USAC’s Resolution Reform feature offers new way to comment
By Hong Chen
Aug. 19, 2013 12:59 a.m.
A new feature of the undergraduate student government website will allow students to discuss and comment on resolutions going to council.
The Internal Vice President’s office created the USAC Resolution Reform feature to give students a chance to view resolutions four days before the councils’ Tuesday meetings and a more convenient way to voice their opinions to the council, said Undergraduate Students Association Council Internal Vice President Avi Oved.
A resolution is a formal expression of USAC’s opinion or stance on an issue and represents the view of the undergraduate student body.
Before the feature went live last week, students could generally only comment on resolutions if they attended USAC meetings, Oved said.
The feature requires students to give their full name, student ID number and organization affiliation so USAC can monitor the support and opposition of resolutions to ensure constructive and representative comments, Oved said.
Oved said the information and online comments will only be accessible to the 13 members of the council, but students can choose to email councilmembers to have their online comments made public at USAC meetings.
The introduction of the new feedback feature aims to bridge the gap between USAC and the student body, and also gives students direct influence over decisions USAC makes, Oved said.
Oved said the feature is still a work in progress and his office plans to work to improve the transparency of the feature.
Several students have already used the new feature of the USAC website to comment on a new resolution that is set to reach the council at its next meeting, Oved said.
The resolution calls for an end to using the word “illegal” to label undocumented students, in an effort to change UCLA’s perspective on the undocumented community, said External Vice President Maryssa Hall, a co-sponsor of the resolution.
General Representative Lizzy Naameh and Cultural Affairs Commissioner Jessica Trumble also co-sponsored the resolution.
Robert Wayne, a third-year business economics student, said he would use the Resolution Reform feature to express his opinions if the feature and USAC resolutions were advertised more. He added that he thinks it allows for easier access for students who don’t have the time to attend USAC’s weekly meetings.
“If it’s more convenient for students, they’re more likely to comment,” he said.
Contributing reports by Amanda Schallert, Bruin senior staff.
