Dahle reflects on election

NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin Staff David Dahle, a
fourth-year sociology and political science student, will be USAC’s
president next year.

By Marcelle Richards
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
[email protected]

For the first time since spring break, David Dahle had the
chance to shoot some hoops over the weekend.

As president-elect of the Undergraduate Students Association
Council, his life in recent weeks has been consumed by the election
process.

He’s already resigned as a resident assistant ““ a
job he’s held the last few years and would have liked to
continue.

Academically, the election took a toll and Dahle dropped most of
his classes this quarter, though he’s still got one on his
schedule.

“I didn’t go to class for about three weeks
straight,” he said. “You learn more in USAC and going
through the election process than you could ever learn in
class.”

Despite the lack of leisure time and difficulty attending
classes, Dahle is pleased with the turn of events in his political
career.

He said the election process and his positions in USAC leading
up to his current one were the right mix of luck and being in the
right place at the right time.

“One thing led to another,” he said. “If I
would have done anything different, I don’t think I would be
here right now.”

Students United for Reform and Equality, which was scrapped
together as an opposition slate last spring, returned this year
under Dahle’s direction with five seats on council, the same
number as long-time dominant Student Empowerment! has.

Though the break-even composition could mean a deadlock next
year, Dahle isn’t worried about the prospect.

“In some ways, a 5-5 split will make both sides compromise
““ it might actually be a good thing,” he said.

Both slates share similar agendas: the continuation of the
BruinGo! ridership program, a diversity requirement and
state-subsidized housing.

“We have the same goals; the difference is how we want to
get there,” he said, adding that the special online election
at the end of the month will help the new group mesh and work
together.

One of his biggest plans, like current President Karren
Lane’s, is to unite the council and campus.

“I think I’m in a good position right now to ask
people what they want,” Dahle said, pointing out that he is
without affiliation to any group.

He broke ties with the Vietnamese Student Union this year, and
though he worked extensively with On-Campus Housing, he will leave
his job on the Hill because “there was a little conflict of
interest.”

“You can’t be a part of the group you’re
supposed to be yelling at,” he said.

Though Dahle keeps his composure talking business, he looked
relieved to chat about the guy behind the presidential veneer.

His new title is juxtaposed with former jobs as a stock boy, law
office clerk, secretary for 2000-01 USAC president Elizabeth
Houston and ““ laughing about the job many students can
sympathize with ““ a movie theater attendant.

“That was the worst job ever, but there were lots of free
movies,” he said.

Though law school is at the end of his tunnel, for now
he’s juggling two majors, sociology and political science,
and a women’s studies minor.

The move to gender studies was a natural one, he said, since
most of his sociology courses were cross-listed.

“I really like it because it makes you think,” he
said.

Aside from being one of the few men in women’s studies,
there’s still more than meets the eye to Dahle.

“I really don’t care about Voltron all that
much,” Dahle said, referencing a comment he made about the
protector of the universe. “I’m really more partial to
Transformers.”

During his campaign, he said the USAC president and student
group leaders should work like Voltron, a 1980s cartoon-robot made
of five mechanical lions.

After Dahle’s Voltron comment made print, a Voltron toy
showed up on election night as campaigners awaited results.

Both sides adopted a Voltron chant; Student Empowerment! during
the waiting period, Voltron in hand, and SURE when Dahle’s
victory was announced.

Nodding that the Voltron fetish became a bit blown out of
proportion, Dahle said he just made the comment during his
endorsement hearing to break the ice.

“The interview was so serious,” he said.

Other Dahle favorites include basketball, “Rocky IV”
and “The Simpsons.”

He’s also one of the few self-admitted viewers of
“Survivor.”

But when he’s not in his office, he can likely be found on
his computer shooting rainbow-colored Snoods.

“I play that every chance I get. I even bought the Game
Boy version,” Dahle said.