In the long, long ago of ASUCD (approximately some time in the 1980s), there were five different Advocacy Units: Academic Affairs, the Campus Lobby, the City-County Lobby, the State Lobby, and the National Lobby. These Unit Directors of these five groups fulfilled the role of a Presidential Cabinet, advising the ASUCD President on what issues were important at all levels of the world outside of ASUCD. Academic Affairs was largely responsible for appointing representatives to UCD's Administrative Advisory Committees
However, over time, the roles of these units changed. The State Lobby and National Lobby were combined to what has become the State and National Affairs Office, for the simple reason that ASUCD really can't act on a national level that effectively. Lobby Corps was also created to advise the other units on upcoming legislation.
Enter the new Student Focus regime of Sara Henry in 2003. She decided to combine the Campus Affairs Office and the Academic Affairs office into the brand new Student Advocacy Office, which could fulfill the roles of lobbying for all campus issues in one unit. Public Opinion Polls was also rolled into this unit, where it gained a certain amount of success. They were also responsible for drafting the Student Bill of Rights, which was intended to showcase the ability of the Student Advocacy Office to help students in need.
However, political fortunes changed, and the increased funding of Student Advocacy was seen as unnecessary fat in the 2005-2006 ASUCD Budget under a LEAD administration. Only the Public Opinion Polls division survived, which was transferred to the COOO. The former Student Advocacy Office is now occupied by Picnic Day.
The remaining lobbies were combined to create the Office of External Affairs in 2004, which hosted Lobby Corps, the City/County Affairs Office, and the State and National Affairs Office. These units were separated again under LEAD President Holloway.
