Associated Students President and fourth-year global studies, communication and Spanish triple major Le Anh Metzger focused on outreach and hosting community events during fall quarter. During the rest of her term, Metzger aims to prioritize basic needs resources and continue pushing for 24/7 library hours.
Metzger aims to prioritize basic needs resources and will continue pushing for 24/7 library hours. Wesley Haver / Daily Nexus
To improve the organization’s visibility, Metzger’s office hosted various events, such as the Associated Students (A.S.) Kick-Off Fair, a farmer’s market series and a biweekly “Coffee with the President.”
“I’ve been able to just talk to a lot of people about what A.S. is and what we can do for them, and also how they can get involved,” Metzger said.
In addition, cabinets containing NARCAN Nasal Spray, which Metzger has been working to implement in all University-owned housing, were installed last quarter. Metzger also mentioned that the A.S. Living History Project, which aims to preserve the history of student activism at UC Santa Barbara, has been revived and is now fully staffed.
Another objective Metzger has been working toward is improving transparency both within and surrounding A.S. She has been sending out campus-wide emails containing a monthly newsletter with information about upcoming events and other updates.
Regarding internal transparency initiatives, the first quarterly State of the Association was held in the fall, which Metzger said “went really well.” The new meeting replaces Boards, Committees and Units’ (BCU) quarterly reports during Senate meetings. The A.S. Senate approved the new meeting and made it mandatory for all BCUs last quarter.
“I got really good feedback afterwards of people saying they actually really enjoyed hearing everybody else’s reports, which obviously was never a requirement before, and they thought the environment was a lot better than Senate meetings,” Metzger said.
She hopes to increase publicity for future State of the Association meetings to encourage the larger campus community to learn about what BCUs have to offer. Metzger also mentioned she’d like to ensure all BCUs and senators are present at future meetings. The point of low Senate turnout was previously mentioned at a Senate meeting.
“The reason why I created [the State of the Association] was because so many people in A.S. don’t actually know what other people in A.S. do,” Metzger said. “One of the things a few people told me after that event was that ‘I had no idea that this other group did this,’ and ‘I actually already reached out to them to collaborate on something because I have a similar idea.’ So I think that was really good to hear.”
Metzger said she would continue her internal improvement efforts by updating the A.S. main office space and hiring the next executive director.
She also set up various food security initiatives such as funding for UCSB Basic Needs grocery vouchers and free Super Cucas burritos for those who receive CalFresh benefits. Metzger said that basic needs initiatives are something she hopes to continue through the rest of her term.
Over the summer, Metzger mentioned she would be looking into providing additional food grants for undocumented students. Since then, she has spoken to Undocumented Student Services to help fund its monthly food grants and meal swipe scholarship program.
Continuing her advocacy for marginalized communities in 2026 is another goal of Metzger’s, as stated in her January newsletter. This week, Metzger and other members of the Association are holding “Protect Your Peers” week to advocate for immigrant rights.
Another large initiative Metzger hopes to complete during her term is the reinstatement of 24/7 library hours. After several negotiations between A.S. and University departments, the library expanded its hours and offered alternative 24/7 spaces with the condition that the topic of the 24/7 library would be revisited.
“The library Late Night Study is also an ongoing conversation, and I’ve just kind of been working throughout the year to facilitate those conversations and making sure things keep moving forward,” Metzger said. “I’d really like to get the 24/7 library back before I graduate. We’ll see what happens.”
Other projects Metzger will be working on include Overdose Prevention Week and ensuring it’s passed on to future students, and creating further collaborations with local organizations.
Speaking about her term, Metzger said that the “presidency goes by really fast” and that she is working toward fulfilling her platform points before the end of her term.
“I’m trying to make the most of each week and trying to do just as much as I possibly can, while also maintaining my grades and my mental health,” Metzger said. “I’m really proud of what my office was able to accomplish last year, and I’m really hopeful for the things that we’ll be able to do for the rest of the year, and I’m always open to feedback and suggestions and collaborations.”
A version of this article appeared on p. 4 of the Jan. 15 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
