The past week two weeks have provided students across the University of California system an opportunity to voice their opinions regarding the qualities they wish to see in a statewide student leader.
On July 3, the University of California Student Association (UCSA) called for the UC Regents to delay the confirmation of student regent-designate nominee Avi Oved due to alleged evidence that Oved may have received outside funding from the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation during a previous student election at UCLA.
Further investigation has confirmed that receiving outside funding was not in violation of UCLA election code, nor in violation of any IRS nonprofit guidelines. Because of this, UC Regents Bruce Varner and George Kieffer have responded to UCSA saying they will move forward with the appointment as planned.
However, there are some outstanding issues regarding Oved's appointment, and UCSA still urges the UC regents to delay the appointment at meetings scheduled Wednesday and Thursday.
Recent conversation generated across more than 200 public comment submissions, nearly 80 students on a public conference call, and discussions between student leaders across the UC have revealed student concern not just around external funding, but also the lack of transparency and coherent response from Oved to UCSA and its constituents.
Oved's initial public response was delayed, and failed to address whether he had received external funding for his election. Later, both Oved and Milstein publicly denied any funding of UCLA student elections, and did not alter their response after evidence of external contribution for Oved was released by the Daily Californian.
Furthermore, students have a right to demand fair and transparent election practices from their student leaders. Regardless of whether external funding is allowed for on-campus elections, outside support creates an unfair advantage of some student candidates over others, which models the inequality that we as students are constantly trying to battle in the higher education landscape.
UCSA recognizes the dire need for systemwide campaign reform, and sees the concern around the current student regent-designate nominee as a microcosm of a much larger issue that affects our campuses.
Continued concern regarding the lack of transparency from Oved, and the moral concern around campus election funding, is substantial enough for UCSA to urge the regents to reconsider a delay of Oved's appointment until the September meeting.
UCSA pledges to use the next two months to more closely examine the larger issue of student election transparency, and the action we as students should take to improve the UC student election process.
The student regent is UC students' one vote -- our one opportunity to make sure the student voice is heard on the UC Board of Regents.
Any concern around a student leader in such a prestigious position must be considered carefully and thoroughly. While UCSA respects the regents' initial decision, it is crucial that the regents grant UCSA the request to delay the student regent-designate appointment out of respect for a thoughtful examination, a commitment to transparency, and assurance of the integrity of our student representative.
Students have brought forward concerns around their student leader, and it is our job as UCSA to be able to assure students that Oved is going to be the phenomenal student regent that his nomination would suggest.
Kareem Aref is president of the University of California Student Association.