Confirmations for controller, committee positions
The Feb. 6 ASUCD Senate meeting was called to order at 7:13 p.m. by Senator Shondreya Landrum. President Justin Hurst, Vice President Shreya Deshpande, Senator Lylah Schmedel, Business and Finance Chair Filip Stamenkovic and Gender and Sexuality Chair Elena DeNecochea were absent.
After Senator Khalil Malik was elected interim Senate pro tempore, Landrum and Academic Affairs Commission Chairperson Naomi Reeley awarded seven students with ASUCD scholarships.
Second-year Annoushqa Bobde was confirmed as one of the new External Affairs Commision (EAC) commissioners.
“She has experience in a lot of things that our commision lacks right now,” said EAC Chair Shelby Sayler.
“As an international student, I understand how crucial it is for off-campus bodies to have a good relationship with the student body,” Bobde said. “And I want to help build those relationships and maintain those relationships.”
After Bobde’s confirmation, the Senate then moved into the Mental Health Initiative’s (MHI) quarterly report.
The report was largely focused on the recent Mental Health Conference that took place on Jan. 25 and 26. The conference featured a total of 12 workshops on topics including legal policy, human trafficking and reproducitive health, as well as student and professional panels, a resource fair and break-out caucuses.
Since the Mental Health Conference, MHI has been focusing most of its work on the upcoming Mental Health Awareness Month which will take place in May. MHI plans to have approximately 20 themed days over the course of the month, including days based around ethnicity, basic needs, LGBTQIA+ identities, incarceration and masculinity.
MHI discussed the outreach its done to get the Basic Needs and Services Fee Referendum passed, internal team growth and other ongoing projects.
After, Internal Affairs Commission (IAC) Chair Ashley Lo left the meeting, and the Senate then moved into the reconfirmation of current ASUCD Controller Kevin Rotenkolber. Landrum gave her recommendation of Rotenkolber.
“[He makes] sure that we are not making bad [financial] decisions,” Landrum said. “He’s making sure that we’re keeping ourselves accountable, and making sure that we can come back in 20 years and see what we left behind.”
In his next term as controller, Rotenkolber said he would like to completely restructure the way that ASUCD Reserves are handled, in addition to continuing other current projects.
Rotenkolber was confirmed as controller.
The Senate then moved to confirm Maya Clark as the Transfer, Reentry and Veterans Committee chair.
“She has incredible ideas for outreach, organizing of the community and ways to actively advocate for transfer, veteran, and nontraditional students,” Deshpande wrote in a letter of recommendation for Clark.
In the position, Clark hopes to focus on reestablishing the committee and collect data about the background of transfer, reentry and veteran students as to best direct the committee’s efforts. Additionally, one of Clark’s main goals as chairperson for the committee is to increase engagement of transfer, reentry and veteran students and provide them with resources to help their transition into UC Davis.
Clark was confirmed as the Transfer, Reentry and Veterans Committee chair.
Kaelyn Tuermer-Lee, the editor-in-chief of The California Aggie, gave the unit’s quarterly report. During the report, Tuermer-Lee spoke about The Aggie’s efforts focused on raising awareness about the Basic Needs and Services Referendum, The Aggie’s move from Lower Freeborn Hall to a house on A St., documenting the history of The Aggie and hiring new staff members.
The Senate then moved into the confirmation of the Aggie Public Arts Committee chair. The candidate was confirmed.
During the introduction of new legislation, Senate Bill #31, a bill to put the Basic Needs and Services Referendum onto the Spring Quarter Elections ballot, and Constitutional Amendment #67, an amendment to rewrite and clean up the ASUCD Constitution, were referred to the IAC.
The Senate then moved into the confirmation of two students to the Elections Committee. Both of the candidates, as well as the Elections Committee chairperson and Senators, highlighted the importance of being impartial and fair. Both candidates were confirmed.
Landrum then pushed the table back into the consideration of old legislation. Introduced by External Affairs Vice President Adam Hatefi, Senate Resolution #1 asks the Senate to endorse a previously outlined 10-year plan for the association, which includes business practice reforms, best practices surrounding the legislative process and the expansion of the association.
Along with slight grammatical and format adjustments, the major change to this resolution since it had last been introduced was ASUCD’s creation of a partnership with campus council, instead of hiring a legal fellow at the legal counsel’s office, which will result in no cost for ASUCD.
The resolution passed as amended. After public announcements, ex-officio reports and elected officer reports — all mainly focused on the fee referendum — the meeting adjourned at 10 p.m.
Written by: Jessica Baggott — campus@theaggie.org
