Madeleine Lee
Campus Beat Reporter
The University of California, Santa Barbara Associated Students government and its constituents can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the newest batch of senators were officially sworn in on Monday at 7 p.m. at the West Campus Conference Center. Executive officers were sworn in on August 22.
Though election results were released mid-April, they were only just made official due to allegations from the Elections Board that bribery had occurred during the spring campaign season. Elections Board, the group responsible for all policies and issues regarding student government elections, presented its case at a town hall meeting in May, where hundreds of students gathered to express discontent. At the close of spring quarter, Elections Board and the A.S. Judicial Council concluded that no bribery occurred. Further investigation was handed to UCSB Audit and Advisory Services.
Audit services’ final report concluded that no bribery had occurred, and that elections had not been swayed in any manner.
Former A.S. President Jimmy Villarreal headed a temporary special commission of five members who presided over senatorial duties during summer. In August, the commission validated election results with a 5-0 vote and reaffirmed the audit services findings that no evidence of bribery was present.
A.S. Senate’s first meeting will be held in the Flying A Room on Wednesday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m.