Alejandra Melgoza, third-year Chican@ studies and history of public policy double major. Daily Nexus Photography Staff
As the representative voice of the student body, the A.S. President is responsible for supporting the democratic structure of the university. The President must be efficient, focused and, above all, accessible to the student body.
Independent candidate Alejandra Melgoza has been extremely visible as a student leader since she began her time as a student at UCSB three years ago. As a result, she has widely and openly championed her views by supporting advocacy and social justice.
If she follows through on her promises to equally and fairly represent her constituency, she will prove to be a historic leader on our campus. However, she has several wide-reaching, time-consuming plans and she will have to prioritize this promise from the outset to ensure that she represents the entire student body.
Her campaign goals are centered on reforming sexual assault policy, improving mental health services and advocating for “university-wide equity.”
In improving the effectiveness of Title IX claims and UCSB’s judicial process, Melgoza said she will work toward fairness for both reporting and reported parties. Due to her experience working with university administration, Melgoza is fit to represent the student body, but the complicated task will test her abilities if she is elected for office.
To expand mental health services at UCSB, Melgoza plans to involve the administration in converting university-owned buildings in Isla Vista into a new mental health counseling center. If she succeeds in her plan, Counseling and Psychological Services will be able to adequately focus on mental health instead of combining it with Career Services.
She has a structured plan to fund her projects, calling upon alumni, Greek communities and legislators to negotiate financial backing for her envisioned changes. Overall, Melgoza is focused, experienced and prepared for a role as A.S. President. If she commits to her goal of transparency and representation for all students, she will lead representative change at UCSB.
