ASUCD Senate Resolution #31 (2012-2013 school year) was a resolution written by actual ASUCD senator Maxwell Kappes (and many "co-authors"). The resolution, probably the high point of his senate career, urged UC Berkeley to change the name of their student government from "Associated Students, University of California" to "Associated Students, University of California, Berkeley".
Journey Through Commissions
ECAC
Ethnic and Cultural Affairs Commission (ECAC) was the first commission to see this resolution. It was seen immediately after the Israeli Divestment bill (a source of ASUCD drama for nearly a quarter), so ECAC was ready for a good laugh. Many jokes were had, many themed around SMART campaign slogans and jabs at arguments for and against divestment. It was really just a giant ASUCD circle jerk. Privilege came up, and everyone agreed Berkeley was a bunch of pretentious, privileged snobs. Solidarity between the supports of SR#31 and ECAC grew three sizes that day, and the resolution passed with a 4-1-4 votes.
A primary supporter on the commission was ECAC Chair Emmanuel Diaz-Ordaz, who got the bill referred to his commission because of its relevance to campus culture and Aggie Pride.
EAC
External Affairs Commission (EAC) was the second and final commission to see the resolution. This time, Senator Kappes was accompanied by his senator bro Liam Burke, the controller (Eric Evans), and Vice President Bradley Bottoms. EAC was less friendly towards the bill, passing it with a 4-3-2 vote and asking slightly more serious questions (they didn't need to de-stress as much I guess). Still, it took about 30 minutes of conversation before serious discussion was held, but when it was it was productive and did absolutely nothing to change the bill.
To Senate I will go
The resolution made it to the table. And passed. 7-2 (Felicia Ong, Yee Xiong)-3(Alyson Noele Sagala, Tal Topf, Pamela Nonga).
Arguments against the resolution included:
- This is a waste of our god damn time
- Berkeley will hate us
- Will we have to pay for Berkeley's marketing if they change the name?
I shit you not. This was an argument against this. Felicia Ong stated that she was uncomfortable voting for this because she was afraid we would have to foot the bill if Berkeley actually changed their name. Maxwell Kappes stated that we don't pay for any legislation that we support via resolution (i.e., paying the actual bill, like paying for the Middle Class Scholarship), to which Felicia said yes, we do.
On the bright side the bill passed, Davis pride, Berkeley hatred, and jokes won in the end. It was a great day for ASUCD!
Veto
Then everything changed when the executive attacked. The bill was vetoed and our esteemed president Carly Sandstrom twisted some arms. A lot of arms. There were words of defiance shouted from her office, audible in the hallway of the third floor through multiple closed doors. Ultimately she was victorious in defeating the bill, where it failed with Kappes being the only "Yes" vote. Arguments against:
- Come on!
- Berkeley will most assuredly hate us
- This is still a waste of our god damn time
- This does not reflect well on ASUCD
- Legislation are not jokes
- Tradition, tradition, tradition!
So, the bill failed and Max delivered a speech about how everyone is a poopy-head. ASUCD established that it loves Berkeley and the executive showed that it has a massive erection for the idea of tradition. Don't worry though, we then passed a resolution urging the CoHo to keep serving Strawberry Basil Lemonade even though the majority of arguments that were used against SR#31 were repeated against that bill by the only person who thought those arguments were stupid to begin with (i.e., Maxwell Kappes). This proved once and for all Senate is full of hypocritics and partisans.
