USAC continues search for tenured faculty adviser

The undergraduate student government is looking to hire a faculty adviser to assist the council.

The USAC constitution allows the council to have a faculty representative, but USAC has not had one in more than 10 years, said Roy Champawat, director of the Associated Students UCLA Student Union.

USAC Administrative Representative Debra Geller said they have not been able to find a faculty member willing to serve in the position. She said she thinks faculty members have not applied because they have commitments to teaching and research.

The adviser would serve as a nonvoting member of USAC, Geller said. The faculty adviser, who would be appointed by the Academic Senate, must be tenured or on track to being tenured.

Because some faculty have served at UCLA for many years, they would be able to give a historical background on issues and resolutions the council discusses, Geller said. She added faculty representatives would enhance the council’s discussion but not impact students’ decisions.

“Faculty can act as a sounding board for council members on a variety of issues, like campus climate,” she said.

Geller said she thinks most professors don’t know about the position. Every year she asks newly appointed council members to reach out to their former professors about the position.

Academic Affairs Commissioner Ashly Mohankumar said she has been telling professors about the position via email for a week. Mohankumar said she aims to use connections with AAC to encourage professors to apply since AAC works with faculty on Academic Senate committees.

The AAC is responsible for appointing students to positions on various Academic Senate committees, including the Faculty Executive Committee.

Mohankumar said she thinks some professors may be hesitant to apply because it is a big commitment, but she is hopeful the council will be able to find someone to fill the position for next year.