Tim Fucci
AS Beat Reporter
The Associated Students Legislative Council assembled on the evening of Oct. 26 and faced criticism for the lack of information available to students about the association via the AS website.
Chemistry and biopsychology double major Adeel Lakhani addressed the council during public forum to raise questions about access to information on AS legislative affairs.
“I had questions and I hope this would be a good space to answer them,” said Lakhani. “I know AS works very hard on behalf of students, but I don’t know those issues. I don’t know what you guys are working on.”
Lakhani noted the outdated minutes and agendas posted on the AS website, and also discovered that the Office of the President’s website had not been updated since 2010.
Internal Vice President Chloe Stryker responded to Lakhani’s observations by notifying him about the construction of a new AS website currently underway. The new website will feature the updated minutes and agendas for Leg Council meetings, as well as AS honoraria and a suggestion box open to the public. Stryker said she hoped that the new website would be complete sometime in winter quarter.
In his executive officer report, AS President Harrison Weber shared details about a ‘very productive’ conversation with UC President Mark Yudof.
“Yudof changed his tone a little bit from what we had seen in the past,” Weber said. “While he didn’t make any groundbreaking or earth shattering statements, he did say he supported certain things UCSA is working on.”
Weber wished not to share further details to what University of California Student Association initiatives Yudof specifically supported, but said he would be available to speak about the matter in private.
Weber said the discussion also encompassed questions concerning the appropriate level of monetary contributions given to the UC school system by students.
“Essentially it all comes down to revenue,” Weber said. “There is a lot that can be done from UCOP to here, but essentially the focus should be on getting more funding from the state.”
In financial affairs, the council funded $145 dollars from their special projects fund for Campus Democrats to fiscally sponsor additional members in a student leadership conference in Lake Tahoe.
An additional $150 dollars was also allocated from special projects to fund the creation of an online AS survey initiated by Representative Jonathan Abboud.
The council also approved five pieces of legislation, including an initiative that will require representatives to hold a portion of their office hours outside the AS Main Office, in locations on campus with heavy pedestrian traffic. The bill is meant to increase the accessibility and transparency of UCSB’s elected officials.
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