CSI representative, AVP of college affairs give special presentations
Katy Brecht Barcia, associate director of communication and leadership and community service at the Center for Student Involvement, gave a special presentation detailing the importance of student leadership on campus. Titled “UC San Diego Leadership Listening Tour,” the presentation reviewed initiatives like interactive polling of student perspectives and other future programming.
Second-year and associate vice president of college affairs Cameron Ettefagh shared a video honoring the work of the Associated Student Senate’s graduating seniors. Ettefagh also handed out personalized notes, and several other students brought flower bouquets and a cake. This followed a speech first-year and incoming Thurgood Marshall College Senator Elyas Tejeda gave during public comments to send off his predecessors, fourth-year Senators Nelly Zapata-Castillo and Sadeen Elfaqir.
Students propose organization fund budgets
Triton Television, UCSD’s student-run film studio, presented the organization’s budget breakdown and planned future projects. The presentation was given by second-year Sahana Rao, incoming director of internal affairs, alongside incoming station managers third-year Vaishnavi Kurupath and second-year Jean Paul Mhanna. TTV receives annual funding from A.S. for equipment, support, and its programming, including the yearly film festival.
Second-year and Seventh College Senator Kieran Matsuoka-Nguyen presented information about the A.S. Art Fund, which allocates funds to support UCSD art students by issuing grants to offload the costs of art materials and classes. It is open to art students during the academic year. They also explained that first-year Elena Zhu, the current Art Fund manager, will continue in her position during the next year.
Matsuoka-Nguyen also voiced art student demands to increase the number of staff and teaching assistants to be proportional to the number of students on campus. They said class crowding has prevented third- and fourth-year students from graduating on time.
Fourth-year Ruslana Yakovenko, president and founder of the Animation Club, also spoke on overenrollment and echoed Matsuoka-Nguyen’s concerns.
Senators share updates
Third-year Isey Guzman, incoming executive vice president for student life, shared plans for A.S.’s upcoming World Renaissance Fair, which will occur from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Revelle Plaza on May 16. The fair will feature tabling by student organizations, axe throwing, perfume-making, and a henna station. Second-year Senator Savannah Wang announced tentative plans for a bingo night later this month.
Senators who attended Latine Lobby Day last weekend in Sacramento shared their lobbying efforts to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using unmarked vehicles.
Amid a vacancy for the international senator position, sitting fourth-year Arif Ismail Ruslan, proposed that the hiring process for his position should begin externally. A.S. voted to approve this measure; the hiring process has since begun.
The A.S. Office of Student Organizations presented its funding guide for 2026-27, which outlines a proposed budget for annual A.S. projects and four other resolutions titled “the Resolution in Support of Students and Families from War-Torn Countries”; “the Memorandum of Understanding Between Associated Students of San Diego and Asian Pacific Student Alliance”; “Office of the Senate Bylaw”; and “the Senate Reapportionment Bylaw.” A.S. voted to approve all five measures.
Budget amendments pass
Senators considered a measure to eliminate the CACTRA, the commission on all-campus transfer representation, and associated advocacy commissioner roles. Current CACTRA deputy commissioner and fourth-year Iris Wang spoke against this proposition. Wang argued that the commission is important for representing transfer students’ needs, and the measure was amended to increase the number of CACTRA commissioners and directors’ weekly pay from $50 to $60 weekly.
The budget was approved by majority vote. Further updates will be adjudicated at a later time.
CORRECTION: This article previously misrepresents Elena Zhu and her involvement with the Art Fund. Zhu is a first-year student who will be continuing in her position as the fund’s manager next year. The article incorrectly stated that there are risks to the CACTRA commission; this was not a subject of discussion. CACTRA employees will not receive a stipend cut, but a raise from $50 to $60 weekly.
