Q&A with the Daily Bruin

  MARIAMI LISA KRIKORIAN/Daily Bruin Karren
Lane is Undergraduate Students Association Council
president. Here, she discusses the nature of USAC post SP-1 and 2,
the effects of affirmative action policy and USAC’s influence, both
on campus and in the community.

DB: Some people and groups on campus have developed the
notion that USAC makes large social issues its primary goal, while
making campus-specific issues secondary. What do you say to
this? KL: I disagree with that completely. I think it comes as
a result of students not being informed about USAC; that falls on
the part of USAC’s need to improve outreach methods as well
as its relations with The Bruin because a lot of things we do are
not covered. There’s a lot of coverage and opportunities for
perspectives against USAC, and particularly against Student
Empowerment! in The Bruin, So many times the campus isn’t
informed about what we’re doing. For Council, all issues we
work on are seen as relevant to the student population. USAC
officers put their time into working on issues that they see impact
the UCLA campus community. They work to ensure student issues are
served as they are related to a variety of issues.

DB: In the past few years, access to education has been a
predominant focus for Student Empowerment! and its predecessor
organizations. Now that SP-1 and SP-2 are repealed and Proposition
209 is the law, have you redefined your perspective? KL:
Student Empowerment! has kept the issue of access at the heart of
its work throughout the year. Further, we believe that all students
see the issues we have articulated as the key students face. For
example, Council as a whole has to define access to education as
our goal for the year. We see access to education well beyond SP-1
and 2 ““ it includes working on housing and parking,
admissions reform and curriculum development. So it’s a very
broad theme. The focus remains the same; we’ve been working
diligently on a variety of issues. Whether it be housing, which the
internal vice president Kennisha Austin and the external vice
president Evan Okamura have done extensive work on, or parking,
which Theo Apostol, the general representative, has worked hard
on.

DB: To what extent is affirmative action included in this
access to education focus? KL: We’re still working on
ensuring that every student has access to a quality higher
education ““ affirmative action is a national issue and
debate, it would be irresponsible for the student government at
UCLA not to deal with it. It is one aspect of our campaign for the
year, but I wouldn’t say it defines it.

DB: So, because affirmative action is a national issue it
still has importance even though it’s illegal in
California? KL: I don’t know if that’s the correct
characterization. Affirmative action has impacted the UC system in
terms of Prop. 209 and SP-1 and 2. Because it has impacted our
campus so greatly, it would have been irresponsible for the student
government not to deal with it. It impacts our admissions policy,
our curriculum, our hiring, our contracting ““ so it is an
aspect of the work USAC has done this year, but again, it
doesn’t define it.

DB: Is Student Empowerment! different from Praxis? KL:
Student Empowerment! holds the ideology and principles of
advocating for students and ensuring access to education. Praxis
and Students First! held those same principles as well. We continue
holding those principles; it’s something that the campus
population values, and that’s why the slate has been
successful ““ because we’re working on issues important
to the campus.

DB: Many students are not well informed about USAC and so
may expect it to do things that are out of its scope of control.
How much influence does USAC have with other campus entities, like
the administration and housing? KL: USAC is the official
representative of the student voice to all entities, both internal
and extenal. So in terms of the impact USAC can have, it’s
very minimal if the students are not aware of what’s going
on, or supporting those efforts. But as an institution, USAC does
have a lot of influence because it represents the official student
voice.

DB: Do you think the administration and other entities are
as receptive as you would like them to be? KL: I think they
have been receptive to the conversations ““ that’s not
to say they necessarily agree with what the student position is,
but the adminsitrators are at least willing to sit down and meet
with us. But there’s no uniform statement: sometimes they
agree, sometimes they don’t. That’s the whole purpose
of having experienced people on Council who know how to advocate
““ it makes sure the student position is not compromised.

DB: Does USAC have a plan to avoid an increase in student
fees? KL: One thing we did in conjunction with all nine
campuses is pass a resolution ““ which was sent to the UC
Office of the President ““ saying our campuses are opposed to
any hikes in registration fees. In conjunction with Okamura’s
office, we’ve been utilizing the UC Student Association
lobbying body to advocate and lobby the state to make it clear
students are opposed to fee hikes as well.

DB: Ever since last year, funding for student groups has
been an issue, especially with the legal complications involved.
But one central point that is persistent is that USAC funds group
activities that have an educational purpose. How would you define
“educational purpose?” Has it been difficult to make
funding decisions? Do people understand what these things
mean? KL: Unfortunately, the student population doesn’t
really understand the process. The way it’s being articulated
in The Bruin is totally miscontrued. The reality is that the
process has to be open to all students regardless of their point of
view and regardless of what they’re trying to educate people
about. All groups have to demonstrate that there’s a need for
its programming on campus; that there’s a well-constructed
plan to implement the program; and they have to demonstrate what
the impact would be on campus. You can say that you want to have an
educational program about something and you cannot be
discrimminated against ““ that’s not a judgment call the
budget review committee can make. So it comes down to the strength
of your proposal. You have to demonstrate why your programs are
important to the campus. That’s basically the only criteria
we can implement in making judgment.

DB: Is there a specific reason why some larger groups on
campus tend to get more money year by year? KL: The difference
in funding allocation reflects the relative strength of the
respective proposal. If an organization is able to demonstrate why
their programs are needed, and they have a specific plan of action
to do it, they will get a reflective allocation. Organizations who
have been doing programming for a while will have stronger
proposals because they’ve been through the process before and
because they’ve put on the programs before ““ this still
doesn’t define the process.

DB: What would you say to people who feel the decisions in
this funding process are too subjective? KL: It would go
against the spirit of student participation. The process
doesn’t allow for subjectivity. I don’t think anyone
who would sacrifice the time to be on Council would do that. Plus,
it’s illegal. The process doesn’t allow for it, so
it’s fair. The final call is made on the strength of the
proposal. It’s not about what you’re going to do,
it’s about whether you have a plan and if you know how to do
it. Can you demonstrate that nobody else on campus is doing it?

DB: A year’s not really that much time to accomplish
long-term goals. So far, in your opinion, what is the most
meaningful thing you’ve done? KL: I think the thing
I’ve been proudest of this year, is bringing Council together
to do collective programming and having collective efforts.
I’m proud there’s a functioning 13 member council
working on issues together. We bring everything to the table, and
there’s a collective discussion about everything, so
there’s no offices operating on their own.

DB: Is there anything about Karren Lane that the student
body doesn’t know? KL: I want to encourage students to
shake their opinions beyond information that’s presented in
the paper. There’s a lot of hard work that’s being done
for students by Council and unfortunately, that’s not being
demonstrated to the larger campus. Students should base their
opinions on that and not on the negativity in certain aspects of
the paper. There’s a lot of positive things happening on
Council.

Interview conducted by Cuauhtemoc Ortega, Daily Bruin Senior
Staff.