Van Nguyen: Roxanne, Krystle, Dionne and Carlo have the vision necessary for the ASUC
April 8th, 2008
Van Nguyen, current ASUC President*, reflects on his experience in office over the past year. Highlighting the important issues facing the ASUC, as well as the need for a continued drive to make sure the ASUC remains committed to serving all students’ needs, Nguyen writes about the importance of electing a progressive slate to office.
“One year ago I had the privilege of running for ASUC president with CalSERVE and the support of a student community that was ready for change. Before CalSERVE officials took office, the ASUC was mired in controversy and the corruption and incompetence of past executive offices that wasted students’ time, money, and resources. More importantly, these executives sold the potential of student body short by making us believe that the ASUC only had the capacity to put on petty events and programs with bloated office budgets, instead of advocating for the real issues that continually affect students like rising student fees, limited resources to promote academic success, and campus safety. Reversing a trend of several years, the student community sent a clear message with their votes that expressed a desire to reject more of the same type of government that disempowered students voices, discouraged student participation and engagement, and failed to stand up to the administration on behalf of students when the time called for it.
“During our campaign, we talked about a need to fundamentally change the way the ASUC engages students on this campus to rebuild trust in the student government. We needed to make students believe that together we could create change if ALL voices were valued and heard. By delivering on a number of our promises, it slowly became clear exactly what sort of change it was that we had brought to the ASUC and what sort of change still needs to be sought.
“As I reflect on the past year, I am proud to say we have begun to harness and develop student power on the UC Berkeley campus once again in a way that positively affects the student body.
“We started first by recognizing the importance of responsible student government. Last year, the three CalSERVE executives (President, Executive Vice President, and External Affairs Vice President) were the ONLY offices to take voluntary budget cuts in order to put money back into the hands of students.
“We changed statewide policy by involving students outside of the ASUC to take action in concert with other UC campuses in the “Count Me In! Campaign.” We worked with state legislators, the UC Office of the President, and committed students to increase Asian American ethnic categories on UC applications to fully represent the identities of students all across California.
“While many of the candidates running for President this year are talking about their plans for Lower Sproul Redevelopment, only Senator Roxanne Winston has had successful experience interacting with the administration to secure student input and involvement in the process. This year, with the leadership of Roxanne Winston, EVP Taylor Allbright, and GA President Josh Daniels, we were able to secure a $750,000 campus commitment from the University for Lower Sproul Redevelopment, the single largest campus contribution in over 16 years. We did it WITHOUT taxing students or raising student fees, and without risking the autonomy of the ASUC.
“We successfully renewed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Multicultural Center between the ASUC and the University and increased student space, funding for students, and secured one full time employee to facilitate cross cultural and collaborative programming for the next three years.
“With the help of over 30 student organizations at Cal, we were able to host the “Activism Right There Festival,” the single largest student initiated and student led event held this year. Over 2,100 students packed Zellerbach Hall to listen to distinguished panelists, form relationships with students from all parts of campus, and enjoy musical and dance performances from top artists.
“By increasing student representation on Berkeley city commissions, developing strong relationships with the city council, and increasing lobbying efforts with city officials, we were able to increase business hours on Telegraph Avenue and lead a joint campus and City project by conducting the “Safety Walkthrough,” which brought forth key safety concerns to the forefront of city officials.
“This is the type of change that we brought to the ASUC, and this is the type of progress we must continue. It is not only a matter of different opinions, but different approaches. Many of the candidates from all parties are truly well-intentioned and want to work in service of the student body, but not all of them are equipped to deal with campus officials who are often driven by other considerations besides student interests. It is also a matter of a difference in approach and a difference in drive.
“Finally, I want to quote the insightful words of Cal Dems President*, Sarah Gold, who wrote that “students who opine that the ASUC should not concern itself with state and national politics are dangerously short-sighted, for, as a public institution, we are dramatically and directly affected by the political morays of our government.” In the same breath, students and young people will determine the outcome of several key elections in 2008. In November, we will choose a new U.S President and a new course for America that will shape the future for generations around values of justice and peace instead of war and hegemony. In June, we will decide a hotly contested state senate and state assembly race that will determine the future of healthcare, student fees, and environmental policy in California. Finally, starting tomorrow, students will decide whether the ASUC will take a step back, or continue moving forward and building on the progress that has been made over the course of this year in changing very fundamental dynamics about how the ASUC functions, how it behaves, and how it represents students.
“Progress this year will mean a vote for ROXANNE, KRYSTLE, DIONNE and CARLO: the CalSERVE Executive Slate. These four individuals have the experience, motivation, and vision to bring students together from different communities to solve the complex issues we face on this campus. This year, we have the opportunity to send a clear message to the ASUC that we as students want Executive Officers to advocate on the issues that affect students everyday. At the beginning of the year, we talked about a need to fundamentally change how the ASUC engages and represents the student body. This fundamental change is evident in a single CalSERVE philosophy that can be summed up in three simple words: making change together.
“The ASUC is your student government and our collective power to create change is only as great as the students who choose to participate. This year, next year, and for many years after, it is my hope that we as students will continue working together and pushing for progress in the ASUC, at UC Berkeley, and in the broader community.”
Van Nguyen
ASUC President*
* Titles for Identification Purposes Only
