Associated Students Legislative Council discussed topics ranging from funding Santa Barbara Hillel to investing money in a Chinese Internet provider during last night’s three-hour meeting.

Having been denied funding from A.S. Finance Board on Monday, Hillel sought $1,700 from the council to organize its weekly Shabbat dinners and Kosher cookouts. However, the organization intended to spend $1,100 on cleaning fees and supplies for these events and only $600 for food.

Representative-at-Large Dina Varshavsky said 14 percent of the campus community is composed of Jewish students. She said these dinners are an important part of their heritage and should receive full funding.

Off-Campus Representative Jason Lopez, on the other hand, said Hillel’s financial request was excessive.

“I understand that they want a lot of people to come to their dinners,” Lopez said. “Personally I’d like to cut it down a lot because it is very spread out and we can only fund it so many times.”

The council ultimately allotted $50 to each event.

Additionally, council members discussed investing $2,000 into the Chinese Internet company Qihoo 360 Tech. This investment was recommended by A.S. Investment Advisory Committee Representative Jordan Nuni and swiftly approved with no opposition.

“This company is the number two browser and number one in mobile security,” Nuni said. “Their sales are up 82 percent right now and most of their money comes from advertising.”

The council also recognized the resignation of Queer Commission Co-Chair Edgar Vargas.

University-Owned Housing Representative Alfredo Del Cid said Vargas was initially considered for removal, but came before the council and resigned for personal reasons instead.

“Basically it was a matter of internal issues about the leadership not being able to fulfill certain duties that they were expected to fill,” Del Cid said. “Eventually the commission decided the best way to do it was to ask Edgar to resign because he had other priorities in his personal life.”

Off-Campus Representative Duncan Kenney introduced a resolution to support the construction of a new Isla Vista annex. The community center would house 15 boards, commissions and committees — nine of which currently have no office space — computer lab and community garden, among other space for UCSB students to access in I.V. A pet project of the External Vice President for Local Affairs’ office, the building would costs $82,060 annually to operate, and needs $34,560 more to begin its initial year. The resolution was tabled indefinitely until financial issues were sorted out.

Kenney said his bill was not seeking funding for the project, but a reaffirmation of Associated Students’ continued support for the plan.

“It is important that we continue our support of the I.V. annex, despite some recent negative media attention,” Kenney said. “Personally, I want to make a long-term impact and this is something that will be good for committees to come and that we can come back to as alumni.”

Furthermore, the council approved three retroactive honoraria requests including $100 for Coastal Fund Graduate Representative Suzanne McFerran, $20 for the Tech Services Committee and $600 for Off-Campus Representative Joe Lewis. These salaries were distributed to committee members who didn’t receive funds in a timely manner.

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