Andre Lee - Davis - LocalWiki

Fall 2010 ASUCD Elections

Senate Candidates

LEAD
BOLD
Independent

Zachary Hansen
Darwin Moosavi
Cameron Brown
Puneet Dhillon
Brendan Edwards
Emmanuel Diaz-Ordaz

Kase Wheatley
Matt Provencher


Prince Girn
Andre Lee


Tatiana Bush
Rebecca Sterling

Andre Lee is a fourth-year student at UC Davis majoring in Political Science and Sociology. He is a second term ASUCD senator (one of the few in modern ASUCD history). He initially ran in the Fall 2009 ASUCD Election under the LEAD slate, and was reelected for a second term in the Fall 2010 ASUCD election as a candidate on the BOLD slate. He is currently the Senate Pro-Tempore.

Candidate Statement— Fall 2010 Election

Unable to include Fall 2009 ASUCD Election/Nav

Hi Everyone! My name is Andre Lee and I’m running for RE-ELECTION to ASUCD Senate. As a candidate running for re-election, I can bring what no other candidate can bring to the table: no learning curve, experience, and a record of proven effectiveness in student government.

I love UC Davis and I love ASUCD: as a sitting senator, I’ve served twice as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and I’ve written more legislation and invested more money into the association than any other Senator, working to obtain nearly $30,000 of new equipment and technology for all of ASUCD’s services. I helped make Greek philanthropy events zero-waste, worked to make the Quad on Picnic Day use only compostable dining ware, produced a bike safety video and brochure hundreds of freshmen saw during Welcome Week, and advocated for ASUCD’s quarterly blood drives. I’ve never missed a Senate meeting and I have one of the best attendance records of any sitting Senator.

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2010 PLATFORM ISSUES: I want one more year serving as your Senator because I want to continue bringing smart investments, sustainable practices, and good management to the association.

FIRST, I want TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE TIPSY TAXI SERVICES. With my fellow running-mate Matt Provencher, I want to make sure you can use your credit card and student ID on Tipsy Taxi buses, call to reserve a pick-up as much as 2 hours ahead, and use your online browser, text, or smartphone applications to call the service and GPS-locate the buses.

SECOND, I want to RENOVATE THE BIKE BARN. ASUCD needs to take better care of its units, and we need to give the Bike Barn some major structural improvements so that we have a building for student services we can be proud of.

THIRD, I want to establish a ZERO-WASTE COMPOSTABLES PROGRAM FOR UC DAVIS STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS. If your organization does a food event, I want to offer ASUCD sponsorship to make your event zero-waste. You’ll be able to buy any compostable product you need right here at the Memorial Union at a competitive price. It’s a great way for student organizations and ASUCD to partner in helping reduce waste.

**************************************************************** I’m a fourth year political science, sociology and philosophy triple major and Regents Scholar with a 3.9 GPA. I’ve worked on the ASUCD External Affairs Commission, as a reporter California Aggie, and as a tour guide for Undergraduate Admissions. I’m a proud brother of the Delta Chi Fraternity. I’m Korean by blood, Brazilian by birth, and American by heart. As a zero-generation immigrant, I’ve grown up believing that in America, success means work and work means success. As a sitting ASUCD Senator, I’ve worked hard to represent students and provide them with effective student government. And with your vote, I promise you that I can do it again.

VOTE ANDRE LEE #1 FOR ASUCD SENATE, BOLD #2-5!

Candidate Statement— Fall 2009 Election

A SHORT INTRODUCTION... Hey everyone! My name is Andre Lee and I’m a third-year political science and sociology double major. I’m running as a L.E.A.D. candidate for ASUCD Senate because I believe UC Davis is a community filled with students who care about policies that work, and work to make Davis better—that’s why I’m pushing for the three S’s: safety, sustainability, and student health.

I encourage you to read the web links below. They’ll provide you with real examples of how my proposals will flesh out once I’m elected. What sets me apart from other candidates? My platform issues are based on examples that work. I’m here to deliver, and I know I have the experience it takes to work with Davis students in turning those goals into reality.

Like many of you and your families, I came here as an immigrant. I’m Korean by blood, Brazilian by birth, and American by heart. If there’s anything I learned from my background, it’s that the American Dream means working hard to make things happen. I want to work hard to put ASUCD’s $10 million dollar budget to good use.

But to do it, I need your help! Read about my experience and my proposals. Check out the links. Tell your friends! And finally, if you have any ideas, questions, or concerns (or you just want to get to know me better) don’t hesitate to contact me: (424) 241-8739 or [email protected].

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS: I’ve had a depth of experience inside and outside campus, all while managing two majors, taking an average of 20 units a quarter, with a 3.9 GPA. I plan declare a third major in Philosophy by the end of the school year.

-University of California Regents Scholar -Integrated Studies Honors Program -Sociology Honors Program -Delta Chi Fraternity: Kappa Class President and Scholarship Chair -ASUCD External Affairs Commission: Vice Chair -California Aggie Newspaper: Features Section Writer and Staff Writer -Campus tour guide -Partners in Acquiring Language (PAL) volunteer

-Executive Intern for Susan Kennedy, Chief of Staff to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger -Intern for Caritas Internationalis in Brazil -Intern for CALPIRG, Hunger and Homelessness Campaign

PLATFORM: Safety, Sustainability, and Student Health

SAFETY **DECREASE BIKE THEFT ON CAMPUS: Chances are that you’ve had your bike stolen or know someone who has. Students are fed up paying benjamins for bikes, only to have their property stolen on campus. I promise to work with TAPS, Campus Unions, the Bookstore and other campus organizations to create programs targeted at reducing bike theft. To decrease bike theft, I pledge to: 1) Start a campus-wide campaign aimed at informing students on the best types of locks, how to lock their bikes, what to lock them to, where to buy supplies, and plenty of tips on safety, maintenance, and city and campus regulations. The best way to combat bike theft is to keep the public informed. 2) Work with Student Housing and Admissions to create a video for Freshman Orientation geared towards educating freshmen on simple and proven tips for bike safety and maintenance. I want to make sure every freshman comes to school knowing how to navigate Davis by bike. 3) Fight to make Davis the first university nationwide with a public bike-sharing system. Students, especially commuters by car or by Unitrans, need a green way to get around UC Davis’ 3,000 acre campus and the surrounding city. UC Davis students decades ago pushed for city policies that encouraged bike-friendly infrastructure. Now, students should be leading the next push for bike-friendly initiatives.

Check out how Chicago’s St. Xavier University did it using the university’s ID system: 1.http://www.chitowndailynews.org/Chicago_news/Bike_rentals_are_newest_green_initiative_at_St_Xavier,24189 2.http://www.chitowndailynews.org/Chicago_news/Bike_rentals_start_this_week_at_St_Xavier,25645#

Here’s an editorial in the Iowa City newspaper (a city with similar demographics to Davis) regarding the benefits of public bikes: “Public bike system would unclutter downtown and be eco-friendly” http://www.dailyiowan.com/2009/05/14/Opinions/11505.html

SUSTAINABILITY **EXPANSION OF RECYCLING AND ZERO-WASTE EFFORTS: Anything funded by ASUCD should have policies that minimize impact to the environment. Printing double-sided is a great start, but we can do better. To green-up Davis, I will: 1) Make Picnic Day 2010 the first zero-waste Picnic Day in UC Davis history. By using Whole Earth Festival’s zero-waste program and Relay for Life’s excellent recycling program as templates—and working with Campus Center for the Environment, Project Compost, the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) and R4 Recycling—we can make Davis’ annual open house a model for environmental sustainability. 2) By using the successful zero-waste program set up for Whole Earth Festival, and Relay for Life’s excellent recycling program, as templates—and working with Campus Center for the Environment, Project Compost, the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) and R4 Recycling—we can make Davis’ annual open house a model for environmental sustainability. 3) Make the ASUCD offices in the Memorial Union zero-waste by June 2010. Student government must lead by setting an example. 4) Create a “Green the Greeks” program designed to encourage sustainability in the Greek community: Our Greek community is responsible for a wide range of social and philanthropy events that include many students and, consequently, produce a lot of waste. ASUCD and fraternities and sororities can work to make sure that all Greek events are models for sustainability.

Check out the article I wrote in the California Aggie about Whole Earth Festival’s Zero-Waste program: http://theaggie.org/article/fortieth-annual-whole-earth-festival-takes-place-this-weekend

A 10/13 New York times on the zero-waste movement: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/science/earth/20trash.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=zero%20waste&st=cse

Links to “Green Greeks” programs nationwide: UCLA: http://greenthegreeks.org/ University of Michigan: http://www.umich.edu/~grngrks/mission.html University of Florida: http://ufgreeksgoinggreen.wordpress.com/

STUDENT HEALTH **CREATE A STUDENT REST CENTER IN THE MEMORIAL UNION: Students are tired of being tired. Our friends at Cowell and Health Education and Promotion (HEP) constantly remind us that college students are sleep-deprived, a condition that can make us irritable, unfocused, and unhealthy. Most students don’t have the luxury of going back home for some naptime before their next class. So instead, we’re getting our 20-minute nap in lectures and on benches. -It’s time for ASUCD to step up and provide students with a rest center dedicated to the forgotten art form of R&R. This lounge would provide eye masks, ear plugs, and a thorough choice of bean bags, couches and mats for students’ power naps or just some simple rest and relaxation. A single staffer can take your ID card, the time you want to be woken up, and place your possessions securely behind the desk. Throw in some tea and candles, and you have an oasis in the desert of your hectic life, right here in the Memorial Union. Sound far-fetched? It’s already been done, at the University of Colorado Boulder, where students can rest and nap for free at “Siesta”, located at their own student union. Click the links below to learn more:

A 10/20 California Aggie on sleep deprivation: http://theaggie.org/article/2009/10/20/study-examines-academic-social-causes-of-sleep-deprivation

How they did it in Boulder, Colorado: http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/152301.html