The AS Senate is a group of elected student representatives which serves as the policy-making body of Associated Students. Every Wednesday at 6:30 PM, the AS Senate convenes to pass bills and resolutions, hear reports from Boards, Committees, and Units (BCUs), and hold public forum.
KCSB’s Tatiana Jacquez brings you a recap of their latest meeting on December 3rd, 2025.
The Edible Campus Program’s Neighborhood Engagement Coordinator, Elizabeth Lane, requested $1,500 funding for a new program that would offer gardening workshops for undergraduate students. The Edible Campus is working with EVPLA EJ Raad and IVP Enri Lala on the program. The requested funding would help start the program and pay for gardening supplies. The funding was approved later in the meeting by the Senate in a 6-0-11 vote.
Senator Harter spoke on behalf of 180 Degrees Consulting, requesting 300 dollars for food that received approval. The Senate approved 200 dollars.
New Senator Approved: The Senate approved first-year Alec GeoSimonian as College of Creative Studies Senator.
Notable Bills Referred to Committees:
Associated Students Souper Kitchen (Harter): This High Impact Proposal would create a soup kitchen operating out of Hillel UCSB’s building in Isla Vista with soup from DME Catering providing soup. This project would operate only on the weekends exclusively for UCSB students. The bill was referred to Outreach Committee after revisions of timelines and phase changes.
Bill Adopted:
The Financial Policies and Procedures of the Associated Students (FY2026): These revised policies were prepared by Associate Director for Finance and Budget, Michael Cea, and Special Program Advisor for Financial Operations, Vincent Ton. Finance Committee co-Chairs, Senator Nadine Malhis and Senator Yuchang Jiang, reviewed the document alongside Assistant Director of Governmental Affairs, Holly Dunn.
A Bill to Add the Healthcare Initiatives Coordinator to the External Vice President for Local Affairs’ Office (Sussman-Jones): This bill adds a position to the EVPLA’s Office, whose duties including hosting public health events and offering health services to students, collaborating with other departments and non-student organizations to complete this responsibility.
Funding:
The Senate approved 6,000 dollars from Senate Unallocated to the AS Committee on Committees (CoC) to cover budget discrepancies, and outreach events for the 2025-2026 school year.
In a contentious discussion, Senators approved 10,000 dollars for UCSB Reads from Finance Committee Funds. Senators Luken and Hepburn voiced concerns with the initial request of 50,000 dollars, the former requesting itemized budget breakdowns. Senator Luken then stated the Library has been “very difficult to work with” in regard to opening the library for Late Night Study, and voiced his opposition that he would vote no. Senator Chaudhry noted the event would be “open and free for everyone”, a core principle of AS-funded events. She then stated UCSB Reads is under a separate department from the one the Senate has been negotiating Late Night Study hours, and would be beneficial for the student body to provide money. The final vote was 12-4-1, with Senator Hepburn, Senator Claro, Senator Luken, and Senator Harter voting against the funding.
The Senate went into closed session, discussing the release of IV arts funds and “staff reorganization chart”, alongside student fees. IV arts funds were later released under “unique circumstances” as detailed by the UC Office of the President.
