The 2012-13 Chancellor’s Undergraduate Advisory Board (CUAB) has been assembled and is comprised of 11 UC Davis undergraduate students who work alongside administrators on major initiatives that impact student life.
Such initiatives focus on enrollment, diversity, international experience and research, among other aspects.
Members of the Board represent various aspects of student and academic affairs. Additionally, there are two Student Assistants to the Chancellor (SAC) who serve as the coordinators and facilitators for the Board, Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi and other administrative representatives.
“Currently there are a few projects underway. The most upcoming one is the winter clothing drive in which the Board will be organizing a [clothing drive] to support students during the cold weather. The bigger picture of the clothing drive is to address issues such as why clothing drives are necessary and what circumstances bring about need and what we, as Aggies, can do to address that need,” said Artem Trotsyuk, SAC and a fourth-year biological sciences major.
Beginning in 2010, CUAB was put in place so that students could serve as a liaison, bridging the disconnect between the student body and University administrators, and encourage engagement and understanding between the parties, according to Michael Matosich, board member and a third-year international relations and political science double major.
“Chancellor Katehi’s vision for this year is to address health and wellness. Therefore, CUAB members have been planning a variety of events for the rest of the year that reflect different aspects of health and wellness. The event I am developing is a Health Fair in the Quad that will hopefully offer a variety of ways in which students can become informed about exercising, eating right and developing wholesome mental health,” Matosich said. “I hope to display fitness classes offered by the ARC’s Fitness and Wellness program, counseling services provided by The House, activities by Outdoor Adventures and local farmers and grocery stores that encourage affordable, healthy and sustainable food and dietary practices.”
For Irtqa Ilyas, a third-year human development and neurobiology, physiology and behavior double major and board member, joining CUAB was of paramount importance.
“The reason why I was compelled to join CUAB was because I wanted to bridge the gap between the administration and student body. Last year, as the student representative on the Executive Committee in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, I realized that the administration really does care about students, but this emotion does not really come across while tuition and the price of our education is increasing,” she said. “As a member of CUAB, I would like to see more opportunities where students and administrators can engage in healthy conversation to build a positive image of each other.”
Applications are for the 2013-14 CUAB are accepted in the fall.
NATASHA QABAZARD can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
