A guide to UC Davis’ student government and its units
By VINCE BASADA — campus@theaggie.org
For both new students and those returning, the five-letter entity ASUCD may prove confusing in its purpose and its logo’s diverse presence on campus: from mental health posters to bus maps. With a budget of $22 million for the 2025-26 academic year, it’s worth taking the time to understand both what the ASUCD is and what it can do for you.
Firstly, the Associated Students, University of California, Davis (ASUCD, or the Association), acts as both an employer of and governing body for the student population. It has two sides: the elected and appointed student officials who allocate funds and oversee the organization as a whole and the individual units that provide events and services for the student population. Its work can be broadly categorized into four pillars: basic needs and services, advocacy, media and social.
On the government side are the three ASUCD branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial. Led by ASUCD President Amrita Julka, the Executive Office is the highest representative for all student body affairs. Julka serves as the Association’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), appointing students to oversee internal and external operations as well as a controller to oversee the budget. The Executive Office also works with some special units; For example, the Student Advocate Office, which helps represent students accused of academic misconduct.
The ASUCD Senate is the main student legislative body, meeting weekly to allocate student funds to units and pass legislation on behalf of the student body. It consists of 12 elected senators, two additional voting members — the international and transfer student representatives — and a handful of other student officers.
The California Aggie covers these meetings, which are also open to the general public, providing coverage of important legislation and developments relevant to the student body. Additionally, senators host office hours and meetings for undergraduates to bring questions to them individually.
Under the Senate are a handful of student commissions and committees that help consult on legislation, including the Environmental and Policy Planning and Gender and Sexuality Commissions.
Senators are elected twice a year: once in fall quarter and again in spring quarter. The spring voting also serves as the election for the office of the ASUCD President and top executive officials.
The Judicial Branch consists of the six justices of the Judicial Council, tasked with reviewing legislation to ensure compliance with the ASUCD Constitution. They also occasionally hold hearings when ASUCD officials are accused of misconduct and failing to perform their duties, such as overseeing executive impeachments.
On a daily basis, it is the service-providing units which students interact with the most. Some of the most popular are: Unitrans, the bus transit system that runs throughout the city of Davis; the Coffee House (CoHo) that works to sell food at affordable prices; the Pantry, the on-campus food bank; the Entertainment Council, which puts on concerts and music festivals, including Sunset Fest and Lawntopia; and Picnic Day, which organizes the yearly open house. Units each have directors and a team of paid staffers, though larger units also rely on volunteers for their operations.
The California Aggie and KDVS 90.3 FM, the student radio station, are also ASUCD units, though they are managed and organized independently.
Units also make up the bulk of the ASUCD employee population; As of time of publication, the ASUCD vacancy site notes that over 1,000 students are employed at some level in the organization. Altogether, the Association employs more students than any other department at UC Davis.
While the inner workings of ASUCD are complex in their vastness, the resources and opportunities they provide are also expansive and wide-reaching. Few university student governments are as comprehensive or as centralized, and fewer can say they employ students as both bus drivers and concert organizers.
Those interested in learning more about their student government or working for an ASUCD unit can visit the ASUCD website for more information.
Editor’s Note: A version of this article originally appeared in last year’s Orientation issue, printed on Sept. 24, 2024, under the headline, “ASUCD — What is it?” It has since been updated with current information and new details.
Written by: Vince Basada — campus@theaggie.org
