I would like to point out that many of the statements Shaina Walter has made about me are incorrect and untruthful (“Leggies Need and Experienced Wrangler,” April 18, Daily Nexus).

Shaina Walter claims that I “decided to show up an hour into the [Leg Council] meeting, but apparently lost interest after 15 minutes and left.” This statement was mere speculation as to why I left. I left early because I had another meeting to attend. I had just come from another meeting and I was dropping in the leg meeting out of interest. She took it upon herself to judge the situation but failed to realize that Leg Council meetings are not mandatory for me.

Secondly, Walter claims that I, “as the vice chair of the Isla Vista Community Relations Committee,” “neglected” my post and did not attend “any of the meetings this quarter.” Once again, this is an untrue statement. At the beginning of Spring Quarter I missed my first IVCRC meeting this entire year. It is understandable and expected considering the responsibilities one takes on when running for office, such as meeting with other student groups. That is no justification for stating that I am neglecting my duties. Even though it wasn’t required of me in my list of duties as vice chair of IVCRC, I still attended some of the Leg Council meetings out of interest.

Walter also charges that my “lack of responsibility resulted in funding for students group’s events to be jeopardized.” I would like to state that funding for these student groups was not jeopardized. I had made arrangements for a proxy and had notified the committee chair that I would not be able to attend IVCRC that day. I asked Pam Van Dyk, the IVCRC advisor, to clarify why the minutes didn’t come out on time, since I made an attempt to obtain a proxy. The chair of the IVCRC sent the minutes out Tuesday around midday, but his e-mail account failed to transmit it and he was not notified of whether it was rejected or received. Shaina Walter conducted a phone vote on Thursday so that these groups would receive funding in a timely fashion and the minutes were approved Friday morning.

Walter says that I “openly admit” that I don’t know parliamentary procedure, “yet claim familiarity with ‘Robert’s Rule Order.’ ” This is another inaccurate statement – I admit that I have never used parliamentary procedure but I am aware of what it is. This does not mean I lack the experience to chair Leg Council; it isn’t a requirement and nor should it be one. The past two IVPs, Yumi Matsui and Alison Scheer, never sat on Leg Council, yet they did an awesome job by reaching out to students and bringing unbiased and fresh ideas to Leg Council. My inexperience with parliamentary procedure has little bearing on whether I will be an effective internal vice president. Parliamentary procedure is something that can be learned.

I am confident about my ability to manage a large governing body from my vast experience on a number of boards, committees and organizations at UCSB.

A.S. continues to provide unwelcome spaces for students who feel inclined to get involved. The vast majority of UCSB students have no idea who their elected representatives are and what they do. I am dedicated to changing this.

If elected IVP, I will coordinate an open town hall meeting where students will be able to question their representatives and voice their opinions at least once a quarter. I will also work with the external vice president of statewide affairs to build networks with student governments across the state. It’s crucial to be informed and constantly in dialogue with other UCs. Full agendas will be given to all boards and committees, and anyone interested, prior to the Wednesday night Leg Council meetings. The Daily Nexus and A.S. both represent the student voice on various levels and need to have a working relationship by meeting at least once a month. I will also work to utilize the “A.S. It Is” column in the Opinion section of the Daily Nexus and also use Campus Point to inform the student body about our projects.

So let’s get real: A.S. needs to change, and the only coalition on campus running with a diverse population and a progressive mindset for growth is the Student Action Coalition.

Sunbo Bamigboye is the SAC internal vice president candidate.

Print