Despite the fact that transfer students currently make up nearly 30 percent of UC Berkeley’s incoming class, not a single transfer student was elected to the ASUC Senate in 2018.

That’s why you should vote “yes” on the Transfer Remedy Act — Necessary Standards for Equitable Representation referendum.

Without transfer representation within the ASUC Senate, decisions that impact these community members will be made without their input. If passed, this referendum will amend the ASUC constitution to create a permanent transfer representative in the ASUC with senatorial voting powers, ensuring greater representation of this community for years to come. The creation of this seat won’t impact the 20 existing senator positions because it’s a separate ex officio position.

While this is just one step toward addressing the lack of representation of marginalized groups within the ASUC, it’s a positive one. Being a transfer student intersects with many different groups and identities, including race, gender, ability and socioeconomic status. Having a transfer representative in the ASUC will uplift students on campus who are underrepresented within these groups.

Transfers have unique academic experiences that are often vastly different from the experiences of students who arrived on campus as freshmen, and this perspective can’t be left out of student government. Because junior transfers only have two years to acclimate to campus culture, this puts them at a disadvantage for ASUC elections.

Although The Daily Californian’s editorial board acknowledges that there are legal concerns with the amendments that this referendum will make to the ASUC constitution, law and progress have historically been at odds — and in the case of transfer representation, students should fight for the latter. Our community must be bold and support this referendum to make our campus a more equitable environment.

Vote “yes” on the Transfer Remedy Act referendum.