Nov

29

ASUCM: State of the Associated Students Address – Fall 2006

Filed Under UC Merced | Leave a Comment

Below is my first State of the Associated Students of the University of California, Merced Address. I will deliver another such address some time during the spring 2007 semester.

Thank You Vice President Crawford, distinguished members of the Executive Officers, Chief Justice-nominee Bolin, honorable, and soon to be, members of the Court, esteemed members of the Senate, [Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr. Lawrence,] Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr. Nies, respected staff, welcomed guests, fellow students…

I am excited to deliver the first State of the Associated Students of the University of California, Merced Address! It is an honor and privilege to address this body here tonight.

According to the Associated Students of the University of California, Merced Constitution Article IV, Section 1D, the President shall “give information relative to the state of the ASUCM and such measures as judged necessary and expedient, at an appropriate time each semester before the Senate.�

The purpose of this address, like other similar addresses, is to highlight our past accomplishments, illuminate our current state of affairs, and outline the action that we must individually and collectively take to improve student life.

Last year, we, the students of this emerging great university, convened the Committee on Constitution and By-Laws. The committee met weekly throughout the year, for hours upon hours, to discuss, deliberate, debate and ultimately write a constitution that would outline the general framework and serve as the foundation for our student government. Modeled after the United States Federal Government, our student government adheres to the principles of a representative democracy, embodies a separation of powers and system of checks and balances, encourages both conflict and cooperation, demands dignified deliberation and debate, promotes greater inclusiveness rather than absolute exclusiveness, requires regular renewal of both the individuals and the institution, and sustains a deep-rooted appreciation for the past, present and future. It is such basic governmental principles that will guide our student government to greatness.

The establishment of student government at UC Merced is our greatest collective achievement and from this achievement, all other achievements will follow.

This semester, around 300 people were captivated by the performances of the many student entertainment groups at the ASUCM’s 1st Annual Dance-Off. This ASUCM event brought together the student body and provided the student entertainment groups a premiere opportunity to display their talent and electrified the campus with their energy and passion. It is my hope that we continue to selectively sponsor other large-scale activities and events to further improve student life.

Next, we established our presence on the World Wide Web with ASUCM.org. ASUCM.org 1.0 features the constitution, information about the student government officers, a calendar of events, agendas and minutes of Executive Officer and Senate meetings, full text of student government legislation and links to our sister student governments. Moreover, the website can be translated into ten different languages, including Spanish, Chinese and Arabic. This website improves student life because it offers a centralized location to obtain information about student government. It is important to note that ASUCM.org is still in its infancy and in the future, we can expect the website to include more information, better resources, and a flashier, more colorful design.

Finally, this semester has been a tremendous learning experience for all of us in student government. We are learning what it means to represent students, what it means to govern, what it means to engage in politics, and what it means to be a leader. The very recognition of this fact is an accomplishment because as Thomas Jefferson once said, “The qualifications for self-government are not innate. They are the result of habit and long training.� Thus, we have started to ease into our habits and we have begun our long training.

In our current state of affairs, there is much to be said. However, there are three aspects that I want to address.

In my many years of serving in student government, I have observed that communication or lack of communication can make or break an organization. And for communication to occur, there must exist a relationship or a means by which to communicate. Without a relationship, information cannot be exchange and without information being exchanged, it follows that failure is inevitable. This is a fact of any and all human endeavors.

Thus, the first aspect is that communication is essential to the immediate, short, and long-term success of this government. In other words, we have yet to achieve full communication. But each time we convene collectively or meet individually, each time we email everyone or call someone, we are getting closer to achieving full communication. If we continue to make the effort to establish relationships with one another, then our goal of full communication will be realized.

To establish a relationship is critical to communicating essential information. Whether that information is the date, time and location of a meeting or a piece of legislation, without a relationship, no information can be shared and known, and thus it becomes lost in a sea of would-have, could-have, should-have. As the captain of this ship, I will not sail us into such a sea.

The second aspect of our current state of affairs that I want to highlight is that we are interconnected. We are interconnected as students of this university and as members of this government.

It is widely accepted that we live in a world in which everything is connected to everything else. Nothing is truly independent; rather everything is interdependent. We, individually or collectively, do not function in a vacuum. We are not independent of influence, whether it is positive or negative, whether it comes from above or below, or whether it will strengthen or weaken us. What we say and do inside the confines of student government can just as easily influence what we say and do outside the confines of student government, and vice-versa.

Consider the following quotation: “One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.� With one explosive phrase, one ill-conceived action, or one ill-informed decision, the spoiling power of ignorance can destroy our collective resolve.

The third and final aspect of our current state of affairs can be deduced from the first two: by recognizing that communication is important and that our individual actions can reflect the whole, it will be our desire to make a difference that shall shine through. As I look across this room and into each of your eyes, I see that each of you want to make a difference, each of you want to matter in this world. However, while our hearts tell us we can make a difference, sometimes the logic of our mind forces us into a labyrinth that echoes we cannot.

This labyrinth that I speak of is created by both the abundance and scarcity of knowledge of the world we live and the roles we have as student representatives. This aspect regularly presents itself in the form of a question and that question is, What is the purpose of serving in student government?

To serve in student government requires a firm grasp of the purpose of student government and the fundamental purpose of student government is to improve student life.

To improve student life, we need to actively represent our peers, encourage their participation by providing services and coordinating activities, support, promote and celebrate the diversity of culture, lifestyle, and beliefs for the breadth of ideas and perspectives they bring, advance the development of leaders that will serve the public and make a difference, promote the general educational welfare and enhancement of the academic benefits and opportunities offered for the continued success, and create a culture where each student expects the absolute most and best from themselves.

Second, to serve in student government means that you represent someone. To represent someone means that you have their interest in heart and mind when you make a decision or take an action and to know their interest. To know the interests of others, it is essential to establish a relationship with that person. For that relationship will serve as the means to exchange essential information about the thoughts, needs, wants and expectations of our peers. Remember, that we are not here to serve ourselves, we are here to serve others.

Finally, to serve in student government requires an incredible amount of sacrifice. We have sacrificed our beauty sleep, we have sacrificed our study time, we have sacrificed our time to spend it with others, we have sacrificed our perfect driving records, we have sacrificed dinner in the Dining Commons and we have sacrificed so much more. And, like you, I don’t shrink from such sacrifice, I have embraced it and I will continue to embrace it until the downpour of death extinguishes the fire of my life: that is the seriousness and extreme to which I take my public service. Whether here at UC Merced, formerly at my community college or high school, I understand that sacrifice is a requirement that all of us in this room have met. Now, let us be sure that our sacrifice is for something.

It is important to recollect our past and analyze our present for it is our past and present that will guide our future.

We serve the student body because we foresee a bright future and the time for action is now.

Writing the ASUCM By-Laws is a massive undertaking and the progress made so far is great. I would continue to urge all members of this student government, and Senators more specifically, to focus their energy on writing Elections By-Laws. Without such by-laws, our elections will be chaotic and without elections, this government cannot continue to be legitimate.

Second, we have a healthy monetary reserve and I believe we should actively promote that funding is available for student club. Clubs are the primary forms of extracurricular involvement for students. Whether students are directly involved in the club or enjoy one of the many activities and events and clubs hosts, it is essential to provide resources to such organizations. I would further encourage the Director of Student Activities and Senate Committee on Student Activities to convene the Inter-Club Council to establish a formal line of communication between the student government and clubs and organization.

Next, it is the commitment of the ASUCM to promote undergraduate research. I would urge the Director of Academic Affairs and Senate Committee on Academic Affairs accelerate their efforts in writing the Research By-Laws and promoting the fact that student government has a strong commitment to provide resources to students who will become leaders in academia. One day, I would expect the students who receive research grants from the ASUCM to become published and esteemed scholars, Members of Prestigious Academies and possibly Nobel Laureates.

For us improve student life, we must continue to establish relationships and communicate with the people we represent. Each of us should be the most well connected, well respected, most admired, and most sought after individuals on this campus because our peers know that if they ask us to do something, that it will get done. Whether someone has a concern about Open Senate Meetings or Open Access Labs, the Lack of a Tram or the Lack of Adequate Parking, when the student body speaks, this government listens and takes action.

Fifth, we have to get others involved. Whether you find another student to mentor or encourage a friend to attend a meeting, let people know that if they want to learn more about student government, that there is ample opportunity to do so. However, student government is not the only way students can get involved. There are dozens of clubs and organizations, many activities and events, and community organization that are ready, willing and looking for students.

Next, we must continue to advocate the needs of students to staff, faculty, administration and the local community. The Director of Student Advocacy and Senate Committee on Student Advocacy should reach out to the student body and ask them what they would like improved at the university and the community of Merced. The idea would be to collect the ideas and act on ensuring that those ideas become reality.

Seventh, the role we have to play in the San Joaquin Valley is great. Over 250 miles and 50 miles across, the San Joaquin Valley is made up of 8 eight counties. From San Joaquin County in the north to Kern County in the south, the Valley is plagued by some of the highest unemployment rates, lowest political participation rates, lowest college going rates, poorest air quality and worst access to healthcare in the state. Therefore, I will seek to establish the San Joaquin Valley Student Association. The SJVSA will serve to bring together student leaders from 17 higher education institutions from throughout the region to discuss the major social, economic and environmental issues of the Valley, develop a college-going culture in the San Joaquin Valley and take action to solve the problems this region faces by informing and mobilizing students.

Finally, next semester this student government will undertake the creation of the Student Master Plan for UC Merced. The Student Master Plan for UC Merced will articulate the vision students have for the university in a physical, social, academic, political and cultural sense.

Robert F Kennedy once said, “Our lives on this planet are too short, the work to be done is too great, but we can perhaps remember that those who live with us are our brothers [and sisters], that they share with us the same short moment of life.�

But recognize that even though we have different philosophies, beliefs, opinions, and views of the world, that it is only together that will we be able to fulfill our responsibility to the current and future students to blaze the trail and initiate our tradition of greatness.

It is too easy to wallow in defeat and despair; it is too easy to accept, with no reservation and with no question, what we are told; and, it is too easy to say we have done all we can and do no more. Like you, I did not come to UC Merced because it was too easy. Rather, I came because I knew it would be hard.

Finally, John W. Gardner, former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under President Lyndon B. Johnson, once said, “What we have before us are some breathtaking opportunities disguised as insoluble problems.�

To some, the problems of our nascent government are insoluble, but to most, such problems are breathtaking opportunities. I am breathless when I look across this room, this university and this region and with each breath lost, another is gained and we able to continue on.

Sep

1

The Tradition of Greatness

Filed Under Central Valley, UC Merced | Leave a Comment

“The Tradition of Greatness”
Friday, September 1, 2006

UC Merced New Student Convocation

My fellow Bobcats…

I am humbled to address you, at this time and from this place, about the most important of matters and that matter is our future and the future of our university.

As I look throughout this auditorium, I see the face of California; I see the face of the world. You cannot find a more stunning mosaic of people anywhere in the world for it is only at our university where all the people and cultures of the world are represented in some way, shape or form.

I believe the diversity of our university is the foundation of our tradition of greatness.

Consider how in the long history of the world, issues of economics, race, politics, religion and the like have divided civilization, fragmented societies and segmented communities that are incredibly diverse.

Such division, fragmentation and segmentation occurred because the means of communication were inadequate to exchange the amount of information necessary to generate a mutual understanding between seemingly disparate factions.

It would take an immense amount of effort to communicate, so much so, that some were unwilling to exert such effort.

The unwillingness of some to cross vast oceans, climb prodigious mountains, navigate winding rivers, trek unending plains may have resulted in the demise of their beliefs, their way of life and even they themselves.

However, it was the willingness of others that would prevent the collapse of civilization, the degradation of societies and the destruction of communities.

Those others were the pioneers.

When people said to them it was impossible, they believed it was possible. When people said to them that it would never happen, they resolve that it would happen. When people asked them why, they replied why not?

It was the pioneers who were willing to confront both internal and external obstacles with a new tenacity. This new tenacity only arises in certain places and at certain times.

With the past behind us and the future ahead of us, the University of California, Merced is that certain place and this is that certain time were a new tenacity has been born.

To paraphrase the great pioneer of new John F Kennedy: “Ask not what the future can do for you; ask what you can do for the future.”

We, the students of the University of California, Merced, represent a generation unlike any other. Our generation grew up in a world of relative calm, general prosperity, the coming of age of the Internet and the proliferation of a new global understanding. No other generation grew up in similar circumstances and therefore no other generation has the same responsibility to the future that we do.

We are the new generation of the willing; we are the new generation of pioneers.

Nearly four decades have gone by since the last University of California campus was built. For four decades, the opportunity for students to till the soil, sow the seeds and reap the bounty of a new university did not exist until now and now the University of California shall exist here in California’s San Joaquin Valley for all time.

Some people said it would be impossible to build another public research university in California; some people said that the San Joaquin Valley would never be home to a University of California campus, and some people even asked why does the Valley need a public research university?

The need for a university within this Valley was overwhelming for this bucolic region is plagued by some of the highest unemployment rates, lowest political participation rates, lowest college going rates, poorest air quality and worst access to healthcare in the state. The preceding issues are just some of the issues that this university and we, the students of the University of California, Merced, will confront.

We confront such issues because we understand that we live in a different world than those of our forebears. We live in a world where with greater communication comes greater miscommunication; where with more educated people comes more people to be educated; where with more economic growth comes more economic disparity; where with more social understanding comes more social conflict; where with more political participation comes more political cynicism; and ultimately where with ever more knowledge comes ever more uncertainty.

To some, this is not the world we live in. For some are unwilling to see the positive and the negative, the good and the bad, the rich and the poor, the happy and the sad, and the right and the wrong.

Like you, I am not unwilling for I am a pioneer.

To paraphrase the great pioneer of old Abraham Lincoln: “Let us have faith that light makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” We dare to do our duty for the opportunity to dare has been given to us.

In this auditorium and throughout this university, I see a collection of catalysts that understand their duty.

Our duty is to learn, research and serve the public; to let their be light in every crevasse and every corner; to, with unrelenting energy and unwavering commitment, make a difference at the university, in this valley, and throughout the world.

Our duty is to learn all there is to learn; to know all there is to know with the hope that we will have a better picture and understanding of the world.

Our duty is to research all there is to research; to discover things that have never been discovered. To discover the cures for cancers and diseases that will save countless of lives and hours of heartache, to design the technology that will allow us to maximize our world’s finite resources, and to delineate new norms and new laws to make our society more equal and fair.

Our duty is to serve the public, day in and day out. For while each of us may select a particular major or career, the one striking similarity is that each of us select it for the same reason: to make a positive impact on our local to global community.

Our final duty is to dissolve the walls that exist between two opposed, yet conjoined, ends. For while the ends may appear different, the means are the same and from this it follows that multiple ends are actually one end and that end is to ensure a better, brighter future.

It was people’s belief in our future and the future of the university that permits us to gather here today.

It was people’s belief in the future in affording the future an opportunity for obtaining a UC education in the San Joaquin Valley.

And though we come different parts of the state, from places all over the globe, and now we have the opportunity to afford the next generation the same opportunity.

I ask for you to look into your hand; what do you see? I see that we each have the key to unlock the vault of opportunity.

In your hands, more than mine, shall the tradition of greatness be ingrained into the culture of this university within a valley; it shall be you who unlock the vault of opportunity.

But to achieve greatness we must ask ourselves the three following questions: First, what can I do for the university? Second, what can and will this university be? And finally, how will I make this university what it can be so that it will be? It is these three basic questions that require us to think critically, to consider the future and to take action.

As you exit this auditorium and return to your work or dwelling, remember that you have something that no other person has.

You have the opportunity to serve as role models, to be the change agents in the community, and, ultimately, to become the so-called philosopher kings and queens who, enlightened by the light of knowledge, guided by the logic of reason and driven by the passion of life, will lead organizations, businesses, governments and societies into a new era of our civilization with a new global understanding.

And it is here and now, from this time and place that we recommit to our pioneer roots, draw the energy and life from the earth, and embark on our journey to ascend to great heights and fundamentally change the world.

By drawing from our well of diversity, we shall strengthen our resolve to continue our tradition of greatness.

And realize that you are not alone in this endeavor; you are in the company of your fellow man and woman who desire, at the most basic level, to make a difference.

For, in the final analysis, it is this university within a valley that will truly light this region; it is this university, as a symbol of a community from generation old to generation new, that will forever shine its light on the world and we, all of us, are the light and now we must shine upon this valley like the light has never done before.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address you, at this time and from this place.

Aug

28

UC Merced: My Final Year

Filed Under UC Merced | Leave a Comment

I have officially started my 2nd, and final, year at UC Merced.

Compared to last year, the campus has undergone a complete transformation; the change is incredible.

There are nearly double the people and double the buildings.

I have spent the last year, with the exception of winter break and spring break, watching, firsthand, the construction of the world’s first public research university of the twenty-first century and it has simply be astonishing.

To see the construction of a university is a particularly unique experience for all who experience it.

For me, the nascent university in the Great Central Valley is more than a university. It is a place where people come to learn, to work, to discover, to know, to grow and to realize that the world is a complex. The complexity of the world is not something to shy from; rather, it is something to embrace.

Wow. It has been three years since I graduated high school. I look forward to what is next.

Jul

29

“UC Merced defended”

Filed Under Letter to the Editor, UC Merced | Leave a Comment

Below is my letter to the San Francisco Chronicle editor in reply to the article title “Some students at brand-new UC say they want out.”

UC Merced defended

Editor — The July 17 article, “Some students at brand-new UC campus say they want out,” mentioned that UC Merced is “the wrong campus in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

To contend that UC Merced is the “wrong campus in the wrong place at the wrong time” is to ignore reality.

UC Merced was built to serve the people of the San Joaquin Valley. The reality is that region has some of the lowest political participation rates, highest unemployment rates, lowest college attendance rates, poorest air quality and highest infant mortality rates in the state.

Luckily, some people do not ignore reality and some people are more hopeful than others.

The majority of UC Merced students are hopeful in the future of the campus and the San Joaquin Valley. No comment can ever destroy our hope.

Therefore, I unequivocally and adamantly believe that UC Merced is the right campus in the right place at the right time.

JOSH FRANCO
Student Body President
UC Merced

May

2

“Excellent News!”

Filed Under Links, UC Merced | Leave a Comment

Greetings family and friends!

I hope all is well. I write to share two pieces of excellent news!

1) On Sunday, April 30 I was called by the Donald A Strauss Foundation (http://www.straussfoundation.org/) and I received a $10,000 scholarship to fund my public service project Students for the Central Valley (http://www.studentsforthecentralvalley.org/)!

SCV is a student-run organization established at the University of California, Merced and its mission is to set up, sustain and expand a network of Central Valley students, inform students about the significant public policy issues facing the region, and provide students with the tools needed to successfully get involved and make a difference within their community and throughout the region. The vision of SCV is to engage, empower and enlighten students about the Central Valley and encourage students to commit to a life of public service in the Valley.

2) Today, Tuesday, May 2 the election results from UC Merced’s 1st Student Government Elections are in and I have been elected Student Body President! Visit my website, http://elect.joshfranco.com/, for more information.

Whether my family, teacher, friend, or colleague, I want to thank you for contributing in some way, shape and form to my life. I would not be the person or where I am at today without you.

May

1

A Day Without an Immigrant

Filed Under UC Merced | Leave a Comment

Today, May 1, 2006, will forever be known as “A Day Without an Immigrant.�

Over a million people across the country peacefully demonstrated.

At UC Merced, several events occurred: a march on Scholars Lane, a discussion about immigration in the Quad, a panel discussion on immigration policy led by the Chancellor and featuring Kenji Hakuta, Belinda Reyes and a few students (including myself ;) ), and the showing of Carlos Bazua’s and Salvador Contreras’ documentary: El Recorrido – The Journey.

It has been an amazing day and I think a protester somewhere in the country stated it best: “Today we protest, tomorrow we vote.�

Apr

30

Relay for Life

Filed Under Human Development, UC Merced | Leave a Comment

Earlier today, I ran at Merced College in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event.

I tried to take a nap before running at 3:00am this morning, but I was either too excited or not tired.

At around 2:45am, I drove to the college from the university and parked ASAP. I got onto the track just a minute or two before 3:00am.

I ran for the first 3 miles and then I walked for the remainder of the hour. Running around the track, I noticed illuminated paper bags with “In honor of…� or “In memory of…� and a person’s name following the phrase.

I decided to run for my friend’s mother who passed away from cancer a couple of years ago. Running around the track reminded me not just of the battle people face, like my friend’s mother, but the battle society faces in battling cancer.

The word “HOPE� was glowing bright from the home side of the stadium. Hope we will for a better future and a future without cancer.

Apr

29

On the Purpose of Student Government

Filed Under UC Merced | Leave a Comment

To the Students of the University of California, Merced:

The constitution we have crafted has been crafted in a much different time than those of our sister campuses. A lot has changed in the last few decades. Apathy towards government and politics is at an all time high. People generally distrust their government. And while distrust is not bad in it of itself, it is the kind of distrust that people exhibit which is most troubling. It is a cynical distrust, a belief that the government does not care nor take into meaningful consideration the concerns of the public. Such distrust undermines the government and its ability to provide the public good because people do not just call into question the power of their government, but their own power as an individual to make a difference.

A student government does not exist simply for the sake of existing, but rather it serves a genuine purpose and that purpose is to improve student life. Without a government, students do not have a body to which they can effectively express their concerns. It is necessary that a student government exist in order to investigate such concerns which are made known through both formal and informal channels. If a government does not exist, then students will have to direct their concerns to other entities which arguably are not centrally committed to improving student life. However, the existence of a government does not preclude a student from addressing their concerns to such entities. It is best that a student concurrently engage both the student government and the entity of concern if an entity of concern exists, which in most cases a student does. By taking such concurrent action, this will expedite recognition of the concern and a more rapid resolution of it. Therefore, to improve student life, it is not just the responsibility of the government, but also the responsibility of the student to ensure that the government is aware of such concerns and that the student takes concurrent action.

But to improve student life, it is not merely a matter of being a body by which students can express their concerns; government can do more and it must. To do more, government must never forget the individuals it represents and the community those individuals constitute. It is incumbent upon students to orientate their thinking towards the future, especially those who desire to serve in student government. For a government to effectively govern, it must first understand that the future is intrinsically linked with the past. The actions the government takes today will have an affect on the future. I contest anyone to amount a logical argument against this claim because such an issue is of vital importance to the future of student government and the concept of government itself. Here, I am adamant. Nonetheless, government must have a method to ensure that the future is taken into consideration when a decision is set to be made. It would be beneficial to establish a permanent body on the future. This body would be responsible for contemplating the future and regularly making recommendations to the entire student government regarding action that can be taken to better understand the impact of decisions on the future. By doing so, this is just one step to ensuring that government never forgets the students it represents, both current and future.

It is not enough just to concern government with the future, it must also be actively concerned about the present; now is just as important as later. To successfully govern, a balance must be achieved between the present and the future because to become too fixated on one or the other will prevent the progress of student government and its ability to improve student life. Balance is essential. Therefore, to govern in the present and keeping the future in constant mind, how can students ensure good governance by their government? Government must meet the expectations, demands and requirements the students set for it. Such expectations, demands and requirements include improving student life in an effective, efficient and equitable manner and an institutionalized means to actively and regularly consider the future. Yet, it is the ultimate recognition and articulation of such expectations, demands and requirements that will ensure student government’s thorough and continuous pursuit to fulfill them. It is incumbent upon those who are in student government to ensure the recognition and articulation of such things. A voice unheard is a voice forever lost and that should not occur. A simple desire to fulfill them within government is not enough however. The government must seek to surpass what students expect, demand and require of the body that represents them. By surpassing, government in effect increases the standard, sets the curve and raises the bar that future governments will strive to reach in order to be considered successful. Therefore, such thinking perpetuates an advancing government that is continuously improving student life because it is improving itself.

To truly surpass the expectations, demands and requirements of students, those who serve in student government and the students it serves must make a sustained effort to do so. This sustained effort demands open, honest communication because it builds trust and generates a positive, productive attitude that can be harnessed to improve student life. Communication is critical and it has been taken for granted. To communicate is to exchange thoughts, ideas and world views. In engaging others and sharing such thoughts, we grow as individuals. We grow in our comprehension of the world and desire to make a difference in it. And in order to make a difference, we will have to trust one another. Trust is a force that powers communities of individuals to move forward to demand more of themselves and others. Ultimately, trust leads to the enactment of change that benefits the present and frees the future. But trust does more. If I trust someone, then I can wholeheartedly depend on them. Such dependence is not detrimental. Quite the contrary, to depend on someone else is to recognize the freedom of individuals to depend on one another and therefore we achieve interdependence. We are capable of confronting challenges, lifting burdens and overcoming obstacles best when we confront, lift and overcome them together. To fail together is to succeed together and critical premise to note is that it was done together. With open, honest communication, trust is established and people’s attitudes change and change for the better. A positive, productive attitude fills individuals’ minds and empowers them. What was once possible is now probable. This fundamental shift in thinking is needed for the student government to improve student life.

As I have remarked elsewhere, enacting change is difficult because to challenge the status quo is a task that few endeavor to do. We, the students of UC Merced, are those few. We didn’t take a chance, we seized an opportunity by attending this campus. Therefore, I more than invite others to write on the purpose of student government, and whatever other topics relating to student government, for it is a purpose that we now all share.

I intend to write further on the purpose of student government, the need for leadership, the vulnerabilities of student government, the effect of a fragmented executive, the responsibility of an incumbent, the democratic efficiency of student government, and the power of students.

Apr

19

I’m Running for ASUCM President

Filed Under UC Merced | 1 Comment

Whoa! I have not blogged in over 2 weeks. Time flies when you’re having fun!

I am having a great time at UC Merced going to class, reading books, writing essays and enjoying the weather.

I am running for Student Body President at UC Merced and I have been campaigning for the past two weeks.

This Thursday is the great debate between the presidential candidates and I look forward to it.

If you have a chance, visit my campaign website and let me know what you think! :-)

Feb

27

Rain and Wind

Filed Under UC Merced | Leave a Comment

Rain and wind continue to pummel the campus. The wind is the strongest I have felt since arriving in Merced in August.

The wind reminds me of my time driving from California to Arizona on the 40 during Winter Break.

I am not sure if the rain is going to let up anytime soon, but I wouldn’t mind a ray of sunshine tomorrow. ;-)

← Previous Page — Next Page →