Officer Evaluation: Elijah Wade, General Representative 3
(Courtesy of Elijah Wade)
By Editorial Board
May 29, 2021 4:32 p.m.
Platforms/goals: Moderate
Former UCLA football player Elijah Wade entered student government with hopes of advocating for the student-athlete community. Wade also wanted to support low-income students by eliminating financial barriers at UCLA. His platforms were centered on giving voices to underrepresented communities but were ultimately quite narrow in scope compared those of his fellow officers.
Platform execution: Moderate
Wade did a solid job in carrying out his goals. In the earliest months of the nationwide shutdown, he strongly advocated for student-athletes by pushing a resolution through USAC that protected student-athletes who needed to return to campus and prepare for their upcoming seasons. He also contributed to creating a financial resources list for Bruins facing economic hardship during the pandemic, which was helpful in serving the groups he aimed to support. That being said, the board wishes he and his office could have provided aid directly to students by establishing long-term programs to help those in need.
Engagement: Excellent
The general representative 3 office put forth an excellent effort in engaging with the student body, especially during a virtual academic year. Wade was active on his office’s Instagram account, keeping students up to date on the office’s efforts while serving as a direct line of communication for student requests, concerns and ideas.
Transparency: Moderate
Transparency was a decent component of Wade’s term, but efforts like weekly office reports could’ve served his office better throughout his term. Wade said he was proud of what his office did to maintain active transparency efforts online, and his efforts through his office’s Instagram page were solid. But compared to the transparency efforts of other outgoing officers, the board believes Wade could have done more to make transparency a strong suit of his office.
What the officer wishes they could have done
Wade leaves the office with zero regrets, proud of the work he was able to accomplish throughout the year in advocating for the student-athlete and low-income communities on campus. He’s thankful for the relationships he formed with his staffers and the students he personally advocated for throughout the year.
