L.E.A.D. Press Release (June 6th, 2005)
L.E.A.D. RAPIDLY DELIEVERS ON CAMPAIGN PROMISES
AND CONTINUES ADVOCATING FOR IMPORTANT STUDENT PRIORITIES
Since the victory in the Winter 2005 ASUCD Elections, L.E.A.D. President Caliph Assagai, Vice President Darnell Holloway, and Senators Janine Fiel, Thomas Lloyd, Kyle Keene and Nadeah Vali, have worked hard to accomplish the goals they set for their administration during their campaigns. They have already fulfilled the majority of their non-advocacy promises to the student body.
Here is a progress report of the wide variety of our accomplishments.
Progress Report Summary:
- Created the Campus Outreach and Organizing Office
- Created the Campus Center for the Environment
- Placed Constitutional Amendment #8 (CA#8) on the Fall ASUCD elections ballot. If passed, CA#8 will require a 60% vote to pass any fee based initiative.
- Supported bringing more accountability to public officials through implementing censures, a measure that has passed through senate.
- Assisted in the creation of the Textbook Advisory and Selection Committee.
- Increased funding to Culture Days Programming
- Hosted the first quarterly ASUCD Senate Forum "ASUCD vs. Diversity"
- Increased CFC funding by $2000
Full Version:
With the passage of ASUCD Senate Bill #74, authored by Assagai, co-authored by Holloway, Keene, and Whitney, ASUCD voted to create the Campus Outreach and Organizing Office, the first of LEAD's campus social issues. This office will be located on the first floor of the MU, across from the book store, in the space formerly occupied by the ASUCD Student Center.
The Campus Center for the Environment (CCE) (formerly the Office of Environmental Affairs) was created with the passage of ASUCD Senate Bill #76, authored by Mathison, co-authored and introduced by Kyle Keene. This office will be located in the MU basement in the Project Compost Office.
In accordance with LEAD's commitment to keeping student fees low, LEAD authored and supports a Constitutional amendment that will require a 60% vote to pass any fee based initiative. ASUCD Constitutional Amendment #8, authored by Lloyd, co-authored by Assagai, Holloway, Sanchez, and Whitney, will appear on the Fall 2005 ASUCD election ballot.
LEAD supported giving ASUCD Senate the ability to censure its members for misconduct. ASUCD Senate Bill #73, authored by independent candidate and current ASUCD Senator Eric Fox, co-authored by Keene, Avi Singh (Independent), and Whitney, accomplishes LEAD's campaign promise to bring more accountability to ASUCD public officials.
In order to increase the power of student voters within the Davis community, LEAD promised to advocate for Choice Voting in the City of Davis. The advocacy efforts were led by the Davis College Greens before LEAD was involved in the effort. LEAD senators, President and Vice President, as well as Friends Urging Campus Kindness senators, assisted the Davis College Greens in their advocacy effort. As a result of our collective advocacy, the implementation of Choice Voting in the City of Davis will go to the voters on the June 2006 Ballot.
LEAD supported advocating for lower text book prices through a special committee of the senate. ASUCD Senate Bill #36, authored by Beeman, co-authored by Holloway and Lloyd, created the Textbook and Affordability Selection Committee (TASC). This is a special committee of the senate that will work with CalPIRG to advocate for lower text book prices or alternatives to textbooks on the UC Davis campus. Robert Baron is the newly appointed chair of the committee.
In the face of a grossly over-projected revenue from the previous year's budget, Tipsy Taxi's fares will be increased to $1.50 for FY05-06. To help students avoid the fee increase, Senate Bill 83, authored by Lloyd and intern Genna Carnes (now GASC Chair), will offer $5 ride coupon books good for five rides.
To bring the ASUCD Senate closer to the student body, Fall Quarter Senators Fiel and Lloyd promised to begin holding regular ASUCD Senate Forums. Fiel, assisted by her interns, put on ASUCD's first senate forum in the Winter Quarter, entitled "ASUCD vs. Diversity." In addition, the administrative plan adopted for the Campus Outreach and Organizing Office institutionalizes the practice by including it in the list of activities.
Promising to expand culture funding, ASUCD Senator Janine Fiel amended the FY05-06 operating budget to increase funding for culture retreats.
The popular campaign issue for Fall LEAD senators was the concept of allowing the Environmental Policy and Planning Commission (EPPC) to perform environmental audits of ASUCD units. Now renamed "environmental assessments," this ability has been added to the ASUCD Standing rules (SB 85) and included in the commission's first-ever administrative plan (SB 86), authored primarily by Karly Kauffman, EPPC Chair, with the assistance of Lloyd.
Wireless Expansion into the downtown Davis area was popularly received in the fall election campaign. Through communication with the Davis Downtown Business Association's (DDBA) Tom Lovering, Lloyd has developed a strong line of communication between the campus IET and the DDBA to ensure that the DDBA's wireless expansion efforts will remain free for students.
Campaigning for a Student-Police liaison position, Senators Fiel and Lloyd supported the proposed Student Police Relations Committee (SPRC), ASUCD Senate Bill # 41, authored by Senator Avi Singh (independent candidate), and co-authored by Office of External Affairs Director James Schwab. Senator Lloyd assisted Singh with the implementation of the project.
In the Presidents proposed budget, Assagai increased CFC funding by two thousand dollars!
LEAD has begun working on:
- Organizing a Rally at the Capital to highlight California's Master Plan for Education, and call for increases funding and accessibility to the UC system.
- Expanding the ASUCD Lobby Corps program through increased outreach efforts.
- Making AGTV accessible in the dorms.
- Providing printing services in Campus Copies/Classical Notes and the Cyber Lounge at the ARC.
- Advocating for an increase in diversity among faculty on campus.
LEAD is still committed to fulfilling all of our campaign promises. Sixty-seven percent of voters put their trust in LEAD, and LEAD has, and will continue to deliver.
