An otherwise routine ASUCD Senate meeting on Thursday saw tensions rise as an appearance of school officials raised more questions about the objectives of both the administration and the athletics program.

Dr. Milton Lang, associate vice chancellor of Student Affairs, attended the meeting, followed by four members of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC): Elsie Fullerton, Brandon Greenberg, Sophia Lisaius and Danielle Steffen. SAAC, according to Lisaius, “[provides] a liaison from the athletics faculty members to the student athletes.”

The senate had planned to hold a fairly rare closed session, giving the public just the meeting’s description: “Athletics.”

“We heard there was something going on with athletics and we figured we needed to step up our involvement with ASUCD,” said Greenberg, a senior on the men’s track and field team.

Fullerton, a junior on the women’s water polo team, added that she also would like to see more collaboration with the student government and student-athletes.

“We wanted to be available as a resource and open up a line of communication,” Fullerton said.

Lang addressed his appearance at the meeting, alluding to what ASUCD may do in light of the discovery that the Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA) department failed to adhere to the principles of the athletic department, to which every UC Davis student pays around $500 per year.

“I come four or five times a year [to senate],” Lang said. “It’s up to them to make the decision, collectively, on what they want to do. That’s not my opinion, that is not my decision.”

Paul Medved, a UC Davis alumnus and parent of a former student-athlete, launched an investigation into ICA in 2010 when the administration cut four sports – men’s swimming and diving, men’s wrestling, men’s indoor track and field and women’s rowing – breaking one of the eight Core Principles of ICA at UC Davis. The principle states that “UC Davis cannot reduce its broad-based program but rather must seek to add sports.”

“Certainly, when the four teams were eliminated, I found that very offensive,” said Medved, whose daughter was a member of the women’s swim team. “After four years of research, I can conclude that it is inconsistent with the intent of the students’ funding.”

Medved spoke at senate on Oct. 9 to fill in the senators regarding his findings. As a result, senate looked to hold a closed session on Oct. 16 to sort out the information and to figure out a way to move forward with it. However, the session was not properly called to order, causing Lang and the SAAC members to leave. Senate later voted to have a 30-minute closed session meeting in regards to ICA.

“[We need a closed session] just to say anything we feel,” said senator Janesh Gupta, during the public senate discussion before the closed session took place.

The SAAC had no previous knowledge of any rumbling within the athletic department, but the members expressed their concern over any internal corruption.

“Honestly, Wednesday was the first time I had heard about all of this,” said Steffen, a sophomore pole vaulter on the track and field team. “I knew sports had been cut in the past, but I didn’t realize this issue was being revisited. I came today to get some questions answered, go in with an open mind … see what was going on and how we could help if they had any questions for us.”

The new Institute for Social Sciences opened Oct. 13 at UC Davis. The institute, which has been in the works since 2011, will focus on interdisciplinary research projects.

Vicky Austin, assistant director of the institute, said that it will work to bring together researchers from different academic interests on campus.

“We will actively work to connect our researchers with scholars across campus to build bridges between the social sciences and disciplines ranging from education to engineering, medicine to management and law to the liberal arts,” Austin said.

Joe Dumit, a UC Davis professor of anthropology and science and technology studies, is the director of the new institute.

“I’m really happy to be heading up this new institute to support interdisciplinary research in the social sciences,” Dumit said.

According to George R. Mangun, dean of the Division of Social Sciences, Dumit was chosen as director of the new institute from a highly selective group of accomplished individuals. A search committee of faculty and staff reviewed formal applications that were submitted last year, after leading candidates were interviewed. Based on the committee’s recommendations, Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi made the appointment.

Austin believes that the new Institute for Social Sciences can help support and further interdisciplinary research on tough social issues from multiple perspectives.

“Social sciences research has bearing on the most important issues of our day, from things like inequality and poverty to bullying, education reform, delivery of healthcare and climate change. If a topic has to do with humans and society, social sciences has something to say about it!” said Austin.

Dumit believes that improvements to technology will also present new ways of attaining research.

“Current challenges include the many new sources of data from our technology, social media and everyday surveillance,” Dumit said. “How is this changing our lives and how is it changing how we can study our lives?”

In addition to research, the new institute will hold a variety of events and program opportunities.

“We will be hosting many different conferences, lectures and colloquia, which will bring the community of scholars and students together to talk about the important issues of our day,” Austin said. “We will support and assist faculty in the social sciences in their efforts to apply for external funding for their research.”

Mangun hopes that undergraduate and graduate students will become involved in the variety of different social sciences programs the new institute offers variety of different programs as well. The institute will allow students to attend all events (e.g., visiting speakers) and they will also be able to compete for fellowships and participate in research with faculty.

“We are also going to be planning and launching an undergraduate research program, where we will pair undergraduates with social sciences faculty so they can participate actively in research projects,” Austin said. “We plan to have this program launched by next academic year.”

Meanwhile, students interested in learning more about the institute will be able to find its offices in the Social Sciences and Humanities buildings, where the other social sciences programs are also located.

Austin stresses that the new Institute for Social Sciences was created to have a positive impact on research, perhaps even globally.

“We hope [it] will help to foster new research… that will have a positive impact on the world, especially when that research might be translated into new knowledge that may impact [policymaking],” Austin said. “We hope that through helping to train the next generation of scholars, the ripple effects of our work will be felt for generations.”

On Sept. 28, Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill No. 967, redefining sexual consent on California college campuses. Commonly known as the “Yes Means Yes” bill, No. 967 is the first of its kind to clearly define consent, as it requires “an affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity,” excluding a lack of resistance or silence.

The bill aims to alter how schools prevent, report and examine sexual assault cases. “Yes Means Yes” serves as a significant stepping point toward these goals, according to ASUCD senator Amelia Helland.

“This legislation mandates that all post-secondary schools in California enforce an affirmative consent policy and dedicate resources toward expanding and strengthening prevention education, counseling and health care resources,” Helland said.

In efforts to improve campus sexual assault policies, both the administration and ASUCD are joining together and developing plans to further strengthen existing resources at UC Davis. A video project for Domestic Violence Awareness month is currently in the works with the athletics department, the Campus Violence Prevention Program (CVPP), Student Affairs and ASUCD.

A partnership with Student Housing is also part of the agenda. Faculty and Resident Advisors are to receive special training to ensure that all sexual assault reports are appropriately handled and discussed.

In addition, Helland is working to re-establish the ASUCD Sexual Assault Awareness and Advocacy Committee (SAAAC), initially implemented by the passing of ASUCD Senate Bill No. 67 last year. According to the bill, the committee will support programs that address issues of sexual assault and collaborate with other campus resources, such as CVPP. SAAAC is already in the process of hiring a chairperson and is expecting a mid-November launch. Committee-member applications are to be posted on the ASUCD website.

“Once meetings commence, members will collectively develop an action plan, which should include an ongoing awareness campaign, in addition to some sort of event,” Helland said. “Committee members will also be expected to keep in touch with resource centers on campus for weekly updates at the SAAAC meeting.”

The Chancellor’s Student Advisory Committee on Sexual Assault is also currently being developed. Committee members will provide official student recommendations and perspectives to Chancellor Katehi about sexual assault. This will differ from SAAAC’s focus of establishing a student-support system on campus, by directly implementing campus policies.

Student Affairs recently approached Harley Litzelman, the external director of ASUCD Lobby Corps and the new director of the Office of Advocacy and Student Representation, to recruit several ASUCD members for the Chancellor’s advisory board.

Litzelman told Student Affairs that the board should be composed of survivors and that the responsibility of those in charge was to properly direct and guide the members to further empower the say of survivors.

“We’re dealing with a population that is not educated on consent effectively,” Litzelman said. “When you look at the narrative as to what has inspired change, it is very revealing of how important it is that.”

Although changes have been in motion since the signing of Bill No. 967, affirmative consent is not a new concept at UC Davis or to the University of California system. The university has had existing programs educating students on campus sexual assault. In addition, on May 20, ASUCD Senate passed Senate Resolution No. 27 in a unanimous vote, formally supporting Bill No. 967. University Policy, Ch. 400 – Campus Climate, Sec. 20 – Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence, details procedures for reporting sexual assault allegations and defines consent. It was passed earlier on June 19.

The bill requires campuses to adopt sexual assault response policies that focus on the victims, altering the way administrative reviews of assault allegations are handled. This sheds an entirely new light on survivors in contrast to the previously taught “no means no.”

“It clearly changes our message to victims because this is about supporting victims and victims’ rights,” said UC Davis Police Department (UCDPD) chief Matthew E. Carmichael.

Fifty-five higher education institutions, including UC Berkeley, USC and Harvard, were found in violation of Title IX for improper response to sexual assault cases. These schools are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education.

“I think it’s about time that the government changed its attitude toward sexual assault victims and started supporting them instead of blaming them, especially on college campuses where the issue is so rampant,” said Alena Loomis, a fourth-year anthropology major. “The stand against former negative misconceptions of sexual assault victims is a good step forward.”

UCDPD is also upping campus security in its overall effort to create student safety. Aggie Host security officers will now conduct routine checks in the 24-hour reading room and inside various buildings. Safe Rides, a safety escort service, will be extending its services to cover the late hours in between Unitrans operation, as well as providing transportation from campus to anywhere within the city of Davis during those hours.

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed part of the Budget Act of 2014 (AB 1476) in early September,

denying the state’s public universities heavy funding. The bill would have allocated $100 million

apiece the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems.

This funding for UC and CSU universities was conditional and dependent on the

outcome of property tax revenues in comparison to projections. The $100 million was originally

incorporated into the legislation to be given to UCs and CSUs; however, the money was

rejected in July once property tax revenues did not exceed expectations. The funds would have

been allotted for deferred maintenance at UC and CSU schools that was deemed critical.

In Brown’s veto message, he wrote that property tax revenues were below budget

estimates and the state couldn’t afford the $200 million this year. The legislative session for the

California state government ended Aug. 31. Governor Brown vetoed the funds shortly after.

“Making investments to maintain the state’s aging infrastructure continues to be a major

priority for my administration, as is paying down the state’s debts and reducing other long-term

liabilities,” Brown said in the veto message. “However, we are nearly one quarter into the fiscal

year now and we should not commit additional General Fund monies of this magnitude when

we are facing unanticipated costs such as fighting the state’s extreme wildfires.”

The UC and CSU systems have repeatedly lobbied for funds greater than those

mentioned in Brown’s January budget proposal but have not been successful.

After the nullification of the funds for higher education in July, Speaker of the Assembly,

Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), added similar language to the Budget Act of 2014 to reestablish a

method for state universities to receive funding for deferred maintenance. Because General

Fund revenues exceeded projections by $400 million, the Assembly sought to restore the

funding that was desperately needed. Atkins’ efforts were also quelled by the Governor’s veto.

“Given California’s continued economic rebound, we disagree with denying this funding

simply because the money involved comes from Pot B instead of Pot A,” Atkins said in an article

that appeared in the Sacramento Bee.

Brown signed various other pieces of legislation regarding education in California the

same day he denied UC’s and CSU’s $100 million each. He signed a bill that would require high

schools to submit student grade point averages electronically to the the California Student Aid

Commission to enable greater access to the state’s Cal Grants scholarship program.

Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi expressed her disappointment in Governor Brown’s veto of

AB 1476.

“We were disappointed with the governor’s veto and hope to work closely with him on

next year’s budget to secure the resources needed to meet our shared goals of affordability,

access and quality.” she said.

— LAURA FITZGERALD