Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 15:54, 26 July 2006

This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Misplaced Pages's deletion policy.
Please share your thoughts on the matter at this article's entry on the Articles for deletion page.
Feel free to edit the article, but the article must not be blanked, and this notice must not be removed, until the discussion is closed. For more information, particularly on merging or moving the article during the discussion, read the guide to deletion.

Lloyd Monserratt (1966-2003), was born in Los Angeles, California. Lloyd was the eldest son of Ecuadorian immigrants Carlos and Olga Monserratt. His father was an architect and named his eldest son after Frank Lloyd Wright.

Lloyd graduated with honors from Saint Francis High School in La Cañada. He was an Eagle Scout. A graduate of UCLA, Lloyd was a leader in the student movement, as a student commissioner, and later as student body president.

He was a political and community leader in California. He died in 2003 from complications of surgery.

Early Political Activism

During his years at UCLA, Monserratt was extensively involved with the Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC). Leading a coalition of minority students, he was elected president of USAC in 1988. The 1988 campaign pitted the coalition of minority students, the Third World Coalition, against the candidates put forth by members of the Greek system (this antagonism continues today).

After his election, he was disqualified by the school administration, due to a dispute over his academic qualifications, and denied office. Prior to the election, Lyle Timmerman, the administration representative to student government, approved the applications of all candidates for President, certifying that they met the academic requirements among other things. After his election, he was disqualified by the the Judicial Council, which decision was upheld by both the student counsel (USAC) and the school administration.

The disqualification was predicated on his failure to maintain a minimum required grade point average. This disqualification was controversial in that he completed several courses at Santa Monica Community College with grades that brought him above the required grade point average. However, the grades from these courses were not considered in the decision making process.

After Monserratt's disqualification, the Third World Coalition sought to put forth a new candidate in his place. However, this was not permitted by the administration. Thus, the election to replace Monserratt was between Mike Meehan and Mike Soles (who had already lost in the primary and endorsed Mike Meehan). Mike Meehan won.

A near riot ensued when members of the "Third World Coalition" slate protested the disqualification of their presidential candidate. The election was appealed through the internal student government appellate process and Monserratt's disqualification was affirmed. However, after a change of control two years later, Monserratt's election victory was certified by the student government. Though he did not serve, Monserratt will be remembered as one of the few Latino undergraduate presidents in UCLA history. His picture currently hangs in the Student Body President's Office along with the other elected Presidents of the UCLA student government.

Professional

Monserratt honed his political organizing skills learned at UCLA by working for many California political campaigns. He used his experience to train future Latino politicians while the Director of Constituency Services at NALEO. Candidates running for office he advised included Lucia Rivera, Ed Reyes, Vicki Castro, Jocelyn Yap and Nick Pacheco.

Not wanting to sit on the sidelines, Lloyd was known for working tirelessly in the community to affect change. He created the Parents Institute while Chief of Staff to LAUSD Board Member Vicki Castro. At the time of his death, he was Chief of Staff to a member of the Los Angeles City Council.

Quotes

"I believe in public service. It helps ground my principles and organize how I live my life."

Community

• El Sereno Branch Library (in memory of Lloyd Monserratt)
• Lloyd Monserratt Pleasant House - Providing emergency shelter to homeless, immigrant youth.

See also

• List of notable UCLA alumni

External links

• Congressional Tribute in Honor of Mr. Lloyd Monserratt
• Daily Bruin Memorial Tribute
• LA Weekly Obituary
• Metropolitan News-Enterprise
• Daily Bruin Commentary on Student Voting

Notes

1. Minutes of the City of Los Angeles Board of Library Commissioners, January 13, 2003
2. La Posada House (Scheduled to open in May 2006), Jovenes, Inc., 1320 Pleasant Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90033, (323) 260-8043
3. Extensions of Remarks, by Hon. Xavier Becerra, In The House Of Representatives, June 19, 2003

• Hispanic American politicians
• Eagle Scouts
• Capuchin alumni