The Daily Nexus endorses third-year sociology and psychological and brain sciences double major Victoria Ly as the next Associated Students Internal Vice President.
Victoria Ly is running on a platform of increased A.S. accessibility and student outreach. Shengyu Zhang / Daily Nexus
The Associated Students (A.S.) Internal Vice President (IVP) chairs the weekly Senate meetings and acts as the association’s representative for all internal affairs. Given Ly’s experience as a senator and positions in various campus organizations, the Nexus believes she would promote efficiency and student-focused projects as the leader of the 77th A.S. Senate.
Ly said she has observed a large disconnect between A.S. and the student body throughout her time serving in the Senate. As IVP, Ly said she aims to bridge that gap and expand the Association’s public outreach so students know how to access and utilize A.S. resources. To facilitate this relationship, Ly proposed increasing tabling to distribute resource cards and holding association-wide events to promote community, such as a multicultural fair.
“A connected student body is an informed one, and an informed one is an empowered one,” Ly said.
Over the last year, Ly has served on the Senate Liaison Committee, tasked with the responsibility of facilitating communication between Boards, Committees and Units (BCUs) and the Senate. In recent years, the relationship between BCUs and the Senate has been a point of contention in the association, with a significant lack of communication on both ends. The Nexus hopes Ly will use her liaison experience as IVP to strengthen this relationship.
Ly specifically notes that the Senate has had a “passive” role in supporting marginalized groups on campus and hopes she can actively support such groups as IVP by sharing institutional knowledge and equitable financial support.
Ly also served as a member of the temporary student safety committee, where she advocated for improved campus safety measures in conversation with the UC Police Department (UCPD) Chief of Police and other University officials. The Nexus believes Ly’s experience in communicating with upper-level University administrators will lend itself well to the IVP’s responsibilities of advocating on behalf of the student body.
As IVP, Ly said she will continue communicating with UCPD to pursue increased campus safety, specifically analyzing areas of campus with high levels of bike theft to improve them and deter crime.
The Nexus believes Ly displayed exemplary initiative in the Senate when she created a Senate voting tracker to document every financial or legislative vote on the Senate floor — which has significantly increased the Senate’s efficiency. Given that the IVP’s main responsibility is chairing the Senate, the Nexus believes Ly’s initiative highlights her ability to effectively lead the next Senate.
While the Nexus endorses Ly, we acknowledge the specific skills and abilities of Senator and second-year chemistry major Nadine Malhis that could benefit the office of the IVP if appointed.
Malhis is running a project-focused campaign, specifically expanding housing affordability resources like the Isla Vista Tenants Union rent support program — which she helped institutionalize into A.S. as a senator. While this initiative toward a large-scale project is commendable, the IVP’s main responsibility, as outlined in legal code, is to chair the Senate, which the Nexus feels Ly would be better able to do while maintaining a respectful environment.
The Nexus believes that Ly will successfully advocate for the needs of students as she is an active member and leader of several campus organizations, including the women’s rugby team and the Sociology Association, and she is employed by Housing, Dining and Auxiliary Operations. While the Nexus is concerned with Ly overextending herself, she emphasized her willingness to give up leadership positions in other organizations to prioritize her role as IVP. Ultimately, the Nexus believes these experiences and perspectives will positively impact Ly’s student advocacy as IVP.
The Nexus would like to note that Malhis also suggested dropping every other organization she is a part of if appointed as IVP. While this decision shows a strong dedication to the association, the Nexus believes it also shows a lack of commitment to other student groups that the we would like to see from an IVP to form a stronger student representative.
The Senate floor can often become heated as senators deliberate over politically contentious legislation and having an IVP that facilitates productive and respectful conversation is key. Ly emphasized that one of her greatest strengths is being “level headed” and that as IVP she would “make sure everyone’s voices are heard and that they’re supported, but also that it’s a respectful and welcoming space.”
Ly’s focus on internal communication and efficiency is commendable, but she did not have many ideas for larger, campus-wide projects that the Nexus hoped to see. However, the Nexus acknowledges that large projects aren’t essential to the IVP position and is confident in Ly’s abilities to support any projects that senators or BCUs may propose.
The Nexus acknowledges that Malhis has significant institutional financial knowledge of the Association, such as her experience chairing the Senate Committee on Finance, which would be beneficial as IVP. However, the Nexus is confident that Ly will work well with her finance committee and professional staff to understand the intricacies of the Association’s finances.
Ultimately, both students are strong candidates for IVP and have unique skills that set them apart. However, Ly’s commitment to building a stronger, united association, her composure and experience in various leadership positions on campus make her the best candidate for IVP. The Nexus is confident in Ly’s ability to make tangible and positive changes to the internal operations of A.S.
