The ASUC Senate reconvened for its first regular Wednesday meeting of the semester after passing a resolution over winter break that will permit loans for student organizations, and senators also updated each other about the coming semester.
On Jan. 8, the Senate passed a resolution that will allow eligible Registered Student Organizations to take out loans from ASUC funds for events that exceed their regular budgets with the assurance that the loans will be repaid. After reviewing the resolution, the Senate heard from J20 Coalition member and UC Berkeley alumnus Kyle McCoy, who spoke about the protest and teach-in that will be occurring Jan. 20.
Although the loan resolution was originally scheduled to pass in November, senators did not revisit it until the inter-semester period. Senator Monsoon Pabrai called an inter-semester meeting to pass the resolution in time for the spring semester.
“It finally came up — it got put to (the Governance and Internal Affairs Committee) a month or two later, and these clubs typically come and ask for their checks by December and our goal was to get it done by December, and we didn’t,” Pabrai said.
According to Pabrai, eligibility for loans is also contingent on an organization’s demonstrated financial credibility as well as its relationship with the LEAD Center, a campus advising resource that manages student organizations. It is possible, however, for an RSO not on the current list to become eligible for loans by consulting the LEAD Center and submitting the online application.
During the meeting, Senator Anthony Carrasco notified other senators about a survey that will put low-income students into contact with alumni who are “passionate about alleviating the immediate need” for food resources.
He added that this campuswide survey will connect students to all food insecurity resources available, such as the UC Berkeley Food Pantry, and will take into consideration students in need of assistance and whether they are comfortable accepting support from alumni. The survey is being finalized and will be distributed between the senators and their constituents in the coming weeks.
Also during the meeting, ASUC President Will Morrow updated the senators on the new chancellor search, stating that the search committee has narrowed down a list of semifinalists. He was unable to release any names but confirmed that the list contained women and people of color.
The Senate heard from McCoy during public comment. McCoy asked for support from the senators at planned Jan. 20 events.
“We are having an event for (the) purposes of educating high school students and other college students regarding what alternative there might be in … addressing the policies and issues with Trump administration coming up — and giving a little bit more of a hope,” McCoy said.
