The Editorial Board encourages you to consider accountability, diversity and fiscal responsibility when casting your ballot

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

From April 21 to 25, the ASUCD spring elections are open for students to cast their ballots for six senators, one executive ticket and three measures, as well as a number of other elected officials. The California Aggie’s Editorial Board encourages you to exercise your right to vote this election season, as the ASUCD directly affects your day-to-day life as well as the use of your student fees — you deserve to have a say in how your money is being spent. 

The Editorial Board invited all candidates for an interview and endorsed those we believe will best represent the needs and interests of the student body. Regardless of who you choose on your ballot, we hope you vote this election season. Please consider the following: 

While ASUCD elections use a ranked-choice system, the endorsed candidates below are not listed in order of preference. The Editorial Board has ranked Senate candidates alphabetically for purposes of this article.

Presidential Ticket: Aaminah Mohammad & Nanki Kaur (Unite slate)

Aaminah Mohammad, a third-year biopsychology and international relations double major, and Nanki Kaur, a third-year biomedical engineering major, are running for president and internal vice president positions of the ASUCD, respectively, as part of the Unite slate. This presidential ticket’s platforms are instating comprehensive wellness, affordability and accessibility programs, expanding healthcare outreach and equity and ensuring the student body has access to resources. Additionally, this ticket is focusing on outreach to STEM students and their representation within the administration. Mohammad and Kaur have actionable plans — such as extending free rides to off-campus students with disabilities and creating funding pathways for non-identity-based registered student organizations (RSOs). In addition to these, this presidential ticket has plans to utilize legal resources for undocumented students, expand and revamp study spaces and streamline the hiring process for ASUCD positions. With Mohammad’s experience as internal vice president and Kaur’s experience as a senator, as well as their understanding of the ASUCD’s financial outlook and potential budget cuts, the Editorial Board believes this presidential ticket to be in the best interest of ASUCD and the students of UC Davis.

External Affairs Vice President: Janani Sundaram (Bitches slate)

Janani Sundaram is a third-year political science — public service major with a minor in public health. Some of her primary campaign focuses include empowering students, creating equity in university policy and protecting the rights of students to protest. Additionally, Sundaram is a part of the Bitches slate, which prioritizes safety, transparency and equity. As an out-of-state student, Sundaram has developed a diverse and understanding perspective. She is also committed to bringing more transparency and accountability to the ASUCD. The Editorial Board believes Sundaram is earnest about her advocacy efforts and equally committed to bringing her important sense of compassion to the table. We believe Sundaram would excel in the role of external affairs vice president.

Student Advocate: Inbar Schwartz (Independent)

A third-year economics and international relations double major, Inbar Schwartz has been with the Student Advocate Office (SAO) for two years. She has served as a case advisor and head of staff and currently serves as the vice student advocate, ensuring that students receive proper guidance in their dealings with the Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs. Her dedication to students and advocating for their fair representation and defense was clear in her interview, as was her knowledge of the role and the duties therein. Though the race for student advocate is unopposed, the Editorial Board has chosen to endorse Schwartz as a show of recognition of her hard work at SAO and her longtime commitment to student success.

International Student Representative: Robi Castaneda (Bitches slate)

Robi Castaneda, a third-year political science and music double major, is clearly passionate about protecting international students. Castaneda seeks to expand legal resources for students navigating the visa and immigration process and has called for the creation of a fund to help cover related paperwork costs. His well-rounded and thorough approach to having the Office of the International Student Representative meet international students where they are, and on the issues most pressing to them, impressed the Editorial Board. His experience within ASUCD as an external affairs commissioner and his assertion that the student government should provide all of the support it can to its international students to ensure they can focus on their academic success also helped his campaign stand out.

Transfer Student Representative: Kelly Zamudio (Empoderar slate)

Kelly Zamudio is a third-year political science — public service and sociology double major, as well as a member of the Empoderar slate. In her interview, Kelly displayed a clear understanding of struggles that transfer students often go through during their collegiate transition. She also shared unwavering support for the transfer student community and their success, readily responding to questions with confidence and resolve. Zamudio emphasized pillars of community development, professional and academic growth and personal wellness that she plans to implement into creating inclusive spaces in collaboration with RSOs for students. An element of her interview that stood out in particular was her idea to ensure that there is transfer student representation on every ASUCD commission to ensure that their perspectives are properly represented. Zamudio’s clear-cut plans for the role, knowledge of the non-traditional-student experience and plans to advocate for transfer students across the Davis campus made her a very strong candidate — one that the Editorial Board has gladly decided to endorse. 

Senator: Tianneh G. Bonardi (Empoderar slate)

Tianneh G. Bonardi is a first-generation, second-year political science and sociology double major, with an emphasis in law and society. Some of her campaign priorities include transparency and accountability, professionalism and collaboration and culture. She is also a proud supporter of Senate Resolution #7, which reaffirms protections for undocumented students. Bonardi is part of the Empoderar slate whose core values overlap with Bonardi’s campaign priorities. As a former interim senator, Bonardi’s understanding of the legislative process gives her a unique headstart as a candidate running for Senate. The Editorial Board was impressed with Bonardi’s commitment to inclusivity and increased cultural representation, and we believe she will thrive as a senator.

Senator: Hilda Cabello-Garcia (Independent)

As a first-generation student, Hilda Cabello-Garcia, a first-year political science major, is focusing her campaign on student well-being: aiming to ensure that all students, including low-income and mixed-status students, are provided with access to wellness and professional development services. Additionally, part of her campaign focuses on safety for the undocumented student population on campus. She is hoping to leverage her experience and interpersonal skills to make a positive impact on the student community, as well as looking to address injustice for students facing housing insecurity and environmental justice issues. The Editorial Board was impressed by Cabello-Garcia’s professionalism and vision, and we believe she will be both influential and successful as an ASUCD Senator. 

Senator: Siena Dill-Cruz (Bitches slate)

Siena Dill-Cruz, a second-year political science and cinema and digital media double major, is a strong candidate for the ASUCD Senate. Representing the Bitches slate, her main campaign priorities include women’s health and safety, basic needs and financial accessibility, career development and student-led sustainability. Dill-Cruz’s plans for the position include Arboretum cleanup walks, campuswide clothing swaps and reducing single-use plastics in on-campus food locations. With her extensive experience working for many ASUCD units, such as KDVS and the Coffee House, Dill-Cruz understands the inner workings of the ASUCD. The Editorial Board has identified Dill-Cruz as a strong candidate for this year’s election cycle with her innovative ideas and ample experience in leadership roles. 

Senator: Pattarin Khajornchaikul (Unite slate)

Pattarin Khajornchaikul is a member of the Unite slate, as well as a first-year economics and theater double major. Khajornchaikul currently serves as ASUCD associate vice president for internal communications and expressed that a large priority for her is to expedite the process of onboarding for student employees. Her prior experience working as a leader and organizer, including working for local and state politics, contributed to our confidence in her readiness for  the role. Khajornchaikul’s platform emphasizes the necessity of basic needs for students; She hopes to help UC Davis expand the definition of basic needs to help students thrive, not just survive. This is particularly in regard to labor, which Khajornchaikul asserted should be considered a basic need in addition to necessities like food, transportation and housing. She also expressed interest in the quantitative element of the ASUCD Senate, backed up by experience working with and understanding budgets. Khajornchaikul also hopes to secure grants for RSOs, aiming to connect ASUCD to the student body by ensuring that students have the opportunity and the space to get involved. Her comfortability and knowledge of the behind-the-scenes operations of ASUCD impressed the Editorial Board, and we are confident that Khajornchaikul would excel in this position. 

Senator: Aubri Lee (Risers slate)

Aubri Lee, a second-year environmental engineering major, is running for senator as part of the Risers slate). Her campaign focuses include raising awareness about gun violence, leading environmentally conscious events and implementing professional practice exams for careers in fields like medicine, law and engineering. Lee currently is an external affairs commissioner and as a member of the rowing team, she is also a student athlete. As a STEM major, Lee recognizes the lack of STEM representation in the Senate and wants to improve upon these issues. With her candidacy, Lee wants to encourage fellow STEM students to make their voices heard and feel inspired to follow in her footsteps. The Editorial Board appreciates Lee’s assertion that ASUCD is not a for-profit entity and its primary goal should be to serve the students. We feel that her strong work ethic and thoughtful plans for the senator position will allow her to excel in this role and positively benefit the student body. 

Senator: Luis Leonardo Garcia (Empoderar slate)

Luis Leonardo Garcia has already proven himself a committed and capable student leader. As an interim senator in fall quarter 2024, he was consistently one of the most productive members of the Senate table and hosted the first Senate-sponsored event of the academic year. A second-year political science and communication double major, Garcia is running on the Empoderar slate to increase Hispanic representation within the ASUCD alongside fellow endorsed candidate Tianneh G. Bonardi. His recognition of the need for greater diversity amongst student leaders, and for the student government to reflect the undergraduates it represents, remains an increasingly important issue in this political landscape. The Editorial Board wholeheartedly endorses Luis Leonardo Garcia to return to the role he has proven uniquely adept at.

Vote “Yes” on ASUCD Constitutional Amendment #94

The Editorial Board encourages the student body to vote “yes” on Constitutional Amendment #94 to ensure that when there is a need for interim senators and other officeholders, they are held to democratic standards and their appointment process is transparent. 

This proposed amendment, introduced by Senator Ezra Rubin and co-sponsored by Senator Dhilena Wickramasinghe, provides much-needed reform to the appointment process for interim elected officials in the ASUCD. For those who may not know, the ASUCD Senate is composed of 12 elected senators and two elected representatives who oversee the needs of the student body and the ASUCD’s over-20-million-dollar operational budget. This responsibility necessitates that the Senate is democratically elected and held accountable by those who voted them into office. 

As it stands now, when vacancies arise outside of the typical election season (a senator steps down, graduates early or leaves offices early), interim senators are appointed by the ASUCD president. This amendment would make the appointment process of interim senators more democratic and decentralize executive powers. During fall quarter, five interim senators were appointed by the ASUCD president, meaning that nearly half of the Senate last fall was not elected by the student body. Constitutional Amendment #94 would have the Senate approve the appointment of interim senators, allowing for a public interview process where students can ask questions and share their opinions.

Vote “Yes” on ASUCD Constitutional Amendment #95 

ASUCD Constitutional Amendment #95 ensures there are stricter repercussions in place if the student body’s elected officials are unable to meet training and volunteer requirements. The Editorial Board encourages you to vote “yes” to ensure accountability for those in the ASUCD. 

This proposed amendment, introduced by Internal Affairs Commission Chair Amanda Clark and Senator Siddharth Jasthi, would incentivize senators to volunteer with units or committees to foster a stronger connection between entities within ASUCD. The amendment will also encourage senators to attend mandatory training seminars once sworn into office. While this is already mandated by ASUCD Bylaws, there are no clear enforcement mechanisms in place to incentivize participation. If passed, this amendment ensures that if a representative fails to meet their training requirements, their threshold for impeachment decreases by two points. If a representative fails to meet two volunteer hours with units or committees, their threshold for impeachment would decrease by one point.

Overall, the Editorial Board believes this amendment to be beneficial for senator engagement and the development of institutional knowledge. 

Our Thoughts on Transportation Equity Fee 

The Transportation Equity Fee proposes an additional five dollars per quarter (excluding summer session) for each undergraduate student. The Editorial Board advises you to look carefully at each of the proposed outcomes that come with voting “yes” or “no” to make the decision that best serves the student body as well as yourself. 

The UC Davis Transportation Services regulates parking policies as well as provides general transportation needs for the campus community. Although their main revenue comes from parking fees, the organization has been working to reduce reliance on parking — a task which the fee referendum states could lead to lack of sustained funding for the Transportation Services in the future. These changes, however, have led to raised parking rates that adversely affect people that have no choice but to commute to campus. 

If approved, the Transportation Equity Fee will provide a steady revenue stream for transportation demand management, bicycle safety programs and a transportation grant toward communities that are negatively impacted by high parking rates. However, the Editorial Board has not extended a full endorsement due to lack of clarity regarding the allocation of funds to grant programs and maintenance in the fee referendum’s language. While we understand that there are financial issues facing both Transportation Services and commuting students, we are unable to offer a full endorsement or rejection at this time. 

In order for this referendum to be passed, a voter turnout of at least 20% of the undergraduate student body is needed and 60% voting “yes.” 

Written by: The Editorial Board