Mental Health Initiative, ASUCD Committee on Engagement Initiatives give quarterly reports
By KAYA DO-KHANH — campus@theaggie.org
On Thursday, March 9, at 6:17 p.m., Vice President JT Eden called the Senate meeting to order. Eden called roll and recited the UC Davis Land Acknowledgement.
Travis Haskin, a third-year political science major, gave the quarterly report for the Student Advocate Office (SAO), first reciting the SAO mission statement: “The ASUCD SAO is […] dedicated to assisting students in disputes with the university, while also working to advance basic needs. The goal of the office is to ensure that student voices are heard […] in various issues, including cases with OSSJA, housing and other basic needs.”
Recent developments from the office include building their training program, expanding media outreach by creating a newsletter and developing relationships with OSSJA and other external partners.
Next, the senators moved to Donation Drive Committee confirmations. The Donation Drive Committee organizes and plans a donation drive and distribution event for unwanted furniture, home appliances and other miscellaneous items at the end of each academic year to support students’ basic needs and offer sustainable methods of disposal. First-year international relations major Jasmeen Kaur was confirmed as the Donation Drive Committee chair.
Third-year psychology major Lisseth Hidalgo was confirmed to the DREAM Committee with no objections. The DREAM Committee seeks to build awareness of resources available to the AB 540 and undocumented community, as well as the issues they face.
The Senate table then went over public comments submitted via their online form.
Next, the Mental Health Initiative gave its quarterly report. At the 2023 Mental Health Conference, there was a turnout of approximately 200 attendees per day participating in various workshops, caucuses, keynotes and healing spaces.
The Associated Students Dining Services gave its quarterly report, with updates that included optimizing office space and the hiring of a new executive chef.
Senator Gaius Ilupeju gave the Senate President Pro Tempore quarterly report. He went over specific legislation that increased his responsibilities, how he made speaking time public to members of the Senate table, how he attended Chancellor meetings to represent the Senate and his collaboration with external bodies on behalf of ASUCD, such as with AggieWorks.
Ilupeju also gave a quarterly report for the ASUCD Committee on Engagement Initiatives, which creates outreach activities to help ASUCD better engage with the student body. The committee’s goals include holding an employee retention event, like an association-wide gala, and focusing on marketing strategies ahead of the 2023 ASUCD spring elections.
The senators then moved into elected officer reports, during which they gave updates on their weekly schedules and progress on various projects. The status of previous legislation was addressed, and new legislation was introduced, all of which was sent to the Internal Affairs Commission.
There was a motion to pass the consent calendar, and SB #77, #78 and #85 all passed unanimously.
With the consideration of old legislation, SB #65, which would dissolve the ASUCD Donation Drive Committee, did not pass, with a 1-10-1 vote.
SB #76, which would increase the voting period to at least seven days for an ASUCD general election, did not pass, with a 5-4-3 vote.
An amendment for SB #80 was not adopted, but the bill, which grants ASUCD units, bodies and services increased freedom to publish and alter their own social media and websites, passed unanimously. A similar bill was introduced and passed previously but vetoed by President Radhika Gawde. SB #80 was edited to address concerns about potential violations of university policy.
Eden adjourned the meeting at 1:02 a.m.
Written by: Kaya Do-Khanh — campus@theaggie.org
