AS Senate Recap – 2/5/25

The AS Senate is a group of elected student representatives which serves as the policy-making body of Associated Students. Every Wednesday at 6:30 PM, the AS Senate convenes to pass bills and resolutions, hear reports from Boards, Committees, and Units (BCUs), and hold public forum.

KCSB’s Joyce Chi brings you a recap of their latest meeting on February 5, 2025.

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Internal Vice President Açúcar Pinto swears in the new slate of On-Campus Senators.

(Pictured left to right are Nadine Malhis, Ashley Valenzuela Balderrama, Amna Chaudhry, Kamela Dali, and Olabisi Ola-Olaitan.)

 

• It was a whirlwind of a weekend after the Senate overturned a rare veto from AS President Nayali Broadway to halt the Winter Special Election. 

• • Broadway had alleged that the proposed amendments “lacked review from campus partners” because they were introduced in a short three week timeframe.” She also said the amendments were ““in direct conflict with policies outlined by the University and the UC Regents.” (We asked the President to specify which amendments and policies she was referring to, but she declined to do so before her appearance before the Senate this Wednesday to deliver a statement on the veto.) Read the President’s veto here.

• • • We can’t know for certain which amendments and policies the President is referring to…but Attorney General Eric Carlson raised a few arguments to justify his opposition to the election. 
      • Regarding the proposal to restructure the Senate, Carlson has supported a system to divide some Senate seats by year because of a lack of first-year representation. This proposal also seeks to cut the number of Senators down to 18 so that each Senator could have staffers instead. Carlson argued that the Senate needs to budget for the increased staff salaries first (some math for you – 18 Senators x 2 staffers each x $900 for honoraria = a whole lot of money!).
      • He also expressed concern that the proposal to raise the approval threshold for student fees could harm campus entities who rely on the fees for funding and salaries. 
      • Carlson read an opinion by Solicitor General Sandy Grees, who argued that allowing the AS President to also “be responsible for…AS professional staff” could lead to disputes with human resources.
  • In response, the Senate unanimously voted to overturn President Broadway’s veto, allowing the election to proceed as planned. A statement sent through email said the Senate was “having genuine difficulty understanding the reasoning behind this veto.” They pushed back against Broadway’s claim of no consultation being made with “campus partners” and said they did in fact hold discussions with the administration and AS Career Staff.
    • The statement was signed by Internal Vice President Açúcar Pinto and Senators Eemaan Wahidullah, Paolo Brinderson, Kamela Dali, Levi Corlew, Enri Lala, Dominic Wang, Aryaman Singh, Noura Elkhatib, Dan Siddiqui, Amna Chaudhry, Lily Habas, and Caroline Lankarani.
      • Do some of those names look unfamiliar? New Senators were sworn in last week – keep reading for more on the new slate of On-Campus Senators.

• • So, what does all this mean for the election?

• • • The Winter Special Election will be held next week and last until Friday of Week 8. As a reminder, you’ll get to vote on three proposed constitutional amendments that would go into effect in time for the Spring General Elections. See the finalized ballot here, or visit our website for summaries of the proposed amendments.
      • The Special Election was originally scheduled for Week 6 but faced delays because its ballot language needed to be edited (like to remove bias) and approved by entities like the UC Office of the President.

• Five new On-Campus Senators were sworn in last week. Before their appointments, there were no On-Campus Senators left in the Senate, following the resignations of Alex Arambula and Joshua Medeiros last quarter. Olabisi Ola-Olaitan, Nadine Malhis, Amna Chaudhry, Kamela Dali, and Ashley Valenzuela Balderrama were chosen to fill the On-Campus seats. We reached out to all five of them through email to get to know them better. 

• • 1. Tell us about yourself (your year, major, pronouns, etc.).

• • • Amna Chaudhry (she/her) is a third-year biopsychology major who moved here from Pakistan around nine years ago.
    • Ashley Valenzuela Balderrama (she/her) is a first-year and first-gen philosophy major who also intends to double major in political science.
    • Olabisi Ola-Olaitan (she/her) is a third-year biology major from Nigeria with plans to work in the medical field.
    • Kamela Dali (she/her) is a second-year biopsychology and communications double major.
    • Nadine Malhis (she/her) is a first-year pre-chemistry major.

• • 2. What interested you about getting involved with the Senate?

• • • CHAUDHRY: “I’ve always been passionate about helping others and making positive changes, so getting involved with the Senate felt like a great way to do that on a bigger scale.”
    • VALENZUELA: “What interests me in being involved with the Senate is being in a position and being in an atmosphere where you can advocate for those around you, as well as a learning experience to discuss policies and actions that improve our institution.”
    • OLA-OLAITAN: The Senate “offers an incredible platform to represent and advocate for student voices on campus” and “to contribute meaningfully to the student experience while gaining hands-on experience in leadership and policy making.”
    • DALI: “Over the summer, I attended the UC Student Organizing Summit and it really inspired me to try and make a change to my community.”
    • MALHIS: “I want to expose myself to the concerns of other people and force myself to be aware of issues and current happenings at the school and world alike.”
  • 3. What kind of experience and background are you bringing to your position?
    • CHAUDHRY: “Moving to a new country [as a Pakistani immigrant], I know what it feels like to navigate cultural differences and sometimes feel out of place. That’s why I care so much about building a strong community where everyone feels supported and included.” 
      • She is the former events coordinator and current co-President of the Pakistani Student Association, roles which she says “taught me how to collaborate with different groups, handle challenges, and make sure students’ voices are heard.” Chaudhry was also previously a floor representative for her residence hall.
    • OLA-OLAITAN: As the general officer for the Nigerian Student Association, she “managed organizational work, coordinated fundraising efforts, and collaborated with executive board members on campus-wide events.”
    • DALI: “I am currently serving as one of two Undergraduate Representatives in the EFM [Education Financing Model] Steering Committee in which I get to make student voices heard regarding all things related to financial aid.”
    • MALHIS: “I am bringing the perspective of a new freshman that is just starting to get to know this school more. So if you think you fit in that category, then no worries I am just like you and will represent your point of view.” 

• • 4.  You’ll serve as a Senator through around the middle of Spring Quarter. In this abridged time, what goals do you have for your position? Are there specific changes or areas of advocacy you plan to focus on?

• • • CHAUDHRY: “One big priority for me is creating a larger and more accessible Muslim prayer room on campus.” Chaudhry says currently, the only prayer space on campus is in the Middle East, North African, and South Asian Resource Center which can only hold one to two students at a time. 
      • Some Senators have already begun working to secure a permanent Reflection Room, an effort which Chaudhry says she wants to help with. Read on for an update on the effort to secure a Reflection Room.
    • VALENZUELA: “My objectives are to effectively represent my Hispanic community, foster advocacy for social justice issues, and create a safe, supportive space where students feel comfortable confiding in me about any challenges they face.
    • OLA-OLAITAN: “My primary goal is to focus on improving transparency and access to campus resources, especially for underrepresented student communities.” She also said she wants to boost communication between student government and the student body so that “students know about the resources and opportunities available to them.”
    • DALI: “I really aim to prioritize financial accessibility and student well-being,” especially under the second Trump administration; she highlighted the administration’s proposed policies towards education and federal aid. “Although nothing is confirmed just yet, we should be prepared for anything.”
    • MALHIS: “I was hoping to focus on an appropriate allocation of funds towards getting resources for learning especially at times such as now with the issues arising around the current stability of the federal Board of Education.” Additionally, Malhis said that getting experience as a Senator now would help her “be comfortable with running for a position in the upcoming elections.” She also plans to meet with students and campus organizations “to really gain a close empathetic understanding of concerns and comments about our campus.”

• Here’s an update on the Reflection Room, a proposed space for reflection, meditation, and prayer. Back in Fall Quarter, the Senate established a Jewish-Muslim Alliance Committee with Senator Leah Khorsandi as Chair and Senator Eemaan Wahidullah as Vice Chair. We reached out to hear about how the process of securing a permanent space for the Reflection Room was going, a goal that both Senators discussed in this October interview with KCSB News.

• • • According to Senator Wahidullah, potential spaces within the Student Resource Building (SRB) and the University Center would only be temporary. Regarding the SRB, she alleged that “the faculty and the SRB administration have continuously placed roadblocks in the process.” Due to “the lack of institutional support, consistent setbacks, and dismissive attitudes toward this need,” Wahidullah described the process of pursuing a permanent Reflection Room as “a difficult and frustrating journey,” especially given that many other UCs already have a similar space. 
    • At the time of publication, UCSB Media Relations Manager Kiki Reyes said she was waiting to hear from Student Affairs leadership. We’ll keep you posted with their response.

• University-Owned Off-Campus Senator Mariana Rosillo resigned. We reached out to her for comment but haven’t heard back.

• There was no legislation discussed at the meeting – another rarity, just like the President using their veto power.

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Access this week’s AS Senate agenda (which includes their bills and resolutions) using your student email here. You can see last week’s agenda here. Meetings are typically held each week at the Flying A Room of the University Center (Main Floor) throughout the quarter, aside from Week 10. You can also watch live and past meetings on Facebook here.