Intent to run forms for two open Undergraduate Student Government senate seats are due Friday at 5 p.m. for potential candidates, USG Vice President Brianna Sánchez said at the senate meeting Tuesday night.
“Senate is one of those places where you can all come together and have different opinions, but at the end of the day, you are doing something that is greater for the student body,” said senate speaker Diana Carpio after the meeting. “[For] someone who is on the fence about applying, just sign up for it. Give it a run and see how it goes.”
Applications to submit an intent to run are on the USG website underneath the elections tab. Voting for the senate seats will take place from Sept. 18-19.
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Applications are also open for unelected USG positions in the executive, legislative, communications and funding departments, and senate aides. Applications will close Sept. 9 with decisions being announced Sept. 15.
“Being a part of USG has been one of the most notable parts of my USC experience, and I have no doubt it can impact your college journey as much as it has mine,” wrote USG chief of staff Sofia Coen on the application.
The application to join USG in a non-elected position is on the main page of their website.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the senate also heard a report from USG president Bryan Fernández about his goals for the upcoming year.
Fernández emphasized his work regarding the issues he campaigned on: community, accessibility, representation and equity.
“We are going to meet the moment, see students where they’re at, and really truly navigate those waters with students,” Fernández said. “That will be the best way for us to really emphasize student advocacy and also the student needs on campus.”
Fernández also gave an update on a student body presidents’ conference that he attended at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Fernández said he was inspired to emphasize approachability after reading various student messages that were plastered to a wall in Washington University’s Student Union building.
The meetings’ discussion period focused on the summer senate resolution related to the increase in campus security and the University policy requiring IDs to enter campus.
Sánchez and Fernández will ask for updates from Monique Allard, USC’s Vice President of Student Life, in their meetings beginning next week.
Carpio, who mentioned the resolution during her presentation in last week’s senate meeting, said the senate is waiting for an update on the meetings with Allard before making a response.
During presentations, Sánchez announced a new Senate Feedback Form, allowing audience members to rate their experience and comment on what they took from the meeting and how it could be improved. The form was made available by QR code after the meeting.
Looking forward, Carpio said her top priority is a Recognized Student Organization restructuring project that she has been passionate about since the pause in applications instituted by Campus Activities on Jan. 5.
“We are looking at finding ways to give groups who are looking for meeting spaces, their meeting spaces, groups who just want funding, their funding, or groups who want both, another happy medium,” Carpio said.
