USAC to release its film, “A Day Without USAC,” to show what student life would be like without it
Speaks Out
UCLA students share their knowledge of their governing body, the Undergraduate Students Association Council.
Lam Ho
Second-year, economics
"I know (USAC) exists and has elections and people take it seriously. I think they control social events. I would imagine they're very similar to high school student government."
Ashley Kusuma
Second-year, psychology
"I don't think students are aware of what the (council's) responsibilities are. When I was a freshman, I really had no idea. I still really don't have an idea of what they're in charge of on campus."
Julian Kleinbrodt
Fourth-year, history
"I was in a class with a guy who ran for office during elections, and I saw the big boards up on campus at one point. USAC deals with funding and appropriating funds for student groups. They also start events that benefit student groups."
Anastasia Bogdanova
Third-year, economics
"Before I was admitted to UCLA, I saw a friend's Facebook photo supporting someone who was running. I was involved in the student government in my community college, and I'm assuming UCLA has one too, but I don't know anything about it or how it works here."
By Shoshee Jau
March 7, 2011 4:24 a.m.
The undergraduate student government will release an online video next quarter called “A Day Without USAC,” which will show, from the council’s perspective, student life at UCLA without undergraduate officers.
The video stars and is directed by Janae Bell, who works in the office of Jasmine Hill, president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council.
According to Bell, the video will inform students of the council’s contributions to campus, because a number of undergraduates do not know about USAC’s specific programs and activities.
“A lot of students don’t even know what USAC stands for, but they have an idea that there is a student government,” said Bell, a second-year political science student. “They don’t know what kind of work we do besides planning large events.”
A number of students said they do not know much about what the council does, aside from spring elections. Many also did not know the name of the council.
Julian Kleinbrodt, a fourth-year history student, said that unless students speak to friends involved or work with groups that co-program with USAC, few have access to information about the council’s activities.
Many students first learn about USAC during the council’s spring elections, Kleinbrodt said.
Others are introduced to the undergraduate government through their freshman or transfer orientations and through campus-wide e-mails from council members.
Ashley Kusuma, a second-year psychology student, said she would like to know more about USAC but is unaware of resources that can direct her to more information.
“I’d like to know more about it than just the occasional e-mail,” Kusuma said.
Bell said she noticed the campus’s need to learn more about the student government at the beginning of winter quarter. Over the course of a month, volunteers within the council’s offices collaborated to write and shoot the short film.
The film chronicles the experiences of Janae, an undergraduate student who encounters difficulties performing daily activities because the student government no longer exists.
“We thought it’d be a nice way to flip it around,” Bell said. “Instead of telling students a list of things we do, we can show what life is like without them.”
In the film, Janae cannot board a local bus because she cannot afford the fare, which USAC helps reduce for students. She also finds herself unable to buy textbooks or attend Thursday movie screenings in Ackerman Union. Later, she wakes up and learns it was all a dream.
Lam Ho, a second-year economics student, said some undergraduates only hold a vague understanding of USAC’s projects.
“We pay them some funds in our tuition, and they put it to use according to what students need,” he said. “But I don’t know anyone in it and what it does.”
Hill said the film will be first released online and may air at campus events in the future.
