The resolution calls for a UC Davis counselor who specializes in individuals with autism; SB #94 was also passed at the meeting and acknowledges that UC Davis was built on stolen Indigenous land and promotes land recognition on campus
Internal Vice President Emily Barneond called the Quarterly Town Hall Senate meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. on April 29.
Senator Kabir Sahni then read the 12 town hall questions students asked ASUCD, beginning with how ASUCD will support student organizations during the shift back to campus in the fall.
“Moving to the next year, we need to continue to expand our scope and outreach to partner student organizations and recognize that they often know student communities best and can provide areas of expertise and help us do our jobs to represent students,” said ASUCD President Kyle Krueger.
Several students had concerns regarding resources and support for international students who may not be able to come back to campus in the fall.
“The resolution that we passed last week, SR #13, gives us provisions to fix or provide suggestions to admin for international students,” Sahni said. “A ton of them include simultaneously offering classes that are happening in person, asynchronously as well.”
Sahni then voiced the concern of students who have noticed an increase in crimes in Davis, notably stalking and breaking and entering, and asked what ASUCD can do to better protect students.
“[There is] a group within the city currently advocating for administration to add more blue lights on campus to help students who might feel threatened by individuals on campus,” Senator Kristin Mifsud said.
In response to concerns regarding students receiving vaccinations by fall, Krueger responded that ASUCD has proposed a vaccination policy to the UC Office of the President. The policy will require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated before coming back to campus.
After the town hall questions were answered, Sammy Veres, the co-director of Mental Health Initiative (MHI), provided the quarterly report for MHI.
“We’re kicking off mental health awareness month [by] featuring some therapy llamas on Facebook live,” Veres said.
Veres shared that MHI worked alongside Student Health and Counseling Services this quarter to share movies for mental health last month.
“We had about 60 students in attendance and essentially it was showing movies related to mental health, and then there was a panel discussion afterwards,” Veres said.
Anjini Venugopal, the editor-in-chief for The California Aggie, then provided the quarterly report for The Aggie. Venugopal shared that The Aggie was getting ready for the “Best of Davis” issue and reminded everyone to vote for their favorite things in Davis.
Morayah Horovitz, the creative director of Creative Media, and Jillian Nguyen, the executive producer, then presented on behalf of Creative Media.
“Our programming team has been hard at work, updating ASUCD’s elections website and posting candidate photos and statements,” Horovitz said
Creative Media has also been working with the Bike Barn to improve their sales system, as well as with the CoHo to create new signage and graphics for their menu, according to Horovitz.
Yalda Saii, the chairperson of the Ethnic and Cultural Affairs Commission (ECAC), then presented on behalf of ECAC.
“We voted on the Housing Commission amendment [and] we voted on SR #12, which was the Ramadan resolution,” Saii said. “In terms of events, we are in activism week and tomorrow is the final event, which is going to be the tunnel of resistance. We are still working on committee revamping [and] the ethnic studies projects.”
Bia Myanganbayar, the chairperson of the Student Health and Wellness Committee (SHAWC), then provided the quarterly report for SHAWC.
Myanganbayar shared that this quarter she has been focusing on reaching out to different health organizations on campus.
“The most important connection that we’ve made so far is with Student Health and Counseling Services,” Myanganbayar said. “Hopefully our committee can be a guide for students. We will be sharing with students what services they offer so they have better and easier access to it.”
Additionally, the committee is partaking in the vaccine hesitancy campaign. Committee members will share their vaccine testimonials alongside a photo of themselves to share why they got the vaccine. The committee is additionally sharing research regarding anti-vaccine precautions and advice from UC Davis medical professionals on social media, according to Myanganbayar.
The table then introduced three pieces of emergency legislation, beginning with SB #93.
Controller Alexis Lopez-Perez shared author’s comments on the bill.
“This bill is consolidating [the Campus Center for the Environment] and the gardens,” Lopez-Perez said. “We’re able to give a lot more resources to both of these units that historically have been critically underfunded.”
The bill will also be creating the MHI and IT units in order to provide compensation for those working for the Mental Health Initiative and separate IT from the Creative Media unit.
SB #93 passed unanimously.
Yalda Saii then provided author’s notes on behalf of SB #94.
“UC Davis, just like all institutions in the United States and the country itself, is built on stolen Indigenous land,” Saii said. “The UC system at large continues [to] have a strained relationship with Indigenous communities, and acknowledging whose land we occupy is the minimum that we can do to address this long history of genocide and settler colonialism.”
SB #94 passed unanimously.
Mifsud then provided author’s comments regarding SR #14.
“We are using this resolution to advocate for a counselor that specializes in individuals with autism,” Mifsud said. “There have been numerous studies done, that are recorded within this resolution, that show that autistic individuals respond far better to mental health counselors who actually specialize in that field.”
SR #14 passed unanimously as emergency legislation.
Barneond adjourned the meeting at 10:42 p.m.
Written by: Maddie Duley — campus@theaggie.org
