Westwood Neighborhood Council debates bylaw restrictions on student membership eligibility
By Tanwe Shende
May 13, 2011 1:17 a.m.
Correction: The original version of this article contained an error. One of the proposed bylaw changes would require those who hold renter seats to live in Westwood year-round, which would eliminate most students from being eligible to hold these seats. One student representative who would not have to fulfill the requirement would remain on the council.
Nearly one year after being created, the Westwood Neighborhood Council faces conflict with representatives who are vying for more control.
At a meeting Wednesday night, six of the 19 council members voted in favor of new bylaws that would restrict representation of UCLA students and certain homeowners.
One suggested change would require council members who serve on renter seats to live in Westwood year-round. This would eliminate most students from being eligible to sit on the council as renters. Of the three students who are currently on the council board, two hold renter seats
The proposal did not sit well with three of next year’s undergraduate government officers, who attended the meeting to voice their dissent.
“I am concerned that the decrease in representation of UCLA would stifle student voices,” said Kristina Sidrak, internal vice president on next year’s Undergraduate Students Association Council.
Ultimately, the issue was tabled until the next meeting on June 15. An audience member mentioned to another that the vote would occur when most students are not in school, which would in theory limit students from attending the meeting to oppose the proposed bylaw change.
At the heart of the matter, the bylaw changes are intended to increase the power of homeowners associations on the council at the expense of students and homeowners who are not association members, said Brent Gaisford, a third-year economics student who holds a seat on the council.
Homeowners on the council are concerned that allowing students to have too large of a voice will undermine homeowners’ interests, said Toni Gray, vice president of the neighborhood council.
“We do not believe students that are here for only part of the year should be allowed to dominate,” Gray said at the meeting.
Next year’s USAC External Vice President Joelle Gamble responded to the homeowners’ concerns by saying UCLA students simply want to maintain a voice on the council.
“We have no desire to take over the board,” Gamble said at the meeting.
UCLA Faculty Representative Lisa Chapman said the proposed changes to the bylaws would go against the council’s goal of fairly representing Westwood.
“(These changes) do not represent the composition of this community,” Chapman said.
The meeting began civilly, but tempers flared as the issue of bylaws came up. At one point, a number of businessowners began arguing heatedly with Gray, after which one homeowner stood up and exclaimed, “This is ridiculous,” before storming to the back of the room.
