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 Elaine Reodica - Financial Supports Commissioner- USAC External Vice President Office, State & University Director- Samahang Pilipino, External Vice President - Pasadena City College, External Vice President & Chair of Student Lobby Group - Pasadena City College, Community College Initiative Organizer I believe that I am best for this position not solely based on my past leadership experiences, but rather my life experience. As an incoming transfer student from Pasadena City College, an out of state student from Alaska, applicant for FAFSA and scholarships, student worker, student and student organizer, I feel I have a good sense of what students that walk this campus go through. The commission Iêm running for has so much potential- in being to help every student on this campus in one way or another. Most of all, this commission is a vehicle to advocate for greater affordability and access to higher education. All throughout my life, I have faced and been able to put a face to the barriers of affordability. In high school, I graduated 2nd in my class and got into my dream school, but did not get the financial support I needed to pay it. Then going to a community college for two years, I encountered mostly non-traditional students who struggled to even pay the $20/unit. Now at UCLA, I have met students who have to work more than 50 hours a week during the summer, packing fruits in a warehouse, just so that she can pay for her fees. This is why I am committed to ensuring bruins walking on this campus are getting what they rightfully deserve- their right to an education. With the rising costs of textbooks, I am offering a comprehensive list of solutions to make UCLA as affordable as it can be. With the governorês proposed budget cuts and the possible fee hikes, the rise in the average student budget will definitely make students find more ways to finance their education. In this yearês past Financial Supports Commission, addressing textbooks was not prioritized as seen in the non-existent book loan program. I am committed to reprioritizing the priorities of this office, by doing the following: Offering Textbook Scholarships, having Tax-Free Book Purchases at the UCLA Bookstore, as well as looking into a payment option that lets students charge their textbook purchases on their BAR account. Throughout the year, I also plan on building a coalition between faculty, USAC, ASUCLA and the bookstore. This will be created to spark dialogue on how we can all work together in addressing the rising costs of textbooks. I have been in contact with ASUCLAês Executive Director Bob Williams, Lily Tsai of the Alumni Association and various people at the UCLA Government Relations Office. My first proposal which is to provide students with Textbook Scholarship will be funded in a few ways: A) UCLA alumni association B) ASUCLA C) Fundraisers & Letter-writing. The amount and number of scholarships will be dependent on how much money is fundraised. My goal is to be able to offer a minimum of 100 textbook scholarships in the span of my one year term. Every student on this campus would have an opportunity to be part of this random drawing. At the end of the quarter, students will be able to turn in applications to get their names put into the pool. The names will randomly be pulled out and be posted the first week of the following quarter. The textbook scholarships will be in forms of vouchers that can only be used at the UCLA bookstore. In speaking with Bob Williams, he assured me that ASUCLA and the bookstore would be in support of donating textbook scholarships if I got the Commissioner position. I am committed to making sure these scholarship opportunities are offered to students. I have the fundraising, organizing and personal network to make sure this happens. I was recently offered to work at the UCLA Government Relations Office for another year until I graduate. Working at the GRO has allowed me to interact and build relationships with alumni, administration and politicians. These are resources and personal relationships which will be critical in funding the scholarships. Also, I have experiencing large scale fundraising. As the Pasadena City College VP of External Affairs and the student intern for Chair of Higher Education Senator Jack Scott, I was able to work with administration and faculty in fundraising $25,000 towards the Community College Initiative. I plan on co-programming with the Graduate Student Association and Financial Aid Office to have a presentation and panel for undergraduates interested in graduate school. I have already spoken with Edward Flores of the Financial Aid Office, as well as have contacted Nisha Mehlings of the Graduate Student Association. This event will be targeting juniors and seniors, as well as the transfer population. One evening, students will be invited to a presentation and panel. The presentation will be about how students can manage their current debt, educating them on payment plans, as well as offer ways in financing their graduate school endeavors. This would be followed by a panel of current graduate students who will share and discuss how they have and/or currently coping with financially supporting their education and expenses. The reason why I think this is significant is because just within the incoming Fall class of 2007, 91% of freshmen and 83% of transfers stated their intentions of pursuing post-graduate education. As a commission, the least we can do is offer them resources and advise on how to financially plan ahead in pursuing their educational goals. I have the organizing skills and experience to make student forums such as this happen. As the past VP of External Affairs at Pasadena City College, I was able to successfully organize a student forum that was attended by more than 600 student and community members. I was able to organize a forum featuring past presidential candidate John Kerry, Senator Barbara Boxer, Mayor Villaraigosa, Fabian Nunez, Assembly member Anthony Portantino, Gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides and Assembly member Bustamante. I believe this exhibits my ability to follow though and deliver. But what is at the core of what I do is my desire to promote student engagement. One of my main platforms is to advocate for the nation-wide campaign for "Simplifying the FAFSA". So far, I have spoken to the United States Student Association Legislative Director, Rebecca Thompson about what the commission can contribute to the campaign. Because this is a provision of the Higher Education Act, the Financial Supports Commission would have to work with the USAC EVP Office to get students to the USSA Legislative Conference in DC. Beyond lobbying our political leaders to vote on these provisions, the commission will be educating the student body about this provision within our own University. The commission, along with the Financial Aid office will be conducting a survey regarding what students struggle with the current FAFSA. This information will be compiled to better gauge what UCLA students are struggling with, giving the commission and the FAO a better perspective on how to help students locally. In addition to the financial aid workshops that this commission has traditionally done, I am committed to looking beyond our campus in addressing the issues students face in regards to the FAFSA. If the provision passes and the FAFSA is simplified, it would not only benefit UCLA students but students nation-wide. The Financial Supports Commission has a lot of potential in addressing and advocating not only for bruins, but for the larger community of students we are a part of on a statewide and national level. I have always been dedicated to advocating for the access and affordability of higher education not just because I myself am a FAFSA recipient, but because I know the capability we have to help thousands of other students. As the State-University Director of the USAC EVP office this past year, I have been able to take a leadership role on the –Itês Raining Debt” Petition Drive and the Tuition Relief Now Initiative. Just recently, I was one of the students rallying the Governorês district office in coalition with Community College and Cal-State students in opposition to his proposed budget. With the past 3 years, I have been able to attend lobby conferences in both Sacramento and DC, first as a community college student and recently as a UC student. I have participated in the University of California Lobby Conference, as well as the United States Student Association Legislative Conferences. I believe that my track record has demonstrated my passion and commitment to higher education, not just within our campus, but on the state and national levels as well. A VOTE FOR ELAINE REODICA IS A VOTE TO PUT STUDENTS FIRST! |
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