LaFlamme’s absence won’t change S.U.R.E.

Monday’s article about the Students United for Reform and
Equality slate and UCLA politics (“LaFlamme cuts his ties
with S.U.R.E.,” News) may leave a few things unsure in the
eyes of the Daily Bruin reader. Despite the split between
S.U.R.E. and the Financial Supports Commissioner, two things remain
clear.

First, in undergraduate student politics, USAC can accomplish
far more for students as a team than as self-interested
individuals. As self-evident as this seems, it’s an important
fact. We can look to the S.U.R.E. slate to illustrate
this. Together, the S.U.R.E. slate created the fairest budget
allocation process in years. A referendum was passed that
bolstered the budgets of student groups and commissions. S.U.R.E.
also made the switch to online voting so more students would be
interested in their campus elections. And the S.U.R.E. slate
appointed talented and capable advocates to various committees and
boards. 

Without S.U.R.E., none of these goals would have been
accomplished. The S.U.R.E. slate allowed USAC to work together
on mutual goals putting political differences aside, in order to
benefit the student body as a whole.

This is not to say an individual councilmember can’t make
solo accomplishments. For instance, Andrew LaFlamme’s Bruin
Housing Index Web site is an example of a goal he achieved on his
own. So is General Representative Jenny Lam’s Hate Crimes
Expo. Individual USAC members should be evaluated on their own
performance just like slates should be evaluated on accomplishing
their overarching goals.

With that stated, it is clear that when individuals work
together as a unified slate, greater good can be accomplished for
the entire student body. The strength of a slate is allowing
students to vote and giving a mandate for explicit change. S.U.R.E.
has lived up to the hopes of the students who voted for them just
under a year ago.

The second fact is that S.U.R.E. has become more than a ragtag
collection of students. Rather, S.U.R.E. has a vision. Members of
the slate share the view that student government can be a visible
hub of campus life. Everyone should have access to USAC, and
the government should be run well. There is no dogmatic political
orientation that serves as a prerequisite for involvement in
S.U.R.E. Instead, S.U.R.E. draws leaders from all facets of the
campus community and can accomplish more as a team than its members
could as individuals. S.U.R.E’s lack of an overbearing
political ideology is its strength. It allows for the recruiting of
free-thinking individuals who represent mainstream students.

Even though LaFlamme and S.U.R.E. have parted ways, let it be
understood that S.U.R.E.’s goals and visions have no reason
to change. People come and go in politics for many different
reasons. However, a slate in touch with the student
body’s needs better serves students’
interests. S.U.R.E. members as a group and individually will
continue to work in the interests of the student body as a whole,
continuing a tradition of solid policy that is good for the entire
student body.

Harmetz is a USAC general representative affiliated with
S.U.R.E.