USAC passes torch to new council members

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.