Last week, president-elect Mikaela Bautista, vice president-elect Emma Fallon and the next group of senators were elected into the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and will take office in April. During election season, campaign promises of free In-N-Out during finals week and extended library hours enticed students to get involved. While these changes piqued student interest, can USG deliver?

Once the new administration takes office, what exactly will they do?

What does USG do?

USG is the governing body of USC’s undergraduate population. USG members act as liaisons between the student body and the administration in order to advocate for students.

Graduate students have a similar organization called the Graduate Student Government.

With a $2.5 million budget, USG is able to work with University administration to make their ideas a reality. Currently, USG has completed several projects during the 2024-25 academic year, according to their project tracker.

Notable initiatives completed during the academic year include the USC to LAX campus shuttle during academic breaks and a medical supply vending machine located in the University Village.

Other projects are in progress including a USC X LA Trojan First Year Booklet, which provides advice to students navigating their first year on campus.

In the past, USG has had a hand in implementing notable resources and initiatives, like fall break and Fryft.

USG senators are responsible for proposing legislation on behalf of the undergraduate student body. Current Vice President Dane Sprague says the “[legislative branch] is where our ideas originate from.”

Can candidates deliver on their promises?

Some candidates in the past have been able to deliver on their promises, and most of these ideas are put in place by the legislative branch led by Sprague.

Sprague, a junior majoring in economics and philosophy, says the legislative branch is a “team of people that’s designed to sort of innovate ways to improve life for the student body.”

To get an idea into motion, the legislative branch works to prove to the administration that the idea is feasible, and is able to be implemented using the large-scale resources provided by USC.

An example of this is the Fryft program that operates within the Department of Public Safety zone, the two-mile radius surrounding USC’s campus.

“It was originally a pilot program coming out of the legislative branch, but obviously we don’t have the budget to sustain Fryft for the entire school,” Sprague said.

If a candidate plays their cards right, it’s possible that their ideas can become a reality if approved by the administration.

This year’s campaign promises ranged from a Raising Cane’s in the Village, longer library hours and removal of the gates in Alumni Park. For any of the ideas to come to fruition, USG will have to collaborate with the administration, as Sprague mentioned.

Why should students care about USG?

Every student pays for the budget of USG through the student programming fee which costs $64 each semester.

“If you have projects that you care about, if you have topics that you care about, USG is the place to go to make those a reality,” said Sofia Coen, USG chief of staff.

Students can also request funding on the USG website for needs they may have, such as supporting their organizations.

“Go to your conference, put on this amazing performance,” said Coen. “Go and travel and create bonding with your team…buy merch for your club.”

Since students are paying for USG, Sanchez said it’s important to exercise their right to vote.

“Unfortunately, students don’t have a direct way to decide where their $128 goes to but they can elect those individuals who do have that power.” said Sanchez.

During election campaign season, candidates release their campaign platform via the USG website. Students can look through each platform and then vote based on their values and priorities.

This past election showed a 15% decrease in voter turnout from undergraduate students, going from 4,306 votes to 3,260 votes. The lack of knowledge surrounding USG could be a plausible reason for this decrease, according to USG members.

How is USG organized?

USG has different levels of organization, similar to the US government. USG is organized in three branches: executive, legislative and judicial.

The executive branch is composed of an elected president and vice president, as well as their appointed cabinet members. For the 2024-25 year, Sanchez serves alongside Vice President Sprague.

Sanchez, a senior majoring in legal studies, says that as president she’s given access to attend Board of Trustees and Board of Governors meetings.

“There I’m able to talk about the student issues that we’re currently seeing on campus,” said Sanchez.

The legislative branch is composed of Vice President Sprague, 12 senators, a speaker of the senate, senate committees and advocacy liaisons.

“[It’s] a liaison between students and administration,” said Coen.

The legislative branch is responsible for putting projects into motion, and there is a form on their website that students can fill out to suggest ideas they may have. The general student body is also invited to the senate meetings every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in TCC450.

The judicial branch is made up of Chief Justice Susanna Andryan, and four other associate justices. This branch is responsible for upholding the standards of the USG code of ethics. Recently, the judicial branch voted to remove Senate candidate Mason Yanover on grounds of “vulgar language” according to USG.

This year’s election season was one to remember, full of comical responses, unique campaign promises and a push for changes within the University.