Hosting Election Events: Organizing debates and town halls for the 2024 election cycle is critical for informing students about issues important to them on the ballot. By organizing these events, we enable students to interact directly with candidates, debate community issues, and make informed voting selections. This action encourages civic engagement, enhances communication with candidates, and empowers students to shape their own future.

Increasing Government Accessibility: Improving student access to government leaders at both the state and federal levels is critical to a higher education environment that’s inherently student-centered. Active participation in the political process enables us to advocate for matters concerning our education and well-being. By working together to influence policy, we can shape the future of our school and community. This makes sure that our concerns are addressed and prioritized, resulting in a more inclusive and responsive state and federal government.

Strengthening Local Relationships: Building strong ties with local political leaders in Irvine and Orange County is critical for UCI students. Local regulations regarding housing, transit, safety, and community engagement have a direct impact on our daily lives. Connecting with community leaders allows us to fight for student interests and address important concerns, ensuring our voices are heard in choices that affect our well-being.

Mobilizing for Advocacy Campaigns: Collaborating with campus partners to engage UCI students in UCSA campaigns on critical issues like basic/holistic, financial advocacy, racial justice, and environmental justice will ensure that all members of the community are included and aware of issues happening on our campus. This includes increasing awareness, fostering discussions, and promoting active engagement in order to achieve significant change at UCI and throughout the UC system.

Promoting Campus-wide Engagement: Launch efforts to encourage campus-wide participation in UCSA-related themes and advocacy campaigns, establishing a culture of student involvement and action at UCI. This includes organizing events, workshops, and informational sessions to educate students about UCSA initiatives and opportunities for advocacy, empowering them to take action on issues that matter to them.

Strengthening Representation: Prioritize increasing UCI's representation in the UC Student Association (UCSA) by fighting for greater transparency and engagement between UCI students and the UCSA Board. This involves ensuring that UCI students' opinions and interests are effectively articulated and reflected in UCSA conversations and decisions.

Advancing Labor Rights: As EVP, I am dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of student workers and employees on campus. This includes supporting measures for fair salaries, better working conditions, and equal treatment. In addition, I will collaborate with our local unions to make labor rights and unions more accessible to students by offering resources and assistance for individuals who want to learn about and participate in labor-related issues. Together, we can enable students to effectively fight for their employment rights and interests, resulting in a campus environment that values and promotes labor rights for everyone.

Making Civic Engagement Inclusive: We will prioritize providing inclusive opportunities for non-voting members of our community to participate in civic engagement. This includes creating forums for addressing concerns, such as town hall meetings and feedback channels, holding specialized educational sessions on civic issues, and forming partnerships with community organizations to ensure that all voices are heard in advocacy efforts. Furthermore, we will mobilize for policies that address the needs of non-voting members and make our communication efforts available to all, regardless of voting status or other restrictions.

Creating a Platform for UCI Student-Specific Advocacy Issues: As EVP, I will create a platform to address UCI-specific advocacy concerns at all levels of government, from local to federal. This platform will allow students to express their issues, provide solutions, and push for changes that directly affect our campus community. Through forums, discussions, and collaborative initiatives, we will empower students to actively define our campus' future and address critical community issues.

Campus Newsletter Creation: As EVP, I will launch a campus newsletter created by the Communications Commission that will update students about office activity, forthcoming events, and policy breakdowns. By centralizing information, we hope to keep students informed and engaged in our advocacy activities and campus improvements so they can stay up-to-date with the issues that affect them.

Enhanced Communication Strategies: I will work closely with the Communications Commission to develop innovative communication strategies. These strategies will aim to increase student awareness of advocacy opportunities both within and outside our office. By leveraging platforms such as social media, email newsletters, and campus-wide announcements, we will ensure that students are well-informed about events, campaigns, and opportunities for involvement, fostering a culture of active engagement and participation.

Policy Simplification Initiative: I am committed to making policy accessible to all students, regardless of background. Through the Communications Commission, we will launch a policy simplification program, distilling down complex policy issues into consumable content for non-experts. By offering clear and succinct explanations, we enable students to effectively comprehend and participate in policy conversations.

UCSA is a statewide student advocacy organization representing all UC campuses.

UCSA's board comprises each campus's respective EVP, Organizing Director, Government Relations Director, Campaign Chairs, Executive Board, Subject-specific Appointed Officers, and professional staff.

UCSA works to address issues such as affordability, accessibility, and equity in higher education through advocacy campaigns such as ACQUIRE (holistic needs), FundtheUC (college affordability/financial advocacy), Racial Justice Now (racial equity and justice), Students Enacting Environmental Justice (environmental and Indigenous justice), and others.

Additionally, UCSA hosts multiple conferences each year, including the Student Organizing Summit, Students of Color Conference, Student Lobby Conference in Sacramento, UC Hill Day (a federal lobby day in DC), Latine Lobby Day, Black Lobby Day, and Transfer Student Lobby Day.

Each year, UCSA selects its advocacy campaigns at the Student Organizing Summit.

The EVP Office collaborates with UCSA to amplify student voices and advocate for student interests at the UC, statewide, and federal levels.

The UC Regents are the governing body of the University of California System.

The Regents consist of 26 members: 18 appointed by the Governor for 12-year terms, one student serving a two-year term, and a student regent-designate. Seven members are ex officio, including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, Superintendent of Public Instruction, President and Vice President of the UC Alumni Associations, and the UC President.

The Governor of California appoints regents, who are then confirmed by the State Senate.

The UC Regents are in charge of the management and operation of the whole UC system, including policy development, budget approval, and the appointment of the UC President.

The Regents have several committees, including Academic and Student Affairs, Compliance and Audit, Finance and Capital Strategies, Health Services, Investments, and Oversight of DOE Laboratories amongst others.

The EVP Office engages with the UC Regents by attending meetings, providing input on agenda items, and advocating for student concerns to be addressed.

UCOP is the administrative headquarters for the UC system, handling academic affairs, budgets, and institutional research.

Manages system-wide activities and projects to improve the quality of education, research, and services delivered by UC campuses.

Provides leadership and support to UC campuses, encouraging collaboration, exchanging best practices, and coordinating efforts to address common issues.

Develops and implements policies that affect the whole UC system, assuring consistency, regulatory compliance, and alignment with the university's mission and values.

Represents UC at the state and national levels, fighting for higher education financing, legislative goals, and policies that further the university's purpose of teaching, research, and public service.

Interacts with government agencies, lawmakers, philanthropic organizations, and other stakeholders to advance UC interests, address major issues in higher education, and promote the University's public mission.

The EVP Office maintains a regular dialogue with the UCOP through UCSA quarterly EVP meetings with President Drake. These meetings serve as a forum for the EVP Office to provide informed feedback on proposed UC policies, advocate for student-centered initiatives, and ensure student concerns are represented at the highest levels of university administration.