California College Democrats Restructuring

Letter from CCD President

My name is Sarah Szalavitz and I am currently a college student at the University of Southern California. Throughout my three years at college I have been involved in Democratic politics, alternating from working for the state and working on various campaigns throughout the state.

However, throughout the years I have seen a steady decline from the strong California College Democrat (CCD) that I discovered as a freshman, to the lack of presence that exists today. With such a new, bright, and supportive crew of people as both members and leaders of California Young Democrats, the time is absolutely ripe for the reorganization of CCD.

It is time that we catch up with the mean-spirited Republicans and take a call to arms. We need to advance ourselves in our relationship with our elected officials as well as the California Democratic Party. With term limits setting in across the state, it is essential that this wing of the party becomes activated and organized.

Following this letter is a plan outlining the reorganization of CCD. CCD will work arm in arm with California Young Democrats (CYD) to ensure a victory for President Clinton and all Democrats in California. President Teferi Gebre (of CYD) has committed his support for the success of the California College Democrats and made it one of his top priorities for his administration.

I am asking that each of you help me to reorganize CCD to become a permanent fixture of the California Democratic Party, alongside the CYD.

Please feel free to contact me with comments, questions, ideas, criticisms, and support for this campaign at (213) 506-6603 or e-mail me at szalavit@chaph.usc.edu. I am looking forward to speaking with each of you.

• Creating a codified Constitutional relationship with California Young Democrats.

This entails the creation of a bylaw in the California Young Democrats which grants a voting position on the Executive Board to the President of CCD. For college students, this ensures that there will always be a collegiate voice on the Executive Board. This amendment would also contain a provision for dual chartering for College Democrat clubs in to both CYD and CCD, with an arrangement for splitting the fees.

• Another Bylaw must be created to grant the President of California Young Democrats a voting position on the CCD Executive Board.

• The next step is creating a mentorship program, with bylaw amendments or without, to give college students mentors in the young Democrats. This gives college students the opportunity to get to know a practicing young political professional, who would give guidance and assistance to the newcomers in CYD and CCD.

• CCD will exist to promote college issues and to ensure that such issues are being addressed by both the California Democratic Party and the CYD. CCD is not a competing organization, but instead an assurance to college students that their issues will be addressed, even if there is not a supportive CYD executive board at some point. Since there is great support, now is the time to set a precedent and insure that California College Democrats operates.

• CCD can offer to college students the opportunity to engage in a leadership experience limited solely to college students. In general, College Democrats simply offers additional support to college students.

• CCD pledges to work in conjunction with the CYD and to offer to them greater collegiate perspective.

• CCD must immediately create Constitutional officers and duties for each, without replication of the CYD officers. However, in reality, this serves to assist each of the CYD officers, in allowing better distribution of duty, rather than resting an entire load of work on only one individual. Both officers will have duties, however, it simply allows two people to have responsibility.

• Creating Regional Coordinators to assist in the creation of 100 college democrats clubs by January 1996.

• Providing opportunities for college democrats to take part in trainings for political action.

• Bring California College Democrats into an advanced age, in terms of action on the Internet.

• Creating an internship program for college democrats, ensuring the communication occurs amongst college democrats to ensure the best opportunities are pursued. This project would be aligned with the CYD-CCD mentorship program.

• Voter Registration drive that is complemented with contracts for payment through the Party or Assembly or Senate Democrats, ensuring that college clubs will be promptly paid for their efforts.

• Involvement with College Democrats of America, in terms of assistance with fundraising and event planning for college democrats.

• Involvement with the Labor movement in California!