Dear Undergraduate Students of UC Davis,
As a body, the ASUCD Senate, as well as the student government as a whole, has a responsibility to represent the 27,000 students that make up this campus, as well as to voice the concerns of the UC Davis students. To that end, it also maintains the important responsibility of ensuring that elected bodies maintain an open and transparent relationship with their constituents.
After the resignation of Senator Sahar Priano and a series of interviews, her seat was replaced with the selection of Kamaal Thomas. Senator Thomas began his interim term in October to serve the Senate table throughout the fall quarter. Following the Fall election of Senators Dalavai, Dhindsa, Jamaludin, Savage, Singh, and Tenner, the Senate and the Executive Office were notified of a potential constitutional violation with regards to the duration of Senator Thomas’ term.
According to Article 2, Section 11, Subsection 3 of the ASUCD Constitution, an interim senator’s term is to end after the next regularly scheduled elections, thereby making Thomas’ Senate seat invalid. The infrequency of this issue contributed to a lack of institutional memory around this procedure, leading to a failure to enforce this provision; the last occurrence was in 2004.
As a result of Winter elections beginning next week, the Senate Table has opted to allow Senator Thomas to complete his term following the end of the 2016 winter quarter. Senator Thomas has accomplished a great deal within the Association and has shown that he is more than deserving of his position.
We are working on an overall training program to better educate future student leaders so that issues like these will not occur again. Only through your support can we work to create a better campus community, and a better undergraduate student experience.
Yours in service,
Miguel Louis C. Guerrero, ASUCD Senate President Pro Tempore
Mariah Kala Watson, ASUCD Senate President Pro Tempore ASUCD President
(Senator Thomas also released a statement: http://theaggie.org/2016/01/14/letter-from-asucd-senator-thomas-regarding-violation-of-asucd-constitution)
