ASUCD reveals rebranding campaign, 10-year “Going Forward” plan
A special senate session was held on Sept. 26 in the Student Community Center Multipurpose room. Senator Sahiba Kaur arrived late.
President Justin Hurst led a presentation about ASUCD’s rebranding campaign. The presentation highlighted the history of ASUCD, originally the Associated Students of University Farm (ASUF). Since its creation in 1915, the association has continued providing resources and services for students.
During the presentation, Hurst also unveiled the association’s new logo which features five dots representing the four pillars of ASUCD: media, advocacy, service and social. The fifth dot represents ASUCD as one united organization made up of many different parts. The presentation also unveiled the new tagline, “Building tomorrow together.”
The Senate then moved into a presentation from the Student Government Administrative Office (SGAO) that focused on the association’s efforts to move toward “a system of drafting, creating, and distributing legislation that is based entirely online,” according to the powerpoint.
Next, senators began confirmations for different chairperson positions, starting with the Gender and Sexuality Commission (GASC) Chair position.
Elena DeNocochea, a third-year gender, sexuality and women’s studies major, was confirmed without objections. DeNocochea spoke about her aspirations to expand the number of gender neutral restrooms with diaper changing stations on campus. Over the summer, DeNocochea lobbied Sacramento legislators on behalf of Senate Bill #24 which would provide California college students with access to abortion care.
The table then moved into the confirmation of the Academic Affairs Commission (AAC) Chair. Naomi Reeley, a fourth-year political science major, previously served as AAC Chair in Spring Quarter 2018. Reeley was confirmed without objections.
Next, Filip Stamenkovic, a fourth-year computer science major, was confirmed as the Business and Finance Commission Chair. Stamenkovic brought up former units, such as the Experimental College, that were cut last year as a result of the association’s mounting budget deficit. Stamenkovic cited these cuts, and a feeling among unit directors of being blindsided by the association’s decision, as one of the principal reasons he decided to apply for the position. He was confirmed without objections.
Kennedy Field, a fourth-year English and art history double major, was confirmed as the Whole Earth Festival (WEF) unit director. Field has been working with WEF since her freshman year.
Tianna Ching, a fourth-year English and cognitive science double major, was confirmed as the point director of WEF.
Yasmeen Qursha, a fourth-year environmental policy analysis and planning major, was confirmed as the Campus Center for the Environment (CCE) unit director and the Committee on Committees (COC) chair. Qursha spoke about her plan to help UC Davis meet its zero waste goal for 2020 in addition to making increasing diversity a priority as COC chair.
Fourth-year animal science major Cindy Chen and fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major Deborah Widjaja were both confirmed as the Mental Health Initiative (MHI) co-directors. Widjaja spoke about her experience with MHI over the past two years and what the initiative means not only to her, but all people.
“Mental health is very intersectional,” Widjaja said. “It ties in with our race and ethnicity. It ties in with our social economic class. It ties in with our gender identity. Whether or not we want to admit it, mental health affects us all.”
Fourth-year statistics major Nicole Deacon was confirmed as Picnic Day chair. Last year, Deacon served as vice-chair of Picnic Day and has been involved with the event since her freshman year.
After these confirmations, the ASUCD executive team discussed projects they worked on over the summer — one issue they worked to resolve was the existing animosity between ASUCD and different centers on campus, including some in the SCC.
Since meeting with directors from various centers, the executive team has been working on a proposal to formalize bi-quarter retreats. Co-hosted by center directors and ASUCD, the executive team hopes this will be a positive step towards mending current divisions.
The executive team also debuted ASUCD’s new 10 year plan titled, “Going Forward,” developed in order to implement more long-term continuity within the organization. The plan includes reforms of the association’s business practices, a budget system overhaul and student accountants and student business managers.
In addition to bringing in students to business positions in ASUCD, the plan includes the development of courses to help students learn “real-life” skills and the creation of new positions, such as the position of student historian. The plan also includes the introduction of in-house counsel and legal compliance training as well as that of a human resources professional, a Creative Media overhaul and the creation of an open-access inventory database that can be utilized by all units.
Written by: Ally Russell — campus@theaggie.org
“Building tomorrow together”
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