The Editorial Board endorses five candidates for ASUCD Senate
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
ASUCD fall elections began on Monday, Nov. 13, and voting will be open through Friday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. Undergraduate students can cast their votes on the ASUCD elections website.
This election cycle, there are 21 candidates running for six available Senate seats. The Editorial Board interviewed 14 of the 21 candidates running for Senate. Those who were not interviewed did not respond to the Editorial Board’s request for an interview.
We urge all undergraduate students to both participate in the election and consider getting involved in student government in future election cycles to ensure that ASUCD elected officials accurately reflect UC Davis’s diverse campus.
Here are The California Aggie’s endorsements for fall 2023 ASUCD elections:
Katia Bouali (she/her/hers) — Olive Branch
Fifth-year political science major Katia Bouali’s platform surrounding the improvement of racial equity, mental health awareness and student safety makes her a compelling Senate candidate. If elected, Bouali said that she plans to pass a bill which would require that any senate resolution regarding racial equity be closely monitored after it is enacted, which the Editorial Board agrees is crucial to holding the Senate table accountable. Her goals of improving the mental health care system at UC Davis, specifically through urging the administration to hire more counselors, highlight her passion for mental health awareness. As a whole, Bouali’s wide-ranging and attainable legislative plans make her equipped for success if elected as a senator.
Sam Hopwood (he/him/his/they/them/theirs) — Movement
The Editorial Board endorses second-year political science major Sam Hopwood because of his passion and commitment towards improving the labor conditions of students. We believe that his goals of increasing student worker pay, bettering on-campus work environments and lowering student fees highlight his investment in UC Davis students. The Editorial Board was also compelled by his intention to put pressure on Gary May and the UC Board of Regents to follow through on their promise to disinvest in the weapons and gun lobbying industries. Hopwood has considerable experience in labor organizing, which gives him the knowledge necessary to make legislative strides in the Senate if elected.
Amanda Clark (she/her/hers) — Connect
Amanda Clark, a third-year political science — public service and psychology double major, has both extensive leadership experience and a wide range of policy goals. The Editorial Board was extremely impressed by her plans to advocate for students with disabilities, such as implementing a mobile order feature at the CoHo for students with mobility impairments and improving Unitrans terminal signage for students with visual impairments. Clark’s other platforms are compelling, which include destigmatizing mental health and promoting on-campus environmental sustainability. Her experience as the ASUCD Judicial Council Chairperson and as an Internal Affairs Commissioner makes her a well-rounded candidate with the ability to achieve important policy goals if elected as a senator.
Noblejot Singh Sandhu (he/him/his) — Independent
Third-year political science — public service major Noblejot Singh Sandhu impressed the Editorial Board with his comprehensive platform. Sandhu’s campaign goals, such as increasing the visibility of on-campus resources and connecting faculty, student organizations and ASUCD to create a more streamlined transfer of information, make him a compelling candidate. His experience working in the nonprofit sector and in local, state and federal legislation strengthens his candidacy. We believe Sandhu’s experience and robust plans to achieve his legislative goals make him a very qualified candidate for the Senate.
JT Eden (he/him/his) — Connect
The Editorial Board endorses JT Eden, a third-year environmental policy analysis and planning and international relations double major and the current ASUCD Senate President Pro Tempore. We believe that his extensive experience with on-campus leadership, such as his time serving on the Internal Affairs Commission and as the ASUCD Internal Vice President, make him a qualified and well-versed candidate. Of his platforms, the Editorial Board was especially impressed by his plans to alleviate on-campus parking costs for students in need and to prioritize student workers in the ASUCD budget. Because of his tangible legislative goals and over two years of ASUCD experience, we believe that Eden will have a great impact on the Senate table if elected.
Written by: The Editorial Board
