CUCSA welcomes new chair-elect Brian Light

The Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) has announced that Brian Light, chief operations manager, Social Sciences Division Libraries at UC Berkeley, is its new chair-elect and newest member of the CUCSA Executive Board.

Brian has 27 years of UC experience. He previously served as the 2019-2021 CUCSA delegate from UC Berkeley, during which time he co-led the Basic Needs Workgroup. That work helped center staff basic needs alongside student needs, producing a set of practical, achievable recommendations — including expanding access to existing campus student food pantry resources to include staff. The workgroup’s recommendations also helped inform the creation of the UC Employee Food Insecurity Group.

Continuing the momentum

When CUCSA gathered in person at UC Riverside for the Fall Quarter Meeting in December 2025, a tour of UC Riverside’s staff food pantry sparked renewed interest and conversation among delegates. Since then, CUCSA has continued to advance this work, with Chair Greta Carl-Halle leading efforts to gather information across the UC system on existing and emerging food resources available to staff.

Brian’s appointment as chair-elect reflects continuity and momentum by connecting foundational basic needs advocacy with CUCSA’s current efforts to share best practices and support staff well-being across the UC system.

“I am excited and honored to take on this role as chair-elect of the CUCSA delegation,” said Brian. “As a delegate, the work I did with CUCSA was some of the most rewarding and fulfilling work I was involved in over my whole career. I have stayed in touch with several of my CUCSA colleagues and watched my predecessors in this role find ways to advocate for UC staff systemwide and in Sacramento, and have seen [continued work] on issues I have been passionate about, including staff retention and wellbeing.”

About CUCSA

CUCSA is a systemwide staff advisory group representing all ten UC campuses, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the Office of the President. Since its founding in 1974, CUCSA’s mission has been to maintain and enhance communication between staff and UC leadership, advocate for staff interests and provide a staff perspective on issues that shape the university community.

The CUCSA delegation is composed of 26 staff representatives, two from each UC location, and is led by a four-person Executive Board elected annually. Together, these leaders elevate staff voices on topics that influence UC’s workforce, culture and strategic direction.

Over the past 50 years, CUCSA has consistently worked to ensure that staff voices are heard, valued and included in decision-making at the highest levels of UC leadership.

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