Fall at UC Santa Cruz is synonymous with transformation. The changing seasons bring a fresh chill in the air, an influx of new students, and a new set of Student Union Assembly (SUA) officers ready to advocate for the undergraduate student body.
This year’s SUA is particularly novel, since all elected candidates ran together as a slate entitled “Students 4 Change” (S4C). During the campaign, each candidate drew on their previous involvement within SOMeCA spaces and the group received endorsements from over 12 student organizations.
On their official Instagram (@s4c.ucsc), S4C wrote that they were dedicated to creating “a student union that integrates the perspectives, presence, and voices of all UCSC students.”
Part of their campaign involves creating a concrete guide of changes they planned to enact when elected, entitled “6 points 4 change.”
City on a Hill Press caught up with each of the SUA officers to discuss some of their goals and anticipated challenges in the student body they hope to address this upcoming year.
Some responses have been edited for brevity.
Airielle Silva, she/they, President
What are you looking forward to about your role?
“Me and my fellow officers are ready to bring the change that we’ve been advocating for since the day we stepped foot on campus. That’s one of the things I’m really excited for — advocating for my fellow undergrads, [whether they’re] folks who are of my positionality or folks who are not of my positionality. Now the administration has to listen.”
What are some challenges you see among the student body that you hope to address in your term?
“A big thing for me is creating real transformative change and sustaining equity within this space. That includes advocating for wage increases, keeping administrators accountable and transparent, going in on academic policies that are affecting marginalized students, and, of course, the age-old issue that’s plaguing UCSC: housing.”
What are some concrete goals for your term?
“My answer is more of a culmination of things, because we can’t think about all of the issues impacting campus as singular problems. I can’t think about advocating for students or reforming academic policies without also thinking about what it looks like in our dining halls. Same with housing or mental health — they’re all interconnected. I’m ready to take the next step in creating and pushing along current initiatives.
I want students to know that this academic year the SUA is accessible, and it’s a space that we ensure is for students. We are here for you, and we hope you are here for us as well!”
Stephanie Sanchez Toscano, she/her/ella, Vice President of Academic Affairs
What are you looking forward to about your role?
“I’m looking forward to meeting with the administration. I’m also excited to be able to communicate with students directly, to talk to them about their concerns, and relate, like ‘I’m not alone and you’re not alone.’”
What are some challenges you see among the student body that you hope to address in your term?
“There are a lot of students who don’t know who to go to to complain about things. There’s this big barrier — a lack of communication between the student body, the SUA, and administration. Students have a lot of concerns they keep to themselves, and that’s something I hope to change.
Also, a big thing that’s happening right now is the debate over online learning. Santa Cruz is expensive and a lot of students are working multiple jobs. I think all classes should be recorded for students who aren’t able to make it and have a lot on their plate.”
What are some concrete goals for your term?
“A more accessible enrollment process. Some students can’t even get into the major classes that they need.
Also, a more equitable grading system. Everybody comes from different backgrounds with different resources; therefore, students are gonna have different knowledge, and not everyone is gonna be at the same starting level. Our current grading system is really just based on traditional white supremecist patriarchy. By that, I mean that I am in a system that was not originally created for me, a student of color.
We’re all expected to be ‘traditional’ students, but in reality, many of us are dealing with things that could possibly [make students] take more than 4 years to graduate. So, I think there should be more leniency towards other forms of attendance in a class, and you should not be ashamed when you need more than 4 years to graduate.”
Audrey Avelino, she/her, Vice President of Internal Affairs
What are you looking forward to about your role?
“The thing I am most excited for is connecting with student leaders on campus to outreach to the student body and have every day students get involved with SUA. The SUA isn’t fully represented by just six student officers, and we need the experience of all students and their involvements to take everyone into consideration.”
What are some challenges you see among the student body that you hope to address in your term?
“The disconnect between the student body and SUA. I hope to educate the student body on what work the SUA does and show students how to get involved. I plan to work with full transparency with the student body and listen to their concerns and do my part to assist and support them.”
What are some concrete goals for your term?
“Some concrete goals I hope to achieve during my term are uplifting the voices of campus dining hall workers by requiring their representation in one of our SCOC (Student Committee on Committees) groups DSSAG (Dining Services Student Advisory Group); host Committees 4 Students (C42), an opportunity for the committees from SCOC to share their work with the student body; and make the emergency housing funds more accessible and well-known.”
Editors’ Note: Audrey Avelino submitted her response via email.
Andres Martinez-Sabino, he/him, Vice President of External Affairs
What are you looking forward to about your role?
“Interacting with other UC External Vice Presidents during the monthly board meeting to talk about UC-wide issues. Additionally, I am excited to work more closely with the UC Office of the President and advocate more towards people in positions of influence regarding systematic barriers/issues affecting UCSC students.”
What are some challenges you see among the student body that you hope to address in your term?
“A lot of the issues we commonly talk about are systemic barriers that affect a majority of students, but there are some issues that are not often addressed because they may affect a smaller number of students. I want to ensure that I’m able to give a different array of students who previously had no spot at the table the opportunity to come into the conversation. There’s a lot of challenges I’m not aware of, so I realize it’s important that when I enter these [SUA] spaces, I’m bringing with me these students who can talk about what is affecting their college experience and what can be done to improve it.
What are some concrete goals for your term?
“To build a more centralized network to connect UCSC students to other UCs’ resources and students. For example, UCSC’s Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA) can connect with another campus’ MEChA so they can exchange ideas and bring more people together.
I want to make sure the External Affairs Office is a way students across the UC system can connect and uplift each other.”
Leslie Marquez, she/her/ella, Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion
What are you looking forward to about your role?
“I’m most looking forward to bringing people together. That’s a really big thing I’m trying to implement again so students know what resource centers exist, and that student organizations know they’re supported by the resource centers. It’s a hub of interconnectedness, and I think we see a lot more change if everyone’s working together.”
What are some challenges you see among the student body that you hope to address in your term?
“It’s a challenge of trying to make everybody happy, but I think that’s where including student voices plays a big role. We’ve been taught that you don’t make decisions on your own: you have to ask the community what they want.
That’s how you see change happen — coming from the people who are most affected.”
What are some concrete goals for your term?
“One of my biggest goals is making sure students know where to go and supporting student boards, resource centers, and different organizations. My role specifically helps and supports low-income, first-gen, transfer students, undocumented students, students of color, and women. My goal is to provide resources to make it as easy as possible to not only maintain retention for these groups, but also to make sure they’re getting basic needs met. Everyone should have access to higher education and have the skills and resources they need to succeed.”
Alicia Anyanwu, (she/her), Vice President of Student Life
What are you looking forward to about your role?
“I’m looking forward to learning more about being a student advocate, as well as reforming the space that SUA currently embodies. Reformation will allow for inclusivity and community-based organizing that centers students in the decision-making processes on campus. I know the beginning won’t be easy and I will definitely run into some barriers due to my identity and what I stand for. I identify as a Black woman, which in and of itself is a barrier. The reality is that it’s hard for people who look like me to get into these positions, so I expect to be met with white supremacy, microaggressions, and all the things that follow those things. Despite that, I’m looking forward to working in the community with my fellow officers.”
What are some challenges you see among the student body that you hope to address in your term?
“The disconnect and mistrust between students and student government. Something we [my fellow officers] mention a lot is the fact that student government is meant to be a representation of the student body and advocate for their needs. It’s not healthy for students on campus to feel like they can’t trust the students they elected to represent them to administration. I hope to address the concerns of the student body so they’ll feel heard and know that concrete change will happen.”
What are some concrete goals for your term?
“This is our year to rebuild. Two concrete goals for my term focus on what we really built our platform on, and that’s restoration through grassroots organizing. My first goal is to work to improve the communication and advertising within the SUA. This will allow for an increase in engagement and create a greater interest in the SUA if students form a connection and feel it’s a safe space. My second goal is to build relationships between the SUA and other student organizations on campus. I believe that this would add to our togetherness as a campus community, especially [now that] we are post-quarantine.”
Andres Martinez-Sabino previously worked for City on a Hill Press, but did not have any involvement in the making of this article.
