Senate Report: proposed election reform passes, student body to vote on single cycle elections
The table also confirmed Harshpartap Dhillon, a student government veteran, as an interim senator
By LILY KENROW & MICHELLE BEKHTEL— campus@theaggie.org
The ASUCD Senate has appointed Harshpartap Dhillon, a third-year biological sciences major, as an interim senator to fill the seat left vacant by Senator Ezra Rubin’s resignation last month.
Dhillon, who served as a full-fledged senator during the 2025-26 school year, was one of four candidates interviewed by the senate. He was confirmed unanimously during the body’s Oct. 15 meeting.
The senate also confirmed Lucky Meade, a third-year linguistics and anthropology double major, to the Disability Justice Committee (DJC). DJC Chair Veda Diptiman, a fourth-year political science — public service major, nominated Meade by citing their work on ASUCD’s Pride Fest and his plans to improve disability visibility on campus.
Alaina Bazo, a fourth-year biological sciences major and business manager of the Bike Barn, gave the shop’s quarterly report, saying that it’s seeing record sales but is constrained by staffing and space.
Since July 1, the Bike Barn has earned about $259,492.80, compared to roughly $248,000 at this point last year. Bike Barn move-in week sales reached $150,765.10, a third consecutive annual record, and the shop set a single-day record that week of approximately $33,000.
Despite the growth, Bazo said the shop is severely understaffed with 16 mechanics compared to a typical 20 to 23, which has forced early closures on Sundays and longer repair times. The shop is currently hiring, with new mechanics expected to start in winter quarter.
“We are now operating at the limit of what the shop’s space, budget and staffing allow,” Bazo said.
Bazo also asked senators when KDVS 90.3FM will occupy the space next to the Bike Barn, which was recently renovated for the radio station but remains empty. She said the shop lost warehouse space during construction and has turned away repairs because of a lack of space to store bikes.
Senator Nate Little, who sits on the Unit Relocation and Space Allocation Committee, offered to tour the shop and follow up on Bazo’s concerns.
Legislation
Senate Bill (SB) #3, which establishes specific criteria for Registered Student Organizations to ask for senate funds, was tabled after lengthy discussion.
Constitutional Amendment #100 was passed after being tabled the week prior. Its passing means that students will now vote on whether to keep the current two ASUCD Senate elections — one in fall and one in spring — in place or consolidate the ballots into one spring cycle.
Debate over the amendment considered the possibility of a single yearly election increasing voter turnout against concerns that a spring ballot could potentially limit first-year and transfer students from engaging with ASUCD.
Senator Aaron Heth, a transfer-student who was elected during his first quarter at UC Davis last fall, opposed the bill and noted that he had prepared to run for ASUCD prior to coming to campus.
“I certainly knew what ASUCD was before I got to campus,” Heth said. “And I already had researched it.”
President Luis L. Garcia, author of the amendment, argued in response that not everyone was in Heth’s shoes before coming to campus.
“You have first-generation students that don't really know what college is like,” Garcia said. “This is their first time they’re stepping onto a campus like this. We have so many different communities on the UC Davis campus that might not have as much privilege as you, to be able to jump straight into the Senate.”
The amendment ultimately passed, with Senators Heth and Mia Oscanoa providing the only votes against it. For the amendment to be accepted, it will require 60% of voters to approve the change.
Other notable legislation that was passed was SB#4, which empowers the Judicial Council to issue both binding and nonbinding memos and SB#5, which allocates $2,676 to Interim Senator Genesis Arroyo for a Banda Night event.
The meeting was called to order at 6:20 p.m. and adjourned at 8:29 p.m.
What is the ASUCD Senate? As the legislative body of UC Davis’ undergraduate student government, the Senate makes decisions on the use of student funds, oversees units that employ over 1,000 people and makes statements and resolutions on behalf of the student body. The California Aggie covers its weekly meetings and compiles Senate Reports to keep students informed.
Written by: Lily Kenrow & Michelle Bekhtel — campus@theaggie.org