Sol lacks experience, dedication for Academic Affairs Commission

I am writing in response to Christine Sol, Students United for
Reform and Equality candidate for the Academic Affairs Commission.
In her letter, “Academic Affairs needs new leadership”
(May 7), Sol states that she has “made every attempt to
involve (herself)” in some of the current commission’s
campaigns, but was “turned away from the current
commission.”

As the current academic affairs commissioner, I can speak as to
why Sol has not been involved in the commission. Although Sol
states she had an interest in the commission for quite some time,
she ironically applied for several of our staff positions extremely
late. At the end of the fall quarter 2002, she applied for three of
our most important positions: chief of staff, academic senate
coordinator and student departmental coordinator. However, like any
other commission, student organization or USAC office, our most
critical office positions were already filled at the beginning of
summer 2002. What’s more, those positions were filled with
people more qualified and dedicated to representing students
through the work of the office. After informing her these positions
had already been filled, she was personally invited by our
curriculum reform coordinator, Sophia Kozak, to attend one of the
planning sessions regarding the diversity requirement campaign.
However, she failed to attend.

In addition, it became clear from her application and a
one-on-one interview with our staff that she had no understanding
of the issues worked on within the office or how they linked back
to academic needs of students.

Sol also states that she has met with various administrators on
the issue of minimum progress. She fails to acknowledge that the
Campus Retention Committee, in collaboration with the Academic
Affairs Commission, made this an issue for the university to deal
with in the first place.

The Campus Retention Committee has been meeting with
administrators and faculty on the issue of minimum progress since
the policy changes were implemented last year. It seems Sol made it
an issue for herself once elections came around.

Sol states she is the only candidate who has “real
experience in the general representation of students.” On the
other hand, our in-house candidate, Sophia Kozak, has not only been
involved within our commission for over two years, but has also
worked with numerous student organizations. She has been involved
with the largest student coalitions on our campus, representing
students through the No to Student Fee Increases! No Cuts to
Student Services! campaign, and the peace and justice movement on
campus.

As the current academic affairs commissioner, I and my
commission have fulfilled our responsibilities and prioritized
student concerns over those of the administration. We’ve
worked on many things this year, aside from the diversity
requirement, that Sol does not acknowledge. We have been working
with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Asian Pacific
American Legal Center on the Classification by Race, Ethnicity,
Color and National Origin initiative, which would limit the type of
research and curriculum at our university.

My office also worked on the the semester versus quarter issue,
increasing the number of active Student Departmental Senates and
providing relevant “student-driven” programs (such as
the debate on the war). Currently, we are working on proposed
reforms regarding student representation in the Academic
Senate.

Even more importantly, we have been working on the No to Student
Fee Increases! No Cuts to Student Support Services! campaign with
the upcoming May 14 UC Board of Regent’s meeting. These are
issues affecting the educational experiences of all students at
this university, and while Sol may think they are “radical
political stances,” we don’t.

Diaz is the current academic affairs commissioner.