Beginning at 8 a.m. on April 20 until 4 p.m. on April 24, UCSB students have the opportunity to vote in the AS spring general election. On the ballot, residents in the university owned off-campus apartments will be able to select a residential senator to represent them on the 71st AS Senate.
These interviews have been lightly edited for clarity and formatting.
1. Bee Schefer
Bee Schefer
Isla Vista Party
Second-Year Biology Major
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“I noticed a lack of campus involvement in the university-owned community while living in west campus this year. I wanted to change that! I want to see a change in the university-owned off-campus environment resources, communication, safety, and representation. As former Residential Housing Association (RHA) programming vice president, activities chair, hall council president, and AS external vice president for statewide affairs UC-wide vote coordinator, I have had the opportunity to become well-acquainted with residential life needs, and student demands. I want to apply myself and the skills I have learned through my position to collaborate with AS commissions to bring change and reform to the university-owned resident lifestyle off campus and help implement the change we need.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“I hope to uplift communities that are challenged in finding visibility on campus.
I want to uplift the historically underrepresented communities of the LGBTQ+, Latinx, and Black identities. I feel by helping voices their concerns, and respective platforms, we can strengthen their calls for awareness and campus-wide reform. I am committed to serving the student community as I have since freshman year. I will follow my passion to improve the campus community levels of safety, representation and lifestyle wherever I go.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“In lieu of COVID-19, UCSB (campus resident) students are currently faced with an unplanned housing transition that has caused unexpected fees, homelessness, and sudden difficult living situations. The first bill I would introduce is an Emergency Housing Safety Net Policy to allow student housing residence emergency lease cancellation, reduced rent, and prorated cost for all students in university housing faced with financial difficulties or a non-conducive home life, unable to return home.”
2. Jesse Macias
Jesse Macias
Campus United
Second-Year Physics Major
He/Him/His
What made you decide to run for AS Senate?
“As a timely reader of Daily Nexus newspapers, I read many remarkable stories about how our AS Senate made great accomplishments to address student needs. From expanding mental health and food support resources to improving minority representation, their work has impacted the lives of several students at our campus; it has inspired me to run since I love to help others and I see a lot of potential to achieve change there.
UCSB is an incredible campus and I love to be able to learn together with students from a diversity of backgrounds. I’m often curious to learn about their different interests and how AS strives to support them to make UCSB a better place for every student. With much more work to be done, I want to be part of our AS Senate to contribute to their effort to serve the needs of our student body.”
Which communities do you hope to represent on AS Senate?
“I hope I can represent all underrepresented minority groups at our AS Senate.
From Hispanic to Asian and LGBTQ+ identities, I believe minority students have different needs and not only will I listen to them, but will work with them and other senators to provide these needs. I also believe they have a diversity of interests and will work to propose events/discussions to build community at university-owned apartments.
Transfer students are another community I hope to represent. Many of my university-owned constituents are transfer students each with unique needs and interests. I would love to work with the AS transfer senator to provide the needs and resources to support their experience living at university-owned apartments.”
If you could only accomplish one thing in your term, what would you prioritize?
“I would prioritize making resources and support services accessible for students living at university-owned apartments. There is a current need for greater resource accessibility for residents and I want to continue the work from former university-owned senator Anthony to establish more outreach programs/workshops to provide this need.
I will reach out to on-campus programs, like CLAS [Campus Learning Assistance Services], MHP [Mental Health Peers], and TSC [Transfer Student Center], to develop outreach programs to expand their services to support university-owned apartment residents. Whether in need for tutoring or are experiencing a difficult time, having outreach programs established will give my fellow apartment peers the support they deserve in an accessible way. By the end of my term, I want to see residents have more choices to where they can receive support when in need, whether on campus or at apartments.”