Associated Students Internal Vice President and fourth-year history and global studies double major Enri Lala spent his fall quarter advocating for bike path construction, lagoon safety and managing the Senate.
Lala spent his fall quarter advocating for bike path construction, lagoon safety and managing the Senate. Sherine John / Daily Nexus
At the start of fall quarter, the UC Police Department (UCPD) began enforcing restrictions for students biking off the designated paths, with most enforcement between the UC Santa Barbara Library and the Interactive Learning Pavilion. Enforcement efforts included citations, with some students receiving a $40 fine which they could opt out of by completing an online bike safety course created by the Associated Students (A.S.) Bike Committee.
Since enforcement began, Lala has been working with the Bike Committee and several University departments to start construction of the bike path. Lala will continue his work on the bike path and hopes that both the funding plan and construction timeline will be finalized this quarter. Lala also shared that the chancellor’s office will cover one third of the construction costs, per the Bike Committee’s request.
Lala also spent his fall quarter advocating for increased lagoon safety, particularly the addition of more lights following an attempted sexual assault that took place near the lagoon on Oct. 19. Lala and A.S. First President Pro Tempore and second-year political science major Evan Sussman testified before the California Coastal Commission arguing for the necessity of new lights around the lagoon, citing the history of sexual violence in the area.
While Lala is unsure of the timeline of lagoon lighting, he said that UCSB’s Director of Capital and Physical Planning, Josh Rohmer, is working with his team to create a lighting construction plan to submit to the coastal commission.
Lala will continue to advocate for student and campus safety for the rest of his term as he said there is “a legitimate chance that, God forbid, this can happen again,” and that inaction is “not something we can live with.”
One of Lala’s long-term projects he started when he was a senator is The Micheal Ma Service to Economics Students Act, which would bring Bloomberg Terminals — professional business and economics data tools — to campus. Lala started this project to honor a close friend, Micheal Ma, an economics student who passed away in a car accident.
Lala said he is in contact with Bloomberg representatives, investment groups and University departments to see this project come into fruition by the end of the academic term.
One of the Internal Vice President’s (IVP) responsibilities is to oversee the A.S. budget, including honoraria, the payment for all association members. The Senate passed A Bill to Modernize Honoraria by converting it into an online system at its Jan. 7 meeting. Lala hopes this bill will allow people to get paid “one time and reliably,” and incentivize students to be “more willing to serve the campus.”
Student housing has long been a priority for Lala, with his work on the San Benito Housing Project and Ocean Road Housing Project. This past fall quarter, he worked alongside External Vice President for Local Affairs (EVPLA) and third-year political science major E.J. Raad to institutionalize the Rate My Landlord project into A.S. Lala also expressed hope that legislation will soon pass in the Senate and will continue to put pressure on campus administration to improve student housing.
“We have to be involved as an association, tooth and nail, in every housing project that is currently ongoing or potential on campus,” Lala said.
In another collaboration with the EVPLA’s office, Lala’s team is working to create A.S. merchandise to pass out at a UCSB men’s basketball game on Jan. 22. This is part of a larger effort to increase student engagement with A.S.
Finally, Lala highlighted the Isla Vista Green Project, a collaboration between his office, the EVPLA’s office and the Edible Campus Project, which hosts a weekly gardening workshop series. The series aims to address food insecurity in I.V. and teach students valuable gardening skills.
A version of this article appeared on p. 5 of the Jan 15, 2026 edition of the Daily Nexus.
