In a move to bring student groups closer together, the undergraduate student government will start meeting with student groups on a regular basis to create an environment in which organizations will be better able to connect with each other.
The Undergraduate Students Association Council and its sponsored student groups will have their first meeting tonight in the Kerckhoff Art Gallery at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
According to USAC Internal Vice President Allende Palma/Saracho, USAC initiated the move to hold regular meetings after it noticed a disconnection with council and student groups.
"We felt we should establish a formalized space where there would be a dialogue between USAC and the organizations that it serves," Palma/Saracho said.
The regularly scheduled meetings should decrease the isolation of student groups from each other by having the opportunity to collaborate on events and learning of better ways to serve the UCLA community.
"We want to see a discussion of issues that affect our population and communities on campus," Palma/Saracho said.
USAC-sponsored student groups represent many minority populations on campus - including the African Student Union, Jewish Student Union, Queer Alliance, and 17 other organizations. Each group will have at least two representatives at the meetings.
Palma/Saracho believes that despite the fact that these groups represent such large communities, they are still relatively unknown by fellow organizations and the general student body. He also said he hopes that through these meetings, student groups will gain a better understanding of each others' missions.
The idea to hold meetings was conceived by Palma/Saracho and USAC President Anica McKesey during last spring's elections.
"It is a way for all student leaders to come together and share resources and knowledge they have as leaders," McKesey said.
The agenda for tonight includes introductions by student group representatives and USAC members. Times and locations for future meetings will also be finalized. The response from student organizations have mainly been positive, Palma/Saracho said..
Kian Boloori, co-chairman of Queer Alliance said tonight's meeting is something many people have been anticipating for a long time.
"I think it's definitely needed. Something needed for a while," Boloori said.
Queer Alliance brings smaller LGBT related groups - such as Mahu and La Familia -together. Boloori believes these meetings will bring Queer Alliance groups to a higher level and will benefit not only themselves, but other student groups participating in the meetings.
African Student Union Chairman Nashaun Neal shared the same sentiment.
"It creates a way for a community amongst different groups ... to work toward some kind of goal," Neal said.
But, not all councilmembers agree.
Josh Lawson, a USAC general representative, said by limiting the meetings to sponsored groups, USAC would be creating a hierarchy among student groups.
"When you hold meetings like this, where certain groups can come and others can't, you get this revived sense of hierarchy within the groups," Lawson said.
Lawson believes that all groups should have equal access to the resources USAC has to offer and that the meetings shouldn't be exclusionary.
Lawson also said he feels holding such meetings is a violation of the Brown Act.
The Brown Act is a California meeting law that says meetings of public bodies must be open to the public. The types of public bodies covered in the act include any standing committees, counties, and schools.
Lawson believes these meetings are a step in the wrong direction.
"It feels like we're going backwards," Lawson said.
Palma/Saracho said though the first couple of meetings will only include the USAC-sponsored groups, they hope to expand to organizations beyond those 20.
"We're really looking forward because this is instrumental in helping us find direction in council and unity amongst student body in general," Palma/Saracho said.