Meet Janay Williams, a third-year Microbiology Immunology Molecular Genetics major and African American Studies minor. Williams is a candidate for Academic Affairs Commissioner in the 2014 Undergraduate Students Association Council (USAC) elections. She is one of four African American candidates running under the Lets Act Party. Born and raised in Moreno Valley, Williams grew up in a large family as the youngest of three children. She attributes much of her success to her family.
Janay’s Campus Involvement:
- Academic Affairs Commission
- Academic Climate Committee.
- Student Fee Advisory Committee.
- Academic Senate
- External Vice President for the Student Activist Project.
- Vice President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated
- Resident Advisor in Rieber Terrace on the eighth floor.
- Academic Coordinator for the Afrikan Student Union (ASU).
- Intern for the Academic Supports Program (ASP).
- Vice President of the National Pan Hellenic Council.
As Janay heads into her fourth year at UCLA, she is hoping to hold a USAC position and to leave a strong legacy. Janay said, “This is an office I truly believe in, and I have been in the [Academic Affairs Commission] office for the past two years. I have seen the potential this office has, it can be very progressive since there is much power in it.”
Janay’s Platform:
- Create Academic Affairs Commission (AAC) advocacy. Within the AAC office there are different appointments that include: Student Initiated Outreach Committee, Campus Retention Committee, Committee of Undergraduate Admissions In Relationships With Schools, and Faculty Executive Committee. “These are all important committees which allow students to get into the minds of faculty and administrators. I feel students could really benefit from this. I plan to use all the appointments I have, and bridge them together to teach [them] how to lobby for academic policies,” Williams said.
- Create a task force to facilitate the passing of the diversity requirement. “I can say that I am going to advocate for this requirement all I want, but I need to do something tangible. This task force would include students, faculty and administration working towards the requirement. I really want to include the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education, Patricia Turner, and I want to include the academic senate chair for the upcoming year on this committee. This would really help to facilitate the passing of the diversity requirement,” said Williams.
- Create a holistic guild to navigate south campus for students. “A lot of Black students do not know the resources available to them on south campus, this is a way we can put all the resources in one place and build off of that. In the next few years I would like to see a campus resource center where students can go and ask questions and really utilize the resources,” Williams said.
- Partner with UCLA libraries to create paid fellowship opportunities in research for both north and south campus majors. She has already been in communication with the librarians working towards this goal.
In her final remarks about running for Academic Affairs Commissioner, Janay said, “I would ultimately be working for you all, and we would have the opportunity to help benefit the Black community, whatever you need from us as Black students we are here to give it to you. USAC [has been] a tool to facilitate in the organizing of the Afrikan Student Union… and will continue to.