To the newly admitted freshmen touring Cal: I’m sorry to let you know that the craziness on Sproul Plaza is not a protest. What you’re witnessing is the ASUC elections in action.
To current students: I was one of the dozens of candidates who walked you to class and did my best to share my vision for our campus. I know many of you would have preferred to make a zip line straight home, but I don’t apologize and neither should the other candidates.
When it comes time to vote, you have a serious choice to make. I have endorsed the Student Action executive slate because I firmly believe in the party’s mission of representing every student, every year and because its record of accomplishment impressed me. From the AC Transit bus pass to a 24-hour SLC to the $223 million Lower Sproul redevelopment project, Student Action elected officials have consistently delivered for students.
During this election season, we should be asking the question: Why does the ASUC matter? It’s a question I’m prepared to answer because of my experiences.
As external vice president, I was charged with representing students to the local, state and federal levels of government at a critical time for public higher education. Working with students across the state, we designed “Fund the UC,” a multi-year campaign implemented on every UC campus to seek new revenues for public higher education and ultimately reform Proposition 13.
The same coalition of students successfully prevented the UC Board of Regents from passing an automatic trigger cut of $100 million, which would have been yet another devastating blow to Cal students.
And when the regents abruptly canceled their meeting in October 2011, we rerouted our buses to Sacramento and, in just 48 hours, planned a press conference on The Capitol Steps featuring more than 100 UC students, senior administrators, and both student regents. Simply put, the ASUC is a major player in the ongoing fight for a more accessible and affordable public education.
At the local level, we found that the city’s redistricting rules protected a set of boundaries implemented more than 25 years ago that were drawn to dilute the student voice. In response, we placed historic charter reform on the November 2012 ballot, led a successful campaign to pass Measure R citywide, and are well on our way to establishing a student supermajority city council district. When we set out, no one said it was possible but of the seven maps recently submitted to the Berkeley city council for consideration, five include a student district. The ASUC is responsible for making sure that students, who make up a quarter of the city, have a formal seat at the table.
And because of a memorandum we negotiated with administrators, we increased our capacity to register voters and in 2012, registered over 8,500 students.
It’s easy to blame the regents or administrators for the disinvestment in public education. It’s easy to accept the status quo in our city and hope the City Council will be responsive to our unique needs. I chose Student Action — and I care about the ASUC — because we recognize that getting involved politically can have real consequences and that, while protesting can make a difference, we are set on producing systemic change.
The ASUC is also important because it provides a critical space for students to learn about themselves and one another. Many of my most fascinating learning experiences happened on the senate floor, not in a classroom. That’s where I had frank conversations about race and ethnicity, privilege and opportunity. I can’t walk into a room anywhere and not immediately notice its diversity — or lack thereof — of its occupants, and that’s a good thing. The ASUC facilitates these life-changing conversations.
I’m the first to admit the ASUC is not perfect. It’s simply too partisan and unfortunately is divided more by constituency than ideology. All parties must work harder to understand where their counterparts are coming from and realize that, while our tactics might differ, our goals are often the same. ASUC officials should focus more on embracing new allies than instigating unnecessary contention. I didn’t always agree with the nineteen others who served on Senate with me, but am forever grateful to them for inviting me into their communities, challenging me, and inspiring me to work even harder for all students.
The ASUC must also do a better job communicating with students. If we reach the point at which students by and large understand the ASUC, elections can focus more on issues, not on how many Facebook friends a candidate has.
I hope it’s evident that my critiques come from a place of deep admiration for this institution and a desire to see it become even stronger. The takeaway is not that the ASUC is flawed but rather that it is able to make a real difference in our lives as Cal students. As voting takes place from April 9-11, please take a moment to think about the impact the ASUC has on your life, and vote for the candidates you know will best represent you next year.
Joey Freeman is a former ASUC external affairs vice president and senator with the Student Action party.
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