The Editorial Board endorses four candidates for ASUCD Senate
In anticipation of ASUCD’s Fall Election, which begins on Nov. 13, the Editorial Board sat down with seven of the eight senatorial candidates to discuss their campaign platforms and attitudes toward ASUCD. One candidate, Alexis Ramirez, declined the Editorial Board’s request for an interview. While many of the candidates expressed enthusiasm for the position, the Editorial Board felt that the following four individuals gave concrete solutions to problems impacting the UC Davis student body. The Editorial Board ultimately chose not to endorse graduating seniors, as they won’t be able to fill the entirety of their terms, which will end in December of 2019.
Maya Barak — Unite! Slate
Third-year international relations major Maya Barak’s platforms include spreading ASCUD resource awareness and advocating for minorities. Barak hopes to connect students to tools that exist on campus but aren’t necessarily taken advantage of. Additionally, she plans to establish an interfaith floor in the dorms and provide Kosher and Halal options in the dining commons to serve minority communities. The Editorial Board feels that Barak’s willingness to work with people of differing opinions and accept constructive criticism would make her a positive addition to an often divided Senate table.
Peiyuan (Tony) Chen — BASED Slate
Peiyuan (Tony) Chen, a third-year undeclared major, impressed the Editorial Board with his motivation to bridge the gap between international and domestic students. An international student himself, Chen plans to develop an international student day to recognize those from different countries. He also wants to create a study abroad mentorship program in which students planning to study in different countries could meet with international students from that area to get a feel for the culture abroad. The Editorial Board was also interested in Chen’s plans to reorganize parking on campus, using data to open up more spots for students.
Francisco López-Montaño — Unite! Slate
Francisco López-Montaño, a third-year political science and economics double major, is running with the goal of increasing student involvement both on campus and within ASUCD. The Editorial Board supports their plans to establish partnerships between ASUCD and student clubs so that the Senate can get input from more student voices when crafting legislation and proposing resolutions. López-Moñtano also plans to create a more organized and timely ASUCD budget, helping to sustain the organization in the long term.
Noah Pearl — Unite! Slate
As a member of the Internal Affairs Commission, third-year statistics and political science double major Noah Pearl has experience with the ASUCD legislation process, which will make him a more informed senator. Pearl’s platforms emphasized affordability in a comprehensive manner, showing his understanding of issues important to students. The Editorial Board supports his plans to develop a partnership with a ride-sharing service to provide free rides to students on weekend nights, as well as his goal of providing meals to students who stay on campus during holiday breaks.
Written by: The Editorial Board
