The ASUC/Graduate Assembly wars rage on. Senator Lafata has three lawsuits against them. Some of them stem from a different understanding of how the GA works-- paying them large stipends results from a suggestion by the Administration, for example. (My Column on the subject. Still timely!)

But for Mr. Hammon to claim that

"The Graduate Assembly is a vulnerable target right now," Hammon said.

is ludicrous. The GA is at a position of historic strength right now. With the sole exception of Senator Lafata's voice in the wilderness before the J-Council, the Graduate Assembly has its hands firmly on the levers of power. Graduate Assembly President Quindel is also Chair of the Store Operations Board, an underappreciated power base. Through CalSERVE ties, the Graduate Assembly Executives are effectively indistinguishable from the ASUC's Executives. Through the same avenue, the GA has direct access to UCSA, UC's lobbying team. (Plus less formal ties that have been in place forever.)

Not only that, but while the ASUC Senate is always divided, the GA has a much more solid hold on the spending and priorities of the Graduate Assembly-- especially important when the ASUC has no money left to give.

The only possible point of vulnerability is that the GA might overreach. Moving towards independence could trigger eye-rolling amongst students or some form of J-Council ruling. But these are tiny possibilities. Excepting adverse J-Council rulings, the GA is remarkably powerful.

Things would've been much different should Student Action have won last year. They were all geared up to take the GA down as many pegs as needed. But they were swept from power.Email This Post!