLA’s annual Volunteer Day, but the thing I remember most about that day is not doing much of anything at all.

Natalie Delgadillo: Student government must actively encourage student input

Transparency and accessibility have been favored buzzwords of the current Undergraduate Students Association Council members since their campaigns for office last year, when candidates promised to reach out and engage with students. Despite expressing concern about these issues, council was met with student backlash this summer for not seeking enough student input on major decisions. […]

Natalie Delgadillo: Stipend increase would ensure fairer compensation for USAC members

Last year, around the time she was presented with the opportunity to run for undergraduate student government, Savannah Badalich’s family began experiencing financial trouble. After speaking with her family, she made the decision to run for Student Wellness commissioner anyway. But her father said they would still need her financial contribution despite the new and […]