The 76th Associated Students Senate passed resolutions regarding student programs, road renovations and unused student fees at its Feb. 25 meeting. The Senate also discussed proposals for a new lock-in fee to help disabled students, as well as to decrease the size of the Senate.
EVPSA Leiya Kadah discussed a Senate resolution which cancels the USSA lock-in fee. Sherine John / Daily Nexus
Legislation passed
The Senate adopted the Office of the Internal Vice President’s Isla Vista Underground High Impact Project proposal, which included a $20,000 funding request. The event will take place on April 24 and feature performances from Isla Vista bands, a beer garden, food and other entertainment on the Lagoon Lawn. The event aims to give student bands a chance to perform on campus and receive financial compensation.
Next, the Senate adopted a resolution establishing the Language Revitalization Grant Program, authored by third-year biology and political science double major Eemaan Wahidullah. The program will financially support students who want to study “endangered” languages not currently taught at UC Santa Barbara.
The Senate then adopted a resolution to add an Associated Students (A.S.) Legal Code constitutional amendment on fee provisions for empty Boards, Committees and Units (BCUs), authored by Senator and fourth-year political science major Keizo Ono. The amendment defines an inactive BCU as any organization that fails to meet quorum by voting members for two academic years, so that the Senate can pause or cancel fees for inactive BCUs. Students will vote on the amendment in the upcoming spring election.
Next, the Senate adopted a resolution authored by First President Pro Tempore and second-year political science major Evan Sussman requesting the cancellation of the Commission for Marginalized Genders’ lock-in fee because the group has been inactive since 2021.
Lastly, the Senate adopted a resolution to formally support El Colegio Road renovations, authored by Internal Vice President and fourth-year global studies and history double major Enri Lala. The resolution claims that sections of the road have long remained in “subpar conditions,” and that their support may include a financial contribution to renovations.
Legislation proposed
Senator and third-year economics and philosophy double major Noah Luken proposed a resolution to create a new lock-in fee for Mobility Transport Program, which provides campus transportation for students with temporary or permanent disabilities. The service has been funded by a one-time grant which is running low and causing layoffs. If passed by the Senate, students will vote on the fee in the spring election.
Next, Ono proposed a resolution authored by Lala that would create a new A.S. Legal Code constitutional amendment decreasing the size of the Senate and reworking various positions. The amendment would no longer categorize senators by housing, decrease the number of senators from 18 to eight and increase the number of transfer student senators from one to two. If passed by the Senate, students will vote on the amendment in the spring election.
Luken then proposed a bill to establish an email vote procedure, authored by Attorney General and fourth-year political science major Natalia Pascher. The bill aims to formalize the email vote process, as no rules currently exist in legal code.
Public forum
Second-year political science major and California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) member Alex Borgas gave an update on the group’s recent national student training in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Borgas discussed their textbook conference the previous week which addressed the rising costs of textbooks.
University of California Student Association (UCSA) President and UC Davis student Aditi Hariharan gave a presentation that highlighted the UCSA’s history and discussed its student fee, as well as the Association’s structure.
Hariharan also discussed the UCSA’s five campaigns including ACQUIRE, which focuses on basic needs and health equity; Students Enacting Environmental Defense; UCweVote, which focuses on student voter education, Racial Justice Now and Fund the UC, which plans to combat the cuts to grants at various UC campuses.
External Vice President for Statewide Affairs (EVPSA) and fifth-year psychological & brain sciences major Leiya Kadah discussed a Senate resolution that cancels the United States Student Association’s (USSA) lock-in fee. The proposal claimed that the UCSB chapter of USSA has been inactive for around six years.
Kadah argued she was not consulted regarding the resolution and that she’s been trying to reinstate the association on campus. Later in the meeting, Luken, who authored the resolution, claimed that he “absolutely” communicated with the EVPSA’s office regarding the resolution via an “informal conversation.”
Next, KCSB-FM Assistant Director for Independent Media Jennifer Kiser discussed the radio station’s annual 10-day fund drive. Additionally, she recommended senators create their own radio show if interested.
Reports
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Suzanne Perkin gave an update regarding the final stages of the new A.S. executive director, with three finalists being determined out of 37 applicants.
Perkin also mentioned that recruitment for the next UC student regent is currently open, with applications due by March 11. Perkin emphasized that it has been a long time since a UCSB student held the position and encouraged senators to apply if interested.
In regard to upcoming fee cancellations, Perkin said A.S. lacks established policies for ending a fee and spending its unused lock-in funds. While she said the chancellor can cancel the fees upon request, the UC Office of the President is “not super happy” about allocating money outside of its intended ballot language.
Financial motions
The Senate allocated $27,500 out of the Jewish Commission account to Chabad at UCSB due to the commission’s “dormant status.”
A version of this article appeared on p. 3 of the March 5, 2026 edition of the Daily Nexus.
