Board members of the University of California Student Association (UCSA) recently announced that President Angelica Salceda has resigned from her position.
Citing personal and private obligations, the third-year law student at UC Berkeley decided to resign on Oct 2. just two months after taking office.
UCSA is a student-run organization made up of UC student government representatives that aim to increase affordability and accessibility of the UC system through advocacy and direct-action organizing.
Since assuming office in August, Salceda’s agenda included issues that affected students across the UC system. As president, Salceda was heavily involved in filling three vacant seats on the UC Board of Regents. She was also a major advocate of student voting, educating new and young voters on the effects of Proposition 30—which is slated for the November ballot.
Darius L. Kemp, the organizing and communications director of the UCSA, shed some light on Salceda’s recent decision to leave office.
“She believed that she could not dutifully fulfill her term as president with the amount of personal obligations she had,” stated Kemp in a press release.
In 2007, Salceda graduated with honors from UCLA with degrees in political science and history. After graduation, Salceda briefly worked for an elected official in Sacramento, where she went on to attend UC Berkeley to study law.
ASUC External Affairs Vice President Shahryar Abbasi also commented on Salceda’s departure.
“UCSA board members are some of the most hardworking people I’ve ever met,” said Abbasi in a press release. “She did a good job during the time she was president, and I hope to continue to work closely with her,” he continued.
Despite her resignation as president, Salceda will remain a member of the UCSA Board of Directors. Salceda will continue her role as External Affairs Vice President of the UC Berkeley Graduate Assembly.
UC Irvine representative Katerina Masesan temporarily assumed the responsibilities of the president following Salceda’s departure.
A few days after Salceda resigned, the UCSA held a special election in their meeting at UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 7, to select a new president.
Raquel Morales of UC San Diego was voted to become the new president of the UCSA.
Morales, a senior at UCSD pursuing a degree in international studies, formerly served on the board as a legislative liaison from UC San Diego.
In an interview with the Highlander, Morales detailed her new responsibilities as the president of UCSA.
“As a president, I’m to carry out the projects that were being worked on by the previous presidents,” said Morales. “As of now we’re focusing on voter registration. I also carry out anything that the board wants me to do in terms of campaigns, meetings and whatever visions the board comes up with.”
Morales went on talk about Salcedo and the similarities in their duties and visions for UCSA. “We both have the same goals for the board,” she said. “We both have similar visions for where we want to see the board going for this upcoming year. I’m pretty much carrying out the same vision.”
This is Morales’ third year as a member of UCSA, her second year as a part of the board.
