In this year’s ASUCI election, second-year computer science major international student Harshvardhan Rathore and second-year mechanical and aerospace engineering double major Victory Ogbonnaya are running for the position of Internal Vice President (IVP). The IVP runs its own office within ASUCI’s Executive Branch, supervising the internal operations of ASUCI and its commissions. The IVP holds responsibilities of member recruitment, alongside meeting and retreat organization. The IVP also serves as a student representative on campus advisory boards and maintains administrative services overseen by ASUCI.
The office currently houses twelve commissions: Anteaters in Action, AntLeader Mentorship Program, Commuter Student Support, Council on Diversity & Equity, Garden, International Student Advocacy, Recruitment and Retention, Student Health and Wellness, Sustainability Project, Transfer Student Support, Vendor Fair and Visions Leadership.
ASUCI elections will be held through online voting from April 14 to April 18. More information can be found on the ASUCI elections website.
Harshvardhan Rathore
Rathore began his time in ASUCI as an International Student Advocacy Commission intern under the Office of IVP in September 2023. He currently serves as Senate President of ASUCI’s 60th Senate, upholding the legislative branch.
Rathore was elected to his first position within the Senate as International Senator in January 2024. He describes responsibilities of advocating for international students, facilitating student engagement and participating in student visa policy development in his campaign statement.
After his tenure as International Senator, Rathore was appointed as At-Large Senator in June 2024, and then promoted to Senate President in July.
With his experience as Senate President, Rathore hopes to not only increase student body engagement but to also improve student engagement within ASUCI’s operations, he told New University. Through strengthening collaborations with other branches of ASUCI, Rathore campaigns for an increase in student advocacy through collective efforts.
“If me and the president come together, we can do a lot more for housing and advocacy. If I gather my connections of our CEOs and go with the EVP — External Vice President — I can help them get the resources — support of clubs — to advocate on the local, state or federal level,” Rathore told New University.
In his campaign statement, Rathore states that he hopes to increase inclusion and student engagement through collaboration with various UCI clubs and organizations that represent groups including undocumented, Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Pacific Islander-identifying students.
“I want to collaborate with as many clubs as possible for SWANA [Southwest Asian and North African], for Black students, Indigenous students,” Rathore told New University. “Maybe having monthly luncheons with all the club presidents, listening to what their needs are, what they need more and how to advocate better for them.”
In terms of internal operations, Rathore proposes an intern onboarding process in a “structured division dedicated to managing, retaining and training interns and personnel within the organization,” according to his campaign statement.
Rathore’s long-term and short-term proposals as IVP include improving healthcare accessibility through the Student Health Insurance Advisory Committee, enhancing housing advocacy and increasing financial support for clubs.
Victory Ogbonnaya
Ogbonnaya is currently a Visions Leadership Mentor for ASUCI’s Visions Leadership development program under the Office of IVP. Ogbonnaya also serves as the Student Advocate General for the Office of the Student Advocate General, a third-party and independent branch of ASUCI.
In her role as 2024-2025 Student Advocate General, Ogbonnaya serves as a representative and holds responsibilities of assisting students facing disciplinary action from UCI administration, students filing formal complaints against ASUCI and those in discussion with administrative representatives.
Ogbonnaya began her time in ASUCI as a Recruitment and Retention intern in September 2023, with initial responsibilities to maintain outreach to the student body and encourage student engagement. She planned office events for the Office of IVP and hosted ASUCI-related meetings.
With experience working under the Office of IVP, Ogbonnaya described connecting directly with students through boothing and other outreach efforts. She hopes to increase student representation, and to advocate for more student voices.
“If I were to be the IVP next year, I want to give students more town hall meetings, more ways to reach out to us so we can relay that information back to the heads of the departments and also to UCI officials as well,” Ogbonnaya told New University.
Ogbonnaya proposes the merging of several of the office’s commissions for four commissions in total: Campus Affairs Commission, Student-Led Courses & Programs Commission, Internal Affairs Commission and Cultural RCO Commission. She plans for the maintenance of the Visions Leadership program, Anteater Cultural Appreciation program and AntLeader Mentorship program to be under the Student-Led Courses & Programs Commission.
Ogbonnaya’s campaign statement details increasing support for Registered Campus Organizations (RCO) on campus by creating an RCO board to advocate for their needs. Along with an RCO board, she also proposes the creation of a board of advisors with a contact from each department of UCI Student Affairs.
“By allowing RCOs to speak for themselves on a RCO board and supplying them with the resources and financial funding they need, ASUCI becomes one step closer to being a reliable and useful resource for RCOs,” she wrote in her statement.
Although Ogbonnaya is eligible to run for office, the Elections Commission found Ogbonnaya in violation of ASUCI Elections Code Art. X § G and H. The code violation was made in relation to a social media post made by the candidate on April 3.
Due to the code violation, the Elections Commission placed a complete posting restriction to the candidate’s campaign beginning April 7 to April 11.
The voting period for this year’s ASUCI elections begins April 14 at 9 a.m. and closes on April 18 5 p.m. Votings can be done online on the election website.
Jeralynn Querubin is a 2024-2025 Assistant News Editor. She can be reached at querubij@uci.edu.
Edited by Karen Wang & Logan Heine.
