Transferring to UC Berkeley during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fernandez had to navigate campus as both a student and student body leader. Running for reelection as ASUC executive vice president, or EVP, Fernandez hopes to develop the work he started this past academic year. 

Fernandez intends to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, leadership engagement and student engagement expansion to Registered Student Organizations, or RSOs. Blending his platforms of DEI and engagement with RSOs, Fernandez aims to provide underfunded RSOs with collaborative spaces in Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union. Branching from this, he plans to build coalitions between communities to better student experiences on campus. Moving forward for an upcoming term, Fernandez is dedicated to being a resource for ASUC senators and facilitating communication between student representatives and campus administration. 

Despite focusing on instituting collaborative spaces and bettering communication pipelines between the student body and administration, Fernandez should hone in on concrete action plans to equitably fund RSOs across the board, according to Daily Cal’s editorial board. Furthermore, Fernandez’s impact on the campus community would benefit immensely from increasing direct communication between RSOs and the EVP’s office. While community cohesion and collaboration is important, these values need to be reflected in direct RSO funding if DEI initiatives are still a priority.

Although Fernandez’s action plans could benefit from a more tangible road map, the editorial board endorses Fernandez on the basis that his highlighted values of drawing attention to community representation and uplifting voices are essential to ensure students and RSOs are seen and heard.

Vote Giancarlo Fernandez Cruz for executive vice president.