The proposed resolution concerning the crisis in Gaza that drew debate last week ended its controversial run at yesterday’s Associated Students Legislative Council meeting.
The resolution, which was never officially up for the council’s approval, had drawn ire from students uneasy over its stance on the violence in the region. At last night’s meeting, however, members were told that the legislation had been abandoned.
American Students for Israel President Maya Liss said that after ASI members and Representative-at-Large Faris Shalan met to discuss the resolution, the legislation had been thrown out.
“Doing this shows how different our campus is than any other,” Liss said. “Not that many campuses have organizations with completely different views that would sit down together. … It is something to be applauded, something to be recognized. Campuses where there’s hostility between organizations with opposing positions wouldn’t sit down and discuss the issue.”
The council also decided to override an A.S. Finance Board ruling against funding the UCSB Mock Trial their requested $1892.16.
According to Off-campus Representative Darshan Grover, the board was unaware of the nature of the tournament that Mock Trail sought funding for. Grover said upon further clarification, it turns out the event is a regional championship that qualifies for academic team funding.
“UCSB Mock Trial is at the forefront of UCSB academic teams,” Grover said. “Through a communication error, it was not funded at the Finance Board meeting.”
However On-campus Representative Stephanie Fitch said she felt Finance Board would be more capable than the council of making this decision.
“If we were to fund it tonight, we would have to consider where we’re funding it from,” Fitch said. “If we take it from the Academic Fund, it might not leave enough money to fund their Nationals and we would have to decide if Leg Council would have to grant them a one-time exception.”
The council ultimately decided to grant $696 to UCSB Mock Trial for lodging during their regional conference.
Additionally, A.S. President J.P. Primeau said he had been approached by a number of A.S. Boards, Committees and Commissions to extend the deadline for turning in their budgets for the fiscal year. Primeau proposed that the deadline move from Jan. 28 to Feb. 11.
“Under our current budget crisis, we would require all BCCs to turn in their budgets on Jan. 28,” Primeau said. “I don’t want them to have empty numbers and rush the process.”