The Pantry reported strong volunteer activity and plans for a mobile site; Innovation and Research lab to install bike counters and monitor ridership
By AALIYAH ESPAÑOL-RIVAS and KHADEEJAH KHAN— campus@aggie.org
The ASUCD Senate heard multiple quarterly reports on May 15 and passed a bill to purchase and install new bike counters on campus.
Quarterly Reports
The Senate first heard a quarterly report from The Pantry. Unit Director Andie Tarabzooni, a third-year economics and communication double major, outlined the accomplishments and goals of The Pantry for next year.
The Pantry had over 250 volunteers this academic year, 29 paid staff members and 36,000 ID swipes from students, according to Tarabzooni. Additionally, The Pantry saw an increase in its budget for food orders, a larger stock of hygienic products and the introduction of over-the-counter medication.
“Beyond food, there is always advocacy needed for basic needs,” Tarabzooni said. “Even just volunteering is enough.”
Next year, students can anticipate a new mobile pantry, cultural food days and collaborations with registered student organizations (RSOs). Tarabzooni hopes to increase publicity, procure more volunteers and expand stock in other categories for students.
Afterward, the Senate heard a quarterly report from the Campus Center for the Environment (CCE). Advocacy Director Arianna Blandon, a third-year environmental policy analysis and planning major, discussed the accomplishments and challenges of the ASUCD Garden, a five-acre community garden where students can buy a plot of land and tend to their plants.
Since fall quarter 2024, the garden has seen 30 new gardeners, new tools and less garden complaints. However, it has also seen a loss of equipment due to the lack of a tool shed.
Set to be introduced at the next Senate meeting, Senate Bill (SB) #88 authored by Senator Zack Dollins seeks to allocate $4,514.73 from the ASUCD Senate reserves for CCE to “revitalize and reimagine the ASUCD Garden.”
“We’re hoping the bill will allow us to put a tool shed in the garden and replenish the tools we have lost,” Blandon said. “The shed would offer guidance for gardeners and a level of accountability that ensures everyone has equal access to our tools.”
Next, the table heard a quarterly report from the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) from Chairperson Annie Kanjamala. In the presentation, she outlined the various projects the EPPC underwent and is currently working on, including the Cool Campus Challenge, a sustainability audit and advocacy surrounding the UC Davis-Pepsi pouring rights contract. The EPPC hopes to collaborate with more RSOs and other student organizations to host environmentally friendly events.
From the Coffee House (CoHo), the Senate also heard from Associated Students Dining Services Director Darin Schluep. This quarter saw the reintroduction of Saturday hours for the CoHo and extended hours on special event days like Aggie Day and Picnic Day.
Schluep also discussed the introduction of new programs co-piloted by their adopted senators, including Senator Lexi Raben’s Share a Table initiative and Senators Jenna Younes and Mia Cohen’s partnership program that allows RSOs to fundraise at the CoHo. Additionally, the CoHo is set to host and cater the ASUCD 530 Market: Asian and Pacific Islander Community Health and Culture Fair on May 30.
Looking ahead, the CoHo continues to work on phasing out single-use plastic bottles and continuing sustainability initiatives with EPPC and UC Davis Sustainability.
Legislation
After passing a series of bills, the Senate began considering old legislation starting with SB #81, aiming to restructure the Executive Branch and remove the administrative divisions of Executive Agencies. The bill would move the Disability Justice Committee (DJC) under the Legislative Branch at the supervision of the External Affairs Commission (EAC). DJC and the Housing and Transportation Advocacy Committee (HTAC) were both moved to the Executive Branch at the start of this school year from EAC. HTAC was moved back to the EAC during the prior week’s meeting with the passing of SB #80.
Senator Ezra Rubin believed SB #81 would provide “broader structural reform for oversight and accountability” in regards to units and committees. After brief discussion, the Senate moved to table the bill in order to further consult with more units and committees.
Next, the Senate unanimously passed SB #82, allocating just shy of $32,000 to the Innovation and Research Lab (IRL), ASUCD’s in-house research and software design team, for the purchasing of bike counters around campus.
IRL Unit Director John Carraher, a fourth-year computer science and engineering major, speaking on behalf of IRL Associate Director Jeremy Elvander introduced the project, titled “Aggies on the Move.” In this project, IRL collected 15 years of data on Unitrans ridership, precipitation, environment and transportation data in collaboration with the National Weather Service and National Center for Environmental Information to determine transportation infrastructure improvements for UC Davis.
“As part of this project, we have identified major weaknesses in UC Davis’ planning capabilities, despite being known as the bicycle capital of the [United States,” Carraher said. “Working with [the UC Davis Office of] Campus Planning and [the] Moving Forward Together [plan], we have determined that the installation of permanent bike counters at eight campus locations would be transformational in Davis’ ability to monitor cycling habits and plan for key infrastructure updates.”
Senators overwhelmingly supported the project, with Senator Dhilena Wickramasinghe describing it as “one of the most thorough projects” introduced during her tenure.
Wickramasinghe then introduced SB #87, a piece of emergency legislation to clarify the process for hiring unit directors to reflect the current election timeline. It passed unanimously.
The meeting was called to order at 6:11 p.m. and adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
Written by: Aaliyah Español-Rivas and Khadeejah Khan — campus@theaggie.org
