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[Online] USAC to facilitate joint meeting with various student groups

By Melody Hanatani

Sept. 29, 2003 9:00 p.m.

In a move to bring student groups closer together, the
undergraduate student government will start meeting with student
groups on a regular basis to create an environment in which
organizations will be better able to connect with each other.

The Undergraduate Students Association Council and its sponsored
student groups will have their first meeting tonight in the
Kerckhoff Art Gallery at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

According to USAC Internal Vice President Allende Palma/Saracho,
USAC initiated the move to hold regular meetings after it noticed a
disconnection with council and student groups.

"We felt we should establish a formalized space where there
would be a dialogue between USAC and the organizations that it
serves," Palma/Saracho said.

The regularly scheduled meetings should decrease the isolation
of student groups from each other by having the opportunity to
collaborate on events and learning of better ways to serve the UCLA
community.

"We want to see a discussion of issues that affect our
population and communities on campus," Palma/Saracho said.

USAC-sponsored student groups represent many minority
populations on campus – including the African Student Union, Jewish
Student Union, Queer Alliance, and 17 other organizations. Each
group will have at least two representatives at the meetings.

Palma/Saracho believes that despite the fact that these groups
represent such large communities, they are still relatively unknown
by fellow organizations and the general student body. He also said
he hopes that through these meetings, student groups will gain a
better understanding of each others’ missions.

The idea to hold meetings was conceived by Palma/Saracho and
USAC President Anica McKesey during last spring’s elections.

"It is a way for all student leaders to come together and share
resources and knowledge they have as leaders," McKesey said.

The agenda for tonight includes introductions by student group
representatives and USAC members. Times and locations for future
meetings will also be finalized. The response from student
organizations have mainly been positive, Palma/Saracho said..

Kian Boloori, co-chairman of Queer Alliance said tonight’s
meeting is something many people have been anticipating for a long
time.

"I think it’s definitely needed. Something needed for a while,"
Boloori said.

Queer Alliance brings smaller LGBT related groups – such as Mahu
and La Familia -together. Boloori believes these meetings will
bring Queer Alliance groups to a higher level and will benefit not
only themselves, but other student groups participating in the
meetings.

African Student Union Chairman Nashaun Neal shared the same
sentiment.

"It creates a way for a community amongst different groups …
to work toward some kind of goal," Neal said.

But, not all councilmembers agree.

Josh Lawson, a USAC general representative, said by limiting the
meetings to sponsored groups, USAC would be creating a hierarchy
among student groups.

"When you hold meetings like this, where certain groups can come
and others can’t, you get this revived sense of hierarchy within
the groups," Lawson said.

Lawson believes that all groups should have equal access to the
resources USAC has to offer and that the meetings shouldn’t be
exclusionary.

Lawson also said he feels holding such meetings is a violation
of the Brown Act.

The Brown Act is a California meeting law that says meetings of
public bodies must be open to the public. The types of public
bodies covered in the act include any standing committees,
counties, and schools.

Lawson believes these meetings are a step in the wrong
direction.

"It feels like we’re going backwards," Lawson said.

Palma/Saracho said though the first couple of meetings will only
include the USAC-sponsored groups, they hope to expand to
organizations beyond those 20.

"We’re really looking forward because this is instrumental in
helping us find direction in council and unity amongst student body
in general," Palma/Saracho said.

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Melody Hanatani
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