USG discusses potential reorganization
Undergraduate Student Government Program Board Finance Director and President-elect Edwin Saucedo, Chief of Staff David Moreno and current USG Vice President Jordan Fowler presented a proposal to the USG Senate to reorganize USG administrative positions at the Senate meeting Tuesday evening in the Ronald Tutor Campus Center.
The bylaw changes consisted of a 91-page online document that would centralize responsibility in the organization. There will be several executive branches such as a communications branch, which will be responsible for communication across all USG organizations including Program Board, Community Affairs and other USG-related groups.
Senator Chris Fong voiced concerns with the reorganization and the potential elimination of positions within USG, as opposed to simple restructuring.
“I wanted to clarify, are any positions being eliminated? And if so, which ones?” Fong said.
Saucedo explained that some branches would be dismantled and reorganized into new positions, such as Program Board communications, which would be consolidated under a general USG Communications branch. Redundant positions would be reconsidered.
“All of Program Board marketing is being eliminated; Program Board graphics, videography and photography are all being eliminated and consolidated under the Communications branch,” Saucedo said. “All the same roles will continue into next year; they will just be rearranged to different people.”
Fowler and Saucedo were unsure about the exact number of positions that will be created compared to those that will be eliminated, leaving potential for positional losses within USG.
“We have to look up the exact numbers; we haven’t calculated them side by side.” Saucedo said.
Brianna Thorpe, director of community affairs, welcomed the changes because of the fluidity of communication offered by the reorganization. Thorpe recalled situations where the nature of USG worked against event planning on campus.
“I’m just so used to seeing it separate,” Thorpe said. “I think in terms of marketing and events, I support [the reorganization] because there have been times where I had an event or something I was working on, and I reached out to Program Board to promote it to the student body, but they considered themselves separate. I’m hoping, logistically, everything will make sense.”
The Senate meeting ended with a question on funding from Senator Aaron Rifkind. Rifkind asked about the funding plans for new positions in USG, considering current bylaws base funding off the amount of position held in USG.
“How does this affect funding? Because in the very last page of the bylaws, right now, it’s a set amount of people. So if we’re allowing for flexibility, how is that going to work with funding?” Rifkind asked.
Fowler explained that hiring is largely at the discretion of the USG President and Vice President.
“Last year with hiring, it was up to Rini and I to figure out how to break down co-directors versus assistants versus associates,” Fowler said. “So it’s up to [the next administration] to check and balance.”