UC Berkeley transfer student Scott Nagatoshi is running as the Student Action party’s ASUC transfer student representative candidate.

Nagatoshi, a political science major and public policy minor, said his platforms include increasing club accessibility for transfer students, working on the growing issue of housing insecurity and advancing equity and inclusion on campus.

“Joining the ASUC seemed like a great way to give resources back to the students,” Nagatoshi said. “People here are so driven to succeed. I want to help them achieve that in any way I can.”

Nagatoshi said transfer students aren’t properly represented in the ASUC, a trend he believes is true across many other campus organizations. As transfer student representative, Nagatoshi hopes to work with student organizations to set transfer student quotas and ensure incoming juniors feel welcomed.

Although there wasn’t a “super present” student government at Moorpark College, where he transferred from, Nagatoshi said his experience as a member of the college’s Captain’s Council qualifies him for becoming the transfer representative.

“We were able to help students with their mental health and so many other issues,” Nagatoshi said. “I really enjoyed giving back to the community.”

Gavin Healy and Angelina Vicencio-Mares, Nagatoshi’s campaign managers, said junior-transfer representation in clubs needs to be fixed. 

Healy and Vicencio-Mares are both campus transfer students and noted that housing — especially for disadvantaged students — is one of the campaign’s priorities. 

“Students who have a lot of resource barriers are going to find that even if they get housing, it won’t be safe,” Healy said. “There has to be a better solution.”

Part of their plan moving forward, according to Healy, is to make a list of what they consider to be “good” and “bad” landlords in the Berkeley area. The campaign also aims to help students find housing that keeps them “happy and healthy.”

Healy described Nagatoshi as “kind-hearted, charismatic and genuinely caring,” and added they were confident in Nagatoshi’s leadership abilities. 

“You see a lot of freshmen with a lot of offices under their belt, but it’s obvious they’re resume fluffing,” Healy said. “That’s not Scott. He genuinely cares.”

Nagatoshi said not enough is currently being done inside the ASUC, and he wants to change the culture to be more effective.

According to Nagatoshi, the ASUC often discusses equity and inclusion without actually talking to students and finding the best way to address issues. As the transfer representative, Nagatoshi aims to work closely with impacted communities.

“I’m tired of the ASUC politics,” Nagatoshi said. “I want to make sure the conversations that need to happen happen. This isn’t about my resume; it’s about making Berkeley better. We need to put pressure in the right places.”