Big Sean’s “I Don’t Fuck With You,” featuring E-40, has been stuck in my head, and I think it was incredibly relevant to my experience at today’s A.S. Council meeting. The meeting started five minutes late, even though there were “a million trillion things I’d rather fucking do.”
Literally everyone and their mother was there for Public Input. After a moment of silence, several members from the Armenian Student Association addressed Council regarding a resolution that was passed earlier in legislative committee. They had “a million things on [their] mind, but [Council] ain’t on [their] grind.” This particular legislation, according to the ASA, recognized the Armenian Genocide and they appreciated that since many countries and people deny this atrocity; however, members from the ASA encouraged Council to establish April as Genocide Commemoration Month because, as one member pointed out, “Atrocity affects us all.” Furthermore, another ASA member noted the lack of concern for racial and social issues on this STEM-dominated campus. Amending the resolution to include the history of the Armenian Genocide, as well as making April Genocide Commemoration Month, would promote UCSD’s values of diversity, equity and inclusion, they said.
Also speaking during Public Input were several members from UCSD’s a cappella groups asking Council to reconsider its decision not to allocate any more money this year to student orgs. “Fuck [their] 2 cents if it ain’t going toward the bill.” Speakers also chided Council for not being fiscally responsible and for detrimentally affecting student life. Honestly, though, how does $80,000 show up due to a “clerical error”? “That’s what made me rich. That’s what put me on. That’s what got me here. That’s what made me this.”
Next up was a special presentation about regional transportation projects made by ASUCSD MOVES Director Kyle Heiskala, Director of Facilities Management and Planning Don Chadwick and others. They discussed five projects that they hope will be completed within the next five years, which will ultimately reduce the congestion on the roads and freeways around UCSD and also make the campus and surrounding area more bike- and pedestrian-friendly. Let’s be real, though: These projects are going to take longer than five years. Construction projects never go as smoothly as planned, but yay for less traffic in the long run.
After this presentation, Heiskala made his own presentation about the future of UCSD transportation. First, regarding summer transportation: Students will have to individually pay $57.60 for a monthly bus pass or $135 for the entire summer. Last year, the summer pass was subsidized for students and faculty, but now we’re on our own, although Heiskala is still striving to reduce that fee. Additionally, he wants fewer busses for the campus. The trolley system that will supposedly happen within the next few years will hopefully replace the services that some of the busses provide. As for parking (the ever-present elephant in the room whenever transportation is discussed), Heiskala doesn’t believe that adding more parking structures is the way to go. He hopes the trolley system and other improvements made around campus and in the existing structures will make parking less of a hassle for students. Heiskala is also adamant about developing a five and 10-year plan for transportation and hopes that that something will be implemented when he hands over his title to his successor Ariel Lopez. “Yeah, I got a lot but want a lot more [for transportation].” Well said, Big Sean.
Next, AVP Student Orgs Tristan Britt presented on student org funding and it was one of the most off-putting presentations I’ve ever listened to. I wish I had “just dodged a bullet from a crazy bitch.” The fact that a different song played for almost every slide made me want to chop my ears off, like Van Gogh. Britt acknowledges the fact that Council ran out of money, but he also said that there’s approximately $120,000 left in mandated reserves, not to mention the mysterious $80,000 (that’s apparently not actually $80,000, according to VP Finance Igor Geyn). Silly Council; money is for student orgs.
After that presentation, Council moved on to legislative committee, and AVP Sierra Donaldson moved to pull L2, the resolution regarding the Armenian Genocide, from legislative committee to amend it. After a lengthy discussion regarding how to amend it, what to strike out, what to add, etc., A.S. Council finally voted to table it for one week to better decide how to amend it and to get more student input. The majority didn’t think it was efficient to amend it on the floor — so they do care about efficiency! Also, AVP positions are now open.
And that’s when “I woke up celebratin’ shit. Why?” Because the meeting was basically over at this point.
Good night! Shoutout to Big Sean for his brilliant rhymes! Happy Sun God week.
