USAC officer evaluations
Editor's note
Each year during the Undergraduate Students Association Council election season, the Daily Bruin evaluates the progress made by current councilmembers on their original platforms. The evaluations include a brief description of the original goal and an explanation of whether each councilmember has accomplished, worked on or failed to accomplish their goals. This year, we interviewed both councilmembers and the outside sources they worked with to thoroughly evaluate their progress. Some councilmembers received more red marks than others because their goals were broader and harder to quantify. We have marked goals that were not as quantifiable with an asterisk. Tweet @dailybruin or comment on Facebook or at dailybruin.com with your own evaluations of this year's council.
By Daily Bruin staff
April 24, 2013 4:16 a.m.
The original version of this article contained multiple errors and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for additional information.
PRESIDENT
David Bocarsly
Slate: Bruins United
Year: Fourth
Major: Economics
Uncontested
Foster Bruin pride:
Progress was made
Bocarsly’s office helped publicize and staff the “We Run the City” 5K rivalry run between UCLA and USC. His office also helped publicize a giving challenge at the UCLA v. USC football game, through which students could donate to the UCLA Fund by sending a text.
Combat inefficiencies:
Goal was accomplished
Bocarsly proposed various funds like the USAC endowment to stabilize USAC funding, which the council approved. Bocarsly worked to improve communication between USAC and UCLA by reaching out to administrators and student groups through meetings and social media. Bocarsly also initiated updates of USAC bylaws and proposed changes to the USAC election code.
Improve climate:
Progress was made
Bocarsly organized events about campus climate for student leaders and helped publicize the UC campus climate survey.
Advocacy:
Progress was made
Bocarsly’s office registered student voters and created a voter education website for the California state elections. Bocarsly also helped put on the mayoral debate and pushed for more student tickets to the event in Royce Hall.
Student events calendar:
Progress was made
Bocarsly’s comprehensive student events calendar finished its testing phase and is scheduled to be released this quarter. As a general representative last year, Bocarsly said he expected the calendar to be released in the fall, but it was delayed due to unexpected roadblocks.
Other accomplishments: Bocarsly’s office organized training workshops for USAC officers and staff members. Bocarsly co-programmed with other USAC offices to put on a “Bruins for Boston” event. Bocarsly also helped enforce quarterly status updates and office hours for USAC appointees.
EXTERNAL VICE PRESIDENT
Lana Habib El-Farra
Slate: Independent
Year: Third
Major: Political science
59% of vote in last year’s election
Prioritize legislation that cuts cost for students:
Goal was accomplished
El-Farra wanted to prioritize advocating for legislation that cut college costs, like tuition. Her office organized call days, lobbied legislators and informed students about Proposition 30 in the fall.
Push for same-day voter registration to increase student turnout:
Goal was accomplished
El-Farra’s office pushed for same-day voter registration by calling legislators and circulating a petition for the bill for Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown signed the bill into law in September.
Expand lobby trainings to the greater campus:
Goal was accomplished
El-Farra held seven training sessions on the ins and outs of lobbying, including two on the Hill.
Host Public Forums for all Students:
El-Farra’s office hosted several public forums throughout the year that focused on informing students about propositions, racial profiling and ethical investments.
Other accomplishments: El-Farra’s office had a table to educate students about tenants’ rights at an apartments fair that the internal vice president’s office put on last quarter and made video updates about her office for students.
INTERNAL VICE PRESIDENT
Andrea Hester
Slate: Bruins United
Year: Fourth
Major: Global studies
Uncontested
Corporate sponsorship guide & advocacy:
Goal was accomplished
Hester’s office created a five-page alternative funding guide to help students obtain corporate sponsorship and plans to post it as a PDF on the IVP website this week. The guide has been distributed through emails and at group meetings since April 19.
Student leader networking to foster dialogue, understanding & co-programming among student groups:
Goal was accomplished
Hester’s office reached out to the Center for Student Programming to help develop the center’s informational workshops about leadership. Hester and her office have put on multiple events, including a student leader networking night and multiple fairs, and worked to increase communication between leaders of student groups and organizations.
Safety expansion and increased awareness of safety resources:
Progress was made
Hester’s office put on Campus Safety Week and collaborated with the Office of Residential Life and other USAC offices to put on Enough is Enough week to educate students about sexual assault. Hester’s office also reached out to university police and promoted UCPD ride alongs.
Other accomplishments: Hester’s office put on an Off-Campus Living Fair and helped put on Ally Week with organizations including UCLA Athletics, the LGBT Resource Center and Queer Alliance.
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMISIONER
Kim Davis
Slate: Bruins United
Year: Fourth
Major: History
Uncontested
Student voice empowerment forums:
Progress was made
Davis held one forum about online education and the diversity-related general education requirement that about 40 to 50 students attended. She had planned to hold a forum on holistic admissions, but it fell through because UCLA administration declined to participate for legal reasons. Davis did not specify how many forums she would aim for when she was elected.
Mid-quarter evaluations for instructors:
Progress was made
Davis’ office facilitated unofficial mid-quarter evaluations for 10 classes and collected feedback from professors and students about whether the evaluations were helpful. Her office will facilitate evaluations for more than 20 classes this quarter.
Advocating for Community and Conflict in the Modern World:
Progress was made
Davis and her staff lobbied professors to pass the proposed “Community and Conflict in the Modern World” general education requirement. After the requirement was voted down by faculty in June, Davis created an alternative three-part diversity workshop series for this quarter. About 25 students attended the first workshop, which was held last week.
Mobile class enrollment:
Progress was made
Davis conducted a survey of 240 students on what they would want from a mobile class enrollment application. UCLA administrators are using the survey results to create a smartphone application for UCLA.
Academic inequity and resource awareness fair:
Goal was accomplished
Davis held a series of events related to academic inequity last week.
Other accomplishments: Davis created an academic services mobile application and extended the Undergraduate Student Initiated Education program’s deadline to encourage more students to apply to the program. Davis’ office also held a leadership conference for high school students and an event where students could meet with on-campus counselors.
FACILITIES COMMISSIONER
Stephen Kraman
Slate: Bruins United
Year: Fourth
Major: Business economics
Uncontested
Implement a Sustainability Task Force:
Progress was made
Kraman helped create a UCLA chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, an organization that advocates for sustainable architecture and building design, to publicize more information on the need for architectural sustainability.
Improve Roommate Matching and Swapping:
Goal was not accomplished
Kraman attempted to work with the Office of Residential Life to improve the basic roommate survey and Open Transfer/Room Swap Event but the Office of Residential Life told him nothing could be changed.
LGBT Theme Community and Gender Neutral Housing Advocacy
Goal was not accomplished
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex and allied communities will be in De Neve Acacia next year and gender neutral housing is also an option for fall. Kraman said he reached out to the students organizers but he did not actively participate in the planning, organizers said.
Perimeter Lighting:
Goal was not accomplished
Kraman planned to light the dark section of Veteran Avenue between Sunset Boulevard and Gayley Avenue to improve the safety around the area. The project, however, was scrapped because it was too complicated politically and financially to organize.
Reemphasize Relations with ORL:
Goal was accomplished
Kraman’s office worked with the Hill to put on eARTh show and an acoustic concert during Earth Week and also increased relations with the On-Campus Housing Council through increased communication with OCHC Internal Vice President Carlos Quintanilla.
COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMISSIONER
Anees Hasnain
Slate: Independent
Year: Fourth
Major: Sociology
Uncontested
Link Bruins to service projects via Issues Awareness Week and Alternative Spring Break:
Goal was accomplished
Hasnain’s office sent students to four project locations for Alternative Spring Break and is working with several other USAC officers to put on Issues Awareness Week this week.
Progress manual for service projects:
Goal was accomplished
Hasnain’s office remade and updated a previously existing progress manual with ideas and information about service projects. The new manual was accessible online fall quarter.
Help Bruins reduce legal risk via Student Risk Education Committee workshops:
Goal was accomplished
Hasnain’s office held an orientation during fall quarter to train student group leaders and project directors on how to avoid legal risk. Her office also held multiple workshops to educate student groups and offered to go to group meetings to present the training if organizations could not attend the pre-scheduled trainings.
Other accomplishments: Hasnain’s office secured funds from the UCLA Office of Student Affairs for $1,000 community service scholarships. Depending on the amount of additional funds obtained, the office plans to issue about 10 scholarships this year. Hasnain’s office also held a Non-profit Networking Night in February.
CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER
Taylor Mason
Slate: Independent
Year: Fourth
Major: International
development studies
68% percent of the vote in last year’s election.
Concert to celebrate opening of Pauley Pavilion:
Progress was made
Mason planned to put on a concert to celebrate the reopening of Pauley Pavilion, but UCLA Athletics took over the “Welcome Back” events. Mason, however, organized several student groups to perform at the Pauley Pavilion opening festivities.
Help student organizations book artists and guest speakers for events:
Progress was made
Mason has not accomplished this goal yet, but her office is working with the Center for Student Programming to put on a workshop during week eight of this quarter about booking artists and speakers for student groups looking to put on events.
Discuss issues of labels and identity through art:
Goal was accomplished
Mason and her office wanted to discuss and inform students about issues of labels and identity through art. Her office held Beyond the Label Week in January, which entailed putting on the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concert and working with General Representative 1, Carly Yoshida, to put on an art exhibition about labels and identity.
Your Voice Your Vote:
Goal was accomplished
Mason’s office worked with the External Vice President’s office, which sponsored the event, and General Representative 3, Yasar Mohebi . The event took place on October 19, and had speakers and performers like Moeazy and the United States Student Association.
Other accomplishments: Mason worked with the Hill to put on a World Café event at the dining halls, where there were food options from places around the world.
FINANCIAL SUPPORTS COMMISSIONER
Sahil Seth
Slate: Bruins United
Year: Fourth
Major: Economics
54% percent of the vote in last year’s election.
Postgraduate preparation:
Goal was accomplished
Seth’s office organized a variety of educational and alumni events, including two job fairs, an alumni business panel, networking and interviewing workshops and a mentorship program.
Sponsor entrepreneurship:
Goal was accomplished
Seth’s office helped create a Fiat Lux seminar, “Start-Ups and the Entrepreneurial Thought Process,” for this quarter, in which 19 students are enrolled. Seth also pitched a business plan development class, Management 180, which currently has 27 students enrolled.
Ensuring financial health:
Progress was made
Seth established a small fund, which currently has $25, to support the USAC textbook scholarship. Seth has other efforts that haven’t been fully realized yet, such as a financial resources map and fee resource guide that he plans to distribute. Seth said the Textbook Loan Library will soon be moved from various parts of campus to Powell Library to be more accessible to students.
CAMPUS EVENTS COMMISSIONER
Jan Tancinco
Slate: Independent
Year: Fourth
Major: World arts and cultures and political science
uncontested
Host eclectic collection of free concerts, lectures and movies that reflect Bruin interests:
Goal was accomplished
Tancinco’s office used Eventbrite, an online service used to set up events and survey students, to gauge what artists, movies and speakers they wanted and produced multiple events based on the survey results throughout the year.
Coordinate Bruin Bash:
Goal was accomplished
Tancinco and her office worked with the Cultural Affairs Commission and UCLA Recreation to organize Bruin Bash.
Help plan “Welcome Back Pauley Pavilion” festivities:
Goal was not accomplished
Tancinco originally planned to help coordinate the “Welcome Back Pauley Pavilion” festivities, but UCLA Athletics planned the event. Instead, Tancinco’s office and the Cultural Affairs Commission put on the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concert last quarter.
Offer co-programming opportunities:
Progress was made
Tancinco worked with other USAC offices to plan events and programs, mainly the Cultural Affairs Commission and general representatives. Tancinco also collaborated with student groups such as the Olive Tree Initiative, Teach for America and UCLA’s Stand-Up Comedy Club.
STUDENT WELLNESS COMMISSIONER
Cassarah Chu
Slate: independent
Year: 4
Major: communication studies
uncontested
Help Bruins create or maintain a positive body image:
Progress was made
Chu’s office hosted “I Love My Body Week” during week eight of winter quarter and plans to host an event focused on cultivating a more positive body image on International No Diet Day on May 6.
Increase access to unbiased information on drugs and behaviors with unclear health effects:
Progress was made
Through the Student Health Investigatory Task Force, Chu focused research on the effects of substances like caffeine and Adderall and behaviors like cleansing diets and irregular sleep patterns. Her office passed out informational flyers during two Stress Less Fairs, but the research isn’t widely accessible to students.
Promote physical, mental and emotional health:
Goal was accomplished
Chu’s office has hosted many events to promote these three areas of health, such as Stress Less Fairs, I Love My Body Week, Mental Health Week and the upcoming Bruin Health Week.
GENERAL REPRESENTATIVES
Yasar Mohebi
Slate: Bruins United
Year: Third
Major: Psychobiology
uncontested
Study Abroad Re-orientation:
Progress was made
Mohebi’s office planned one event, which about 150 students attended, where international students and students who had already studied abroad spoke about their experiences for students considering studying abroad.
Harnessing the untapped power of UCLA computers to do life saving research:
Progress was made
Mohebi and his office approached several student groups, including the Pediatric AIDS Coalition, to encourage them to download a program called the World Community Grid. At least several group members downloaded the program. When the program is loaded to someone’s computer on sleep mode, it uses energy from the computer to calculate and send algorithms to researchers to help them with their research.
Increase Global Outreach Opportunites:
Goal was not accomplished
Mohebi and his office worked with One Heart Source, GlobeMed, Invisible Children, Inc., Amnesty International and the Afrikan Student Union to put on one event called “CAUSE this is Afrika” during winter quarter. The event gave students the opportunity to call the White House to ask the president to appoint a presidential envoy to lead the U.S. government in its response and to take action in the Eastern Congo.
Continue efforts to make UCLA a fair trade university:
Goal was accomplished
Mohebi and his office continued efforts to make UCLA a fair trade certified university. Mohebi worked with E3: Economy, Ecology, Equity to get UCLA four of the five badges to make UCLA an official fair trade university.
Conflict Free Campus Initiative:
Progress was made
Mohebi and his office wanted to get students involved in the Conflict Free Campus Initiative, which aims to pressure electronics companies to responsibly invest in Congo’s minerals sector. Mohebi’s office informed students about the issue and had students sign cards in support of the initiative. The cards will be used to encourage USAC officers to pass the initiative, which will be voted on on either April 23 or April 30.
Michael Starr
Sunset Recreation revitalization:
Goal was not accomplished
Starr held one movie event in fall quarter and put on a Stress-Free Day last week at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. He planned to hold a music festival earlier in the year, which fell through because it did not receive approval from the UCLA fire marshal.
Westwood revitalization:
Goal was not accomplished
Starr held one Bruins Night Out/Dank Deal event along with the Campus Events Commission and the Westwood Community Council in winter quarter. He planned to hold one in fall quarter, which fell through because he could not secure a free movie sneak preview. Bruins Night Out was already an established event. His office also created a database of information on businesses in Westwood, which Starr said he hopes to make available to students.
Athletics connections:
Goal was not accomplished
Starr aimed to showcase less popular UCLA sports and hold various student events at UCLA sports games. Starr’s office held one rally at a women’s volleyball game. He put on a viewing party for an away football game and a rally at a campout at Pauley Pavilion for a men’s basketball game, but football and basketball already have a large following from the student population on campus as opposed to the less popular sports Starr pledged to advocate for.
Bruin Confidential:
Goal was accomplished
Starr created a project that invited students to share their stories anonymously through a Tumblr page or by writing them out using a typewriter placed randomly on campus. The Cultural Affairs Commission co-programmed with Starr’s office to organize an art gallery event for the project.
Carly Yoshida
Slate: Bruins United
Year: Third
Major: English
uncontested
Keeping Sex Sexy: A Sexual Health and Safety Campaign:
Goal was accomplished
Yoshida’s office formed a student coalition with other organizations, which worked with the Campus Assault Resources and Education to put on a campus-wide health and safety campaign. Yoshida and her office secured $5,000 in funding for the coalition, put on a sexual health and safety training session and is currently programming a “Week of Sexy” this week.
Fitness webisodes:
Goal was accomplished
Yoshida’s office produced three fitness videos so far and plans to come out with one or two more.
BASIC Cooking Classes:
Goal was accomplished
Yoshida’s office has produced three instructional cooking videos. Yoshida initially planned to hold in-person classes, but the Student Wellness Commission and Cultural Affairs Commission already put on cultural cooking classes so Yoshida created new online classes to be more cost-effective and accessible.
Other accomplishments: Yoshida’s office co-sponsored and helped publicize two farmer’s markets per quarter this year with E3: Economy, Ecology, Equity and Associated Students UCLA. This was the first year the markets occurred regularly during the year and were consistently located in Bruin Plaza. The office also planned Stress-Free Days with the Academic Affairs Commission.
Correction: The author of the evaluations is Daily Bruin staff. Also, Lana Habib El-Farra’s office had a table to educate students about tenants’ rights at an apartments fair that the internal vice president’s office put on last quarter and made video updates about her office for students.
