Student Spotlight
Banana Slugs are changing the world every day and everywhere they go. We spotlight some of their stories below:
Pan-African Research Fellowship: Lindsey Tavares-Sabido
The Pan-African Research Fellowship was designed for students to conduct research into barrier identification in the areas of ABC student wellness, learning, engagement and career preparation. This pilot program was co-created with ABC students and guided by student research and advocacy goals to achieve more coalition-building between the student body and administrators. The goal is for students, faculty and staff to work collaboratively with a spirit of creative problem-solving and an openness to change.
Lindsey Tavares-Sabido (She/Her/Hers) is a UC Santa Cruz student majoring in Legal Studies and minoring in Black Studies and Politics. As one of the eight Pan-African research fellows, Lindsey is seeking to understand the relationship between the Santa Cruz housing crisis and academic success for ABC students at UC Santa Cruz.
Vice President of Academic Affairs: David Miller Shevelev
David Miller Shevelev (He/Him/His) is a third year student majoring in Politics, and serves on the 2020-21 Student Union Assembly (SUA) board as the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
David is a student with disabilities, and as many other UC Santa Cruz students, he receives support from the Disability Resource Center. He is a big advocate for disability rights, and has been involved with SUA since his first year when he served as the Disability Student Union’s representative. Last year, he also served on the Academic Accommodations Working Group, the Campus Conduct Board, and worked as chief of staff for the previous VP of Academic Affairs. As Vice President of Academic Affairs, David is reponsible for liasoning with the Academic Senate, and is working towards making the VPAA the primary conduit for student involvement.
The Academic Senate holds quarterly meetings that are not open to the public, but allow up to 17 student representatives to be part of the different commitees. This year, after working with the commitees, David was able to help appoint students to all 17 seats, obtaining funding to provide a fair wage to the appointed students, coordinating advocacy in the senate, and providing support to student representatives, which has not been done before.
David is also working on a local (UCSC) and systemwide level to advocate for greater accessibility, and is advocating for:
- adequate staffing of Student with Disabilities Services
- comprehensive emergency planning for students with disabilities
- student-led disability cultural centers
- disability centered living and learning communities
Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC)
The Student Fee Advisory Committee(SFAC) is an important, influential advisory group that focuses on budget allocations and use of student fees that support various campus services and programs. SFAC serves as the primary avenue for channeling student input into decisions about the allocations of fees, including the Student Services Fee, Student Programs Fee, campus-based fees (referenda), certain Miscellaneous Fees, and the Seismic and Life Safety Fee.
SFAC functions as an advisory committee to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success (VCSAS) and makes direct funding recommendations as well as assessments of units and programs. Each academic year, the VCSAS charges SFAC with specific activities and analysis, and overall the purpose and objectives of the committee include the following:
- To assist the VCSAS in regular efforts to ascertain attitudes of the student body on matters pertaining to student fees;
- To provide a continuing study of programs supported by the Student Services Fee, Student Programs Fee, and/or selected programs supported by Miscellaneous Fees, and to recommend funding priorities to the VCSAS; and
- To advise the VCSAS on other questions, which he/she may pose regarding campus-based student services and programs and campus-based student academic support.
2020-2021 SFAC Funding Call
The SFAC will be allocating $400,000 to campus programs and organizations for the 2020-2021 year! Please click here to learn more.
