Council agenda does not cater to majority of incoming freshmen

  Krause graduated from UCLA in 1999 with a degree in
business economics.  

By Jason R. Krause

I’m writing in response to comments made in Timothy
Kudo’s article, “Houston’s speech ruffles
feathers” (Daily Bruin, Sept. 29) Although I’m an
alumnus (class of ’99), I’ve been following the Houston
campaign via the Daily Bruin since it began back in May. Having had
my interest piqued by the tension surrounding Elizabeth
Houston’s election to the office of President of USAC, I
decided to attend the freshman convocation to hear from Houston
directly. It strikes me as odd that, according to Kudo, “many
council members did not attend convocation.” Indeed, council
members, who were elected to represent the incoming freshmen,
weren’t there to greet and support them. Not a great first
impression. Let me challenge you to evaluate the importance and
impact of a first impression. Think about it. You only get one
chance to make a first impression. One chance. And, whether or not
it’s fair, our thoughts toward others throughout the course
of future interactions are shaped by that first impression. Houston
made her first impression at the freshman convocation. Based on
what I heard during her speech, I concluded that she values racial
and intellectual diversity, personal character development,
morally-based decision making, and the pursuit of truth. Similarly,
I concluded that she despises racism (which would divide the campus
community along color lines) and narrow, self-serving agendas that
would unfairly promote one campus organization over another. These
conclusions aren’t set in stone, but they’ll serve as a
starting point for future discussion. Whether or not you think
it’s fair for me to draw these conclusions based on one
speech, prepare yourself for the “harsh” reality of a
first impression. Using the “first impression”
framework, I want to share my thoughts on the proposed LGBT/Queer
Campus Life conference slated to take center-stage during Freshman
Welcome Week. The contentious issue with this event is not
homophobia, nor is it religious fanaticism. The primary issue is
the timing and appropriateness of an event that alienates more than
90 percent of the incoming freshmen. In Melody Wang’s article
“Council looks to welcome new students,” (Daily Bruin,
Oct. 2), USAC Internal Vice President Elias Enciso states that the
purpose of the conference is to let all students know what life is
like on campus for gays and lesbians. He added, “It’s
an event that caters to all students.” I disagree. According
to Webster’s dictionary, “cater” is defined as
“seeking to gratify another’s desires.” I submit
to you, Enciso is forcing USAC to put its muscle behind this
Welcome Week event, not because it benefits all of the students,
but because it advances his own agenda. I agree with Houston that
it doesn’t make any sense for USAC to sponsor an event that
addresses one narrow issue. It makes even less sense in light of
knowing that Enciso’s LGBT/Queer Campus Life program was
“unanimously” agreed upon by council (with the
exception of Houston), to replace Days of Dialogue, a discussion
forum welcoming freshmen to voice their ideas and concerns
regarding campus life and student issues. The program,which was
held last year, encouraged new students with fresh ideas to share
them with fellow classmates and student government leaders to
determine some important issues USAC should address throughout the
year. USAC had initially proposed to make efficient and strategic
use of their Welcome Week activities by demonstrating to the
student body their genuine desire to listen and, ultimately,
address issues that concern the students they were elected to
represent. It follows that if during the Days of Dialogue, freshmen
had expressed genuine interest in knowing what life is like on
campus for gays and lesbians, then by all means this issue should
be addressed by the elected student government. But the fact that
USAC has voted to proceed with a Welcome Week program that supports
the overwhelming minority damages its credibility as a body of
leaders elected to represent the majority interest of students. And
in light of first impressions, the majority of freshmen will be
forced to conclude that USAC is out of touch with their immediate
concerns and simply wants to promote its own agenda. I submit to
you, USAC is already doing this without the support of their
president.