Propositions for the Graduate Assembly, or GA, Fee and the Save the Daily Cal Initiative were approved unanimously by the ASUC on Friday.
In addition to the approval of these propositions, the elections council approved ASUC candidate’s filing forms. The approval of the language of the Save the Daily Cal Initiative and the GA Fee were the first items of the agenda.
“We’re gonna take a look at the proposition language first,” said ASUC Elections Council Chair Ananya Narayanan at the meeting. “We will make sure that the language is impartial and straightforward.”
The language for both propositions were approved unanimously.
After approving the Save the Daily Cal Initiative, the council then moved to approve the proposition for the GA Fee. According to the proposition, voting “yes” on the fee will increase graduate student aid and allow graduate student fees to be transferred to an independent graduate student government in the future.
“The GA has been pursuing legal and financial separation from the ASUC for several years, and last year Berkeley graduate and professional students voted overwhelmingly to direct the GA to continue those efforts,” the proposition states. “It is a much-needed update that adds accountability and flexibility.”
The funds will be used to support graduate student organizations and community-oriented projects such as the Graduate Minority Student Project, the Graduate Student Parent Advocacy Project and the Graduate Women’s Project, according to the proposition.
The council also discussed ASUC candidates’ filing forms. All candidates who filed forms for the ASUC Senate were approved, except for one candidate who filed after the deadline.
“We had a candidate file submitted outside of the filing period. Unfortunately, he did not click the submit button,” Narayanan said at the meeting. “Our forms really pressed upon candidates that they need to do so.”
Narayanan added the council was required to deny his candidate filing form.
The council also unanimously approved sending a letter to Chancellor Carol Christ to consider lowering the minimum voting pool requirement for the student fee referendum due to anticipated challenges to voter turnout.
The ASUC Elections will take place from April 4-6.
