Monday, June 1, 1998
USAC passes torch to new council members
USAC: Agenda for next year focuses on combating student apathy
By Dennis Lim
Daily Bruin Contributor
The new USAC council, led by president Stacy Lee, was installed Sunday afternoon at the Charles E. Young Grand Salon, as current members addressed problems plaguing this year's council and offered words of advice to the new USAC members.
At the installation, control officially changed from this year's council to next year's members.
Lee presented her plans to challenge the popular perception of student apathy.
Using information and love, Lee hoped to battle notions of apathy that students supposedly have concerning larger national issues.
"A lot of students have the love but they don't have the hope. Once we have laid the foundation of love as the center of their paradigm we can create the hope that people need," Lee said.
"Can you imagine what we could do in this world if love was the center of our lives?" Lee asked.
Lee later elaborated that everything USAC did next year would be targeted against student apathy.
Words of warning for next year's council members also filled the air as present council members advised new officers what to expect.
"My motto this year has been 'It's been a learning experience,'" said Abi Karlin-Resnick, this year's community service commissioner.
"I've learned to question my beliefs, I've met lots of people who have forced me to see my beliefs in a different light, and not to take things at face value," she said.
Other members echoed Karlin-Resnick's remarks, saying that being an USAC member has been their greatest learning experience.
In contrast to other USAC members, Jo Anna Ley, this year's general representative, expressed disillusionment at the goals of the coming council and the failures of this year's council.
Worried that the issues that this year's council had worked on would be forgotten, Ley told the new council why she joined USAC.
"When I ran for student government, I believed that student government was a vehicle for social change. Unfortunately, petty politics and failures to make quorum disillusioned me," Ley said.
"It saddens me that none of next year's council has addressed any of the issues that we worked on this year, like representation for UCLA's denied communities," she continued.
Ley thought that failing to address issues concerning discrimination contributed to the oppression that she alleges the university imposes on underrepresented communities.
In contrast, Karlin-Resnick expressed hope that next year's council would work to improve relations between USAC and the administration.
Karlin-Resnick said that compromise and communication with the administration would be essential.
"You must work with the administration. They have a lot of the resources that can only help you. That does not mean you have to take what they say and roll over," she said.
Karlin-Resnick went on further to describe the need for mutual respect on both sides to address issues as "adults."
"You can show them what is important to you, and at the same time understand that (the administration) has certain rules that they need to work under," she said.
The new council has yet to meet but plans a retreat to organize for next year. Various council members predicted what ideas and issues they thought next year's council would address, including a reduction of USAC stipends, an expansion of the evening van service, and an increase in the value of meal coupons.
"These are the ideas we're getting from students, and they all seem like worthy goals," said John Strelow, general representative.
Members for next year's council include Lee, P. J. Gagajena, Liz Geyer, Mike de la Rocha, Strelow, Kei Nagao, Zuhairah Scott, Charles Ku, Marselle Washington, Joe Balabis and Omid Shaye.
CHARLES KUO/Daily Bruin
Stacy Hae Lim Lee smiles at the incoming council members seated above her as she waits to be sworn in as USAC president.