Third interim senator sworn in on Oct. 26
The ASUCD Senate was called to order by Vice President Adilla Jamaludin at 6:09 p.m. on Oct. 26 in the Mee Room of the Memorial Union. Senators Julie Jung and Matthew Yamaguchi were absent. All commission chairs were present.
The Senate received a presentation on future student housing projects from Emily Galindo, the associate vice chancellor for Divisional and Auxiliary Services. Two four-story buildings and one five-story building will be added to the Cuarto housing area, featuring new floor plans in an effort to expand the university’s second-year housing. Tercero Dining Commons 2, which will be built on Hutchison Drive in response to crowded food venues, will provide 500 additional dining seats as well as a retail store.
Additionally, the Orchard Park and West Village expansion development projects are being looked into, with affordability being the primary goal. The Orchard Park development would feature family and single rent units at 90 percent of the market value. In the West Village development, there would be single- and double-occupancy housing available to transfer students.
The final open interim senator position was then filled by Shaniah Branson, a third-year transfer student and communication major. Branson said she was interested in representing the transfer student population at UC Davis. She was confirmed with no objections.
Next, the Senate unanimously voted to confirm Ryan Gartner, a second-year political science public service major, as the Judicial chair.
Abigail Edwards, a third-year sustainable agriculture major, was re-confirmed as the Academic Affairs Commission chair.
Then, Gender and Sexuality Commission members Eori Tokunaga, a third-year human development major; Alexander Nguyen, a first-year political science major; Alex Lopez-Ambriz, a fifth-year psychology major; Kristy Tran, a fourth-year sociology major; Justin Choi, a fourth-year plant breeding and genetics major; and Ray Rubens, a first-year gender studies major, were confirmed unanimously by the Senate.
Dream Committee members Angeles Cruz Arango, a second-year Chicano studies major; Claudia Gutierrez, a second-year political science public service major; Rocio Perez, a third-year political science major; Mireya Santiago Paz, a second-year art history major; and Bianca Montes, a second-year political science major, were all confirmed with no objections.
The Senate took a 10-minute break at 7:46 p.m.
Following the break, the senators unanimously passed a bill which would dissolve the International Undergraduate Student Committee due to the effectiveness of Services for International Students and Scholars, which receives more funding.
The confirmation for a bill that would allocate $379.98 to the UC Davis Mental Health Initiative to supplement the Active Minds National Conference registry was passed as amended. Additionally, a bill appropriating $20 to purchase an ASUCD Senate meeting procedure infographic was passed.
There was no proposed legislation.
Naeema Kaleem, the Elections Committee chair, provided more information about the new write-in system, in which a candidate can win as a write-in candidate, but can potentially be disqualified if they do not abide by other campaigning guidelines.
Vice President Adilla Jamaludin then provided a presentation for the newly sworn-in interim senators.
Following ex-officio and elected officer reports, minutes from the Oct. 19 meeting were approved without objection. The meeting adjourned at 9:21 p.m.
Written by: Rodney Tompkins — campus@theaggie.org
