UC Berkeley junior Lauren Hibbert is running for ASUC Senate focusing on creating academic support systems and increasing campus sustainability. 

Hibbert said her platform is composed of four main components: expanded support for pre-law students, policy centering on the nutrition and basic needs of students, outreach and additional resources for business and consulting groups and an increased amount of campus sustainability measures.

“My campaign platforms can be summarized as cohesive support,” Hibbert said in an email.

One of the many issues Hibbert hopes to address as an ASUC senator is accommodation and access for disabled students. She hopes to increase volunteer turnout for accommodation support like note-taking and develop better communication between students and Cal Dining staff. Hibbert also noted her own experiences with campus accommodations for disabled students as a driving force in this aspect of her platform.

Although Hibbert is a newcomer to the ASUC, she said she has taken on several roles both inside and outside of UC Berkeley, citing her participation in research in UC Berkeley zero-waste labs, and an internship with TRUE, a certification program that helps facilities reduce their production of waste.

“Lauren is a self-starter and has an amazing work ethic! She will fulfill all of her promises and more,” said Stephanie Barger, director of TRUE, in an email. “She also has a long history of being very involved with UC Berkeley and the students, so Lauren can hit the ground running.”

As an ASUC senator, Hibbert hopes to reduce campus waste and create a more sustainable community.

Barger described Hibbert’s prior experience in this field. She said Hibbert maintains connections with partners who have worked with Cal Zero Waste and has studied international policies.

“(Hibbert) researched policies locally and globally and can provide a holistic approach to solving a big yet simple problem of overconsumption and wasteful habits,” Barger said in an email. “She can help the UC Berkeley quickly move forward to implementation and not recreate the wheel.”

Hibbert also hopes to provide continued support for pre-law students and business and consulting groups on campus. She emphasized the financial barriers to attending law school and explained her desire to increase the visibility of law school financial aid webinars.

Some strategies she plans to implement as an ASUC senator include roundtable discussions for consulting and business groups, increasing access to professional development materials and creating more casual networking opportunities for students.

“I would like to create spaces for students with varying interests and needs to advocate for issues that are important to them and spaces for the business & consulting communities on campus,” Hibbert said in the email. “Creating space for collaboration and team building will support and propel the numerous student projects on campus.”