Eight students run for representative position

Candidates hope to promote interests of student body in USAC

George Fujii
Published: Monday, May 1, 2000

By George Fujii Daily Bruin Contributor Eight students are vying for three general representative positions, making this the most contested position in next week's undergraduate student government elections.

Unlike many other positions on the Undergraduate Students Association Council, the three general

representatives, according to USAC's bylaws, have broadly defined duties "representing the collective interests of the student body" and working with other campus groups.

Candidates from this year's two slates plus three independents seek the general representative position.

The Praxis slate, which stands for "reflection and action," and its predecessor, Students First!, have held a majority of USAC seats since 1995. This year, Praxis is running three general representative candidates.

Ryan Bulatao, a second-year civil engineering student, plans to create organizational fairs at the beginning of fall and spring quarters to increase student involvement in campus programs.

He wants USAC to work closely with students and administrators.

"USAC should be a partner with students (and) also a voice for the administration to the students," he said.

Bulatao also serves on this year's USAC Finance Committee, which approves funding requests from student groups. He wants to hold workshops on writing effective budget proposals, so student groups can be better funded.

Cheryl Lott, a fourth-year African American studies, Chicana/o studies and political science student is also running on the Praxis slate.

This year, Lott served as a staff member for current general representative Wendy Sanchez and worked on creating a hate crimes policy.

Lott plans to finalize a hate crimes policy, push for joint cultural programs between campus groups, and better publicize existing self-defense workshops.

"I would like to raise campus safety at large," Lott said, adding that she would work with UCPD to identify dangerous areas of campus.

Lott said that she and Praxis are open to working with people of different views.

"We invite people from all different backgrounds," Lott said. "Student government is not a hierarchical organization."

Elisa Sequeira, a third-year political science student, is the final Praxis general representative candidate.

Her primary goals are to inform students about education issues through quarterly forums and to increase participation in retention and community service programs.

She said being an immigrant has led to her interest in educational issues.

"I've seen the inequalities in our social system and I have a passion about education," Sequeira said. "More of us should be giving back to the community."

She also plans to hold supply drives for community service programs and advocates increased funding for student-led outreach and retention programs.

"I think UCLA students care about the betterment of society," she said.

Viable Alternative, a new slate opposing Praxis, is running two candidates for general representative. Viable Alternative stresses campus issues over student advocacy under its slogan of "Putting the student back in USAC."

Noah Bookman, a third-year American literature and culture student, has served a variety of positions in on-campus housing.

"I consider myself a very qualified student leader," he said.

To increase student awareness of USAC, Bookman plans regular office hours, monthly USAC meetings at the residence halls, and tabling at every orientation session.

"I think a lot of students feel alienated by USAC," he said.

Bookman also wants campus libraries to open one hour earlier, at

7 a.m., and would work to create a three-day weekend parking pass for visitors.

Bill Elliott, a second-year history and political science student, is Viable Alternative's leader and a general representative candidate.

Elliott, chief of staff for current General Representative Adam Rosenthal, was also Joe Bruin, UCLA's mascot, this year.

He plans to improve UCLA's relationship with Westwood. He wants to create an incentives program for Westwood businesses which accept the BruinCard and offer students study space.

He does not see a revived Westwood as a threat to the Associated Students of UCLA, which runs campus restaurants and the student store.

He also plans a regular series of debates in Meyerhoff Park on current issues.

"This campus often doesn't have a sense of itself," Elliott said.

Three independents are also seeking to be general representatives.

Katrina Eiland, a first-year political science student, said the current council does not relate to all students.

"The group that's in power represents only a small group of students on campus," Eiland said.

She wants to make USAC fund student groups more proportionally according to their size and to improve campus parking and safety.

"We have a very, very small amount of parking," Eiland said.

She said not having a slate has its advantages.

"By being an independent candidate, I am more open to form alliances with other people," she said.

Dan Moroaica, a first-year economics student and a member of the Bruin Republicans, plans to work primarily on campus issues.

"World affairs are interesting but that is not our job as USAC," he said.

Specifically, Moroaica wants to increase the value of dorm lunch meal coupons from the current $1.85 to $3, and fight parking fee increases.

"I'm very upset by the (proposed) raise in parking fees," he said.

He said being independent allows him to better reflect student concerns.

"Slates are not for me," Moroaica said. "I think USAC needs some fresh new ideas and they need them now."

Kendra Striegler, a first-year history student, said her primary goal is ensuring equal funding, or that student groups receive most of the funding that they request.

For example, she said the Greek system, of which she is a member, received inadequate funding from USAC this year.

"I don't believe any group should receive more attention than others," Striegler said.

She also said that campus groups should reach out to all members of the UCLA community.

CANDIDATES FOR GENERAL REPRESENTATIVE

Ryan Bulatao

Slate:

Praxis

Bill Elliot

Slate:

Viable Alternative

Cheryl Maire Lott

Slate:

Praxis

Noah Bookman

Slate:

Viable Alternative