When I was a freshman in fall 2008, I was eager to explore the vibrant culture at UC Berkeley and the bustling streets of Downtown Berkeley. It was at Calapalooza where I joined numerous e-mail newsletters of groups I found interesting, including the ASUC. I was impressed by the number of campus organizations and activities offered to students and it influenced me to take particular interest in our student government.
Shortly after submitting my ASUC internship application, I found myself sitting in the Senate Chambers of Eshleman Hall watching the senators debate bills. The senators followed parliamentary procedures and addressed each other in speeches as senator. At the time, I never imagined that I would chair the ASUC senate two years later. It is truly an honor to be elected to represent you as ASUC Executive Vice President (EVP). I am excited to work for you and our campus with my fellow ASUC elected officials.
The structure of the ASUC closely reflects our state and national government. One resemblance is that the ASUC also has a judicial, legislative and executive branch. It is beneficial that the ASUC functions similarly to the U.S. government because it gives those involved with the ASUC the opportunity to gain applicable experience and insight into politics. However, the structure also raises questions about efficiency. It is my priority as EVP to ensure that our student government serves us effectively and extensively.
One of the duties of the EVP is to oversee the twenty elected ASUC senators. To prepare the senators, my chief of staff, Hedy Chen, and I have been giving weekly assignments to the senators throughout the summer. The comprehensive assignments educate the senators about the ASUC constitution, by-laws, parliamentary procedures, and the Advocacy Agenda. Some assignments concentrate on establishing each senator’s projects for the year.
The EVP’s office is organizing a five-day training for the senators in mid-August. At the training, the senators will be meeting with administrators, Berkeley City Council members and student leaders. My objective for the training is for the senators to be completely ready to assume all the responsibilities their role entails by the first senate meeting.
The senators have already demonstrated their great capabilities this summer with the detailed completion of all the assignments. I look forward to witnessing the accomplishments of each senator throughout this year.
In addition to leading the senators, I manage the four departments in the EVP office. The four core areas of the EVP office are internal affairs, outreach, programs and student resources. Each area is dedicated to a multitude of projects.
The internal affairs departments are the communication liaisons between the EVP office and other ASUC offices and the campus. We work to increase ASUC transparency by publishing all ASUC activities and achievements through the ASUC blog and website. It is essential to know what the ASUC is doing so that anyone may get involved and input their ideas. Internal affiars also organizes the EVP and senate intern programs. The intern programs include workshops on the history of the ASUC, a tour of the state capitol, and meetings with California elected officials.
The outreach departments build Cal’s relationship with the Berkeley community. One of the unique projects is the K-12/ASUC Shadowing Program. We are inviting K-12 students to shadow ASUC members. The K-12 students will experience the ASUC member’s academic life and follow his or her involvement in the ASUC. For example, a K-12 student who shadows a senator will sit in on a portion of a senate meeting and learn how to write a senate bill. Through the shadowing program, we hope to inspire students to seek higher education and stay active in their school and community.
From AC Requirement Reform to Environment and Sustainability to the Perspectives Multicultural Show, the EVP programs department works to improve our campus from all angles. We strive to constantly thrill students with innovative and useful productions.
Lastly, the student resources departments administer our major initiatives. The departments provide student groups with funding, space, materials, and advising.
The student services department assists students with paying for college and organizes RRR week events. Most significantly, the student services department is collaborating with the Cal Online Student Experience (COSE) task force to develop a student portal that integrates Tele-BEARS, bSpace, Callisto career services, and many other web destinations into one system. This system will revolutionize the way we use technology at Cal.
Cal students are passionate and action-oriented. I hope you join this year’s EVP office on advancing senate efficiency, building our community, and increasing student resources. My goal is for the ASUC and EVP office to be a partner to students in all our academic and extra-curricular endeavors. Let’s work together to make this an extraordinary year! Go Bears!