Acting Gov. Eleni Kounalakis passes bill to extend eviction protection

Ben Mefford/Staff

Acting Gov. Eleni Kounalakis signs AB 2179, a bill that extends eviction protections for Californians in rental assistance programs, into law.

Acting Gov. Eleni Kounalakis became the first woman in California’s history to sign a piece of legislation into law when she signed AB 2179 Thursday, extending eviction protections for Californians in rental assistance programs.

The bill, which was authored by Assemblymember Tim Grayson, D-Concord, and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, ensures housing stability for eligible tenants through June 30, given that they applied for assistance by March 31, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

“California’s nation-leading rent relief program has provided much needed relief for more than 220,000 households across the state,” Kounalakis said in the press release. “Today’s action will provide additional time to thousands more who are in the process of acquiring emergency relief.”

AB 2179 follows a slew of preexisting eviction moratoriums placed by local governments such as Alameda, Los Angeles and San Francisco, according to Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board vice chair Soli Alpert.

Alpert added that the local protections were stronger and more extensive than the state’s.

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín also noted the bill preempts many of these moratoriums, prohibiting local action over the following months. However, he added that Alameda County’s moratorium predates the state’s original proposal, allowing it to be grandfathered into the bill.

“Over and over, we’ve seen the state preempt stronger tenant protections in local jurisdictions,” said City Councilmember Rigel Robinson in an email. “One step forward, two steps back. At the end of the day, we need more renters in the state legislature.”

Alpert said the bill was intended to be a compromise between tenants and landlords.

However, according to Alpert, California’s legislature is largely constituted of landlords, with only two people representing tenants.

“(Tenants) were not at the table for negotiations and they were not included in those conversations,” Alpert said.

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Commissioner John Selawsky voiced his support for the bill, noting it provides both tenants and landlords with the opportunity to claim financial relief. He added the bill protects tenants who may have faced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Dan Lindheim, a campus public policy professor, noted the bill is applicable only to people who had already applied for rent relief, but had not received it due to backlogged processing by the state.

“In the short term, all State and Federal funds that have been allocated for rent relief need to reach those in need,” Lindheim said in an email. “Despite the urgency, counties have been insanely slow in processing these funds.”

Lindheim added the state should also accelerate the creation of new affordable housing and jobs that pay livable wages in order to equitably provide for tenants.

Contact Kavya Gupta at kgupta@dailycal.org, and follow her on Twitter at @kavyaguptta.

The Daily Californian

Former Maine gubernatorial hopeful and prominent lawyer, Eliot Cutler, was arrested on four counts of felony child pornography possession charges on Friday, March 25. The man, who was only 1.8% of the vote away from serving as Maine’s governor in 2010, posted a $50,000 bail after a single night in jail. Besides the unassertive vacillations of Senator Susan Collins and the actions of Cutler’s opponent former Gov. Paul Lepage, news of Maine politics rarely reaches the national level. This time, that was not the case.

Perhaps the most gross and ignorant tweet about the arrest came from U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert. The tweet read:

“A well known Democrat mega donor in Maine was arrested on…You guessed it! Child pornography charges! The reason KJB [sic] was picked becomes more and more obvious as the days go on.”

Cutler is not a Democrat. He ran as an Independent in both of his gubernatorial runs and has made numerous donations to Republicans as well as Democrats and Independents. Nor is Cutler in any way a “megadonor.” The Bangor Daily News reported: 

“Since 2014, more than 100 individual contributors have given more toward state-level races in Maine than Cutler. Donations to major Democrats such as Governor Janet Mills have been donated to charities that fight abuse.”

Yet, despite the brashness with which Rep. Boebert stated those lies, the most concerning part of that tweet is the ham-fisted attempt to connect the actions of Eliot Cutler, a state-level Independent in Maine, to the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States. Even for those who often don the tin-foil hat, the connection remains tenuous to say the least.

What Rep. Boebert is fallaciously attempting to infer relates to a claim that Senator Josh Hawley brought up in recent weeks that Judge Jackson is weak on crimes relating to child porn. This claim has been proven to be blatantly false, but Hawley knew that when he said it. What Sen. Hawley and Rep. Boebert are doing is blowing the Q-Anon dog whistle to rally their base against a qualified Black woman. 

Erroneous, unbacked accusations that Democrats (and apparently any official even tangentially related to the party) are part of a child-abusing cabal have become disturbingly normalized in recent years. Rep. Boebert was not alone in her political perfidy. The Maine GOP tweeted out something similar, attempting to draw a connection between Cutler’s horrific actions and the Democratic politicians he had made donations to. What the Maine GOP and Rep. Boebert didn’t tweet about was the victims of the crime. No condolences were given, no concrete proposals to support our most vulnerable were given, there was not even a half-hearted “thoughts and prayers.”

This is because for this group, protecting children is simply not the goal. Much like the “Satanic Panic” decades ago, politicians and political groups like Rep. Boebert and the Maine GOP use children as pawns for their own nefarious endgame. The bitter irony here is that these conspiratorial conversations about the sexual abuse of minors only hurt those victims. Lost underneath the demagoguery and “what-about-isms” are real victims of abuse. Like the victims of the child pornography Eliot Cutler had in his possession.

Also lost amongst this intentional chaos are meaningful and important conversations about the way these rich abusers are given a pass. For years the University of Maine system has served as a hub for unqualified, influential Mainers looking for cushy, high-paying positions. Cutler was named the CEO of the University of Maine System’s Professional and Graduate Center Initiative in 2015, a move that caught the attention of many with actual backgrounds in education. Now former Professor Susan Feiner stated at the time of the hire that every member of the faculty she spoke to felt the same way about the appointment. 

“It’s cronyism and that it’s probably LePage’s payoff to Cutler for helping LePage get re-elected,” Feiner said. “Leadership positions in the (University of Maine System) appear to be a jobs program for the state’s 1 percent.”

It is unclear to what degree Lepage was involved in the hiring of Eliot Cutler, but the hire nonetheless presents a near-worst case scenario of when unqualified individuals are put in power with vulnerable populations. There is currently no evidence that the disgusting actions of Cutler, who was also involved with the highschool student-focused Lerner Foundation, were directly related to the minors in these programs. The connection remains incredibly concerning nonetheless. Especially given the fact Cutler is the second major Maine political figure tied to the UMaine system to be connected to sexual abuse of minors.

Furthermore, Cutler is an important lesson in how incredibly concerning it is that, if an individual is wealthy enough, they can purchase their way out of punishment. Bail, the monumental obstacle for oppressed BIPOC arrestees, is just a procedural hurdle for the privileged like Cutler. If the punishment is a fee, it is only a crime for the poor. Eliot Cutler will be brought to court and hopefully face justice, but for now the man facing four counts of child pornogrpahy possession is walking free. Even with the promise of justice later, historical examples in this state indicate that due to his wealth and influence, Cutler will likely not face nearly the level of consequences that he should. 

Let it be clear: sexual abuse, whether it be of minors or otherwise, is committed across every single part of the political spectrum. With power comes abuse and corruption and this is true regardless of whatever side of the aisle one votes from. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, etc. all harbor abusers in their midst and true accountability for any form of misconduct is exceedingly rare. 

Take for example the two legislators in Congress who we heard from earlier. Rep. Boebert’s husband exposed himself to minors in a Colorado bowling alley, an incident which Boebert was present for. Sen. Hawley came under fire during his tenure as Missouri Attorney General for failing to open child sexual abuse investigations against the archdiocese of the state. Sen. Hawley also orchestrated a plea deal for a former-sheriff who had sexually abused his partner, resulting in zero jail time for the terrible offense.

The most valuable things Mainers can do is educate themselves and take action against sexual abuse and trafficking in their own state. Maine serves as one of the most prominent East Coast access points for sex trafficking. For years, the amount of teens and young women forced into the sex trade in Maine has been on the rise. Targeting minors is a terrifying and fundamental strategy of the sex trade. Victims, both minors and adults, are often targeted due to their socioeconomic status and vulnerability. This is especially prevalent in the Portland area, where victims are often dragged into drug debt bondage and are never seen again. Laurel Coleman, a volunteer for International Justice Mission (a human rights group), spoke to the Bangor Daily News about the issues.

“People disappear,” Coleman shared. “They drop out of school, they go off to New York ‘to find a job’ and you never hear of them again.”

To make matters worse, there is a dangerous backlog of data in the Maine State Police’s Computer Crimes Unit. We need to shift existing police funding to more useful areas like pursuing sexual abusers to make Maine’s minors significantly safer. Additionally, we need significantly stronger public programs to address upstream issues of inequalities and poverty that are necessary to enact alongside strong direct action against traffickers.

There are real evils in this world. Massive organizations trafficking minors and vulnerable victims do exist: but they are not ridiculous partisan organizations of the “deep state” being illuminated by ideologues like Rep. Boebert claims. They are dangerously quiet criminal groups who make profit off the despicable likes of Elliot Cutler. Destroying these organizations and protecting victims will require concerted public action on every level of society, not the counterproductive, racist tweets from members of congress. Maine must take this action until every individual like Eliot Cutler in this state is held accountable.

“Dog” gave me one of the most uncomfortable theater experiences of my life. Essentially, it is a mediocre, raunchy, buddy comedy starring the first-time director Channing Tatum. A half-naked Channing Tatum making lewd jokes is a tested and working formula, but here’s where it gets weird. Thanks to some incredibly deceptive marketing, I watched Tatum’s character have a graphic opioid seizure in a theater filled with crying children waiting to see a cute movie about a dog. 

A Weird Breed

“Dog” is tonally all over the map. It switches between buddy comedy and melodrama at a jarring pace throughout. One minute, Tatum’s character Jackson Briggs is cracking jokes with the dog. The next he’s beating up a homeless man that broke into his car. The two themes constantly undermine themselves. Tatum’s character is coping with PTSD by abusing pills and alcohol — a painful indicator of the wars America is still waging in the Middle East. They often joke about being excited to “do murder” and how much of a killing machine the dog is. The drama, as well as the comedy, constantly remind the audience that the Army uses dogs and humans as weapons and discards them to a life of anguish when they are no longer of use.

Where They Went Wrong (or Very Right)

“Dog” would most accurately be described as off-color, raunchy and occasionally in poor taste. To best understand why this is downright shocking, please watch the official trailer linked here before continuing. The trailer is unironically jovial and wholesome. They cleverly edited around nearly every suggestive scene in the movie. After seeing that, it would be more than reasonable for any parent to want to take their kid to see it — and that is exactly what they did. The film has doubled its budget, grossing $33 million.

Doggy Daycare Gone Feral 

Upon entering the theater, I quickly noticed every seat filled in a parent-to-child alternating pattern. If I couldn’t see them, I could certainly hear them. Some of the kids were irritated, some were excited, but all were vocal. The movie opened with Tatum passed out next to empty bottles of pills and Jack Daniels alike. I immediately knew I was in for an uncomfortable 90 minutes. I sat flanked by crying children watching Channing Tatum try to have a threesome, eat edibles, watch blurry bodycam footage of the dog killing people, nearly killing a man with an axe and attempt to stop the dog from mauling a Muslim man.

“Dog” is a very-mediocre comedy that shamelessly uses deceptive marketing to expand its audience base. I don’t envy the many parents tricked by the trailer that now have to explain what PTSD-laced alcoholism is to their fifth-grader.

“Dog” is in theaters now, but feel free to skip it. 

l.welk@dailyutahchronicle.com

@funkopops

The post ‘Dog’ Uses Deceptive Marketing to Peddle Raunchy Comedy to Families appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Capt. and fighter pilot Scott Kelly will speak to the Emory University community for the annual Class Day speech on May 5. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. in the Emory Student Center (ESC).

In an April 4 email to the Wheel, BBA Council Vice President of Community Engagement Rhea Kumar (22B) said they wanted to recognize the resilience of the senior class after the “turmoil” of the pandemic, and believed that Kelly could discuss the importance of leadership and teamwork, as well as the “idea of pushing one’s own limits and boundaries in order to reach greatness.”

“We as a class have laid the groundwork for the future classes to continue their college career at Emory with the same desire to make positive change on campus and society,” Kumar said. “Similarly, Captain Scott Kelly overcame the uncertainty of traveling in space on a year-long mission with resilience and determination.”

Kelly was the first American to complete a “year in space” mission when he spent 340 days on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015 to study how the human body adapts to long periods of time in space. He participated in four space missions, including acting as commander on three ISS expeditions between 2010-16, and serving as the pilot for an emergency repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope in 1999.

Former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Capt. and fighter pilot Scott Kelly will be the keynote speaker for the annual Class Day on May 5. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

This Class Day speaker event will be the first one held in-person in two years, the last being Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in 2019. Class of 2020 and 2021 graduates are invited to attend as alumni.

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) prerecorded a keynote speech for Class Day 2021, while stand-up comedian and “The Daily Show” senior correspondent Ronny Chieng did the same in 2020. Previous Class Day speakers include fashion designer Kenneth Cole (76C), former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Ben and Jerry’s founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield.

Class Day is a student-organized event for students receiving bachelor’s degrees at this year’s Commencement ceremony, which will take place on May 9. The Class Day celebrations will also include a student reception, the annual Candlelight Crossover tradition and a party with the graduating seniors’ final Coke toast. Several senior awards, including the Boisfeuillet Jones Medals, will also be presented. 

Emory alumni, faculty, staff and trustees are also invited to the event, where they can attend a reception before the Crossover and the final Coke toast. They will also be encouraged to line the path from the ESC Plaza to Asbury Circle to cheer on the graduates during their Candlelight Crossover, which is intended to symbolize undergraduates officially “crossing over” from student to alumni status. 

Registration for the Class Day Crossover event closes on May 2.

The post Scott Kelly named keynote speaker for 2022 Class Day appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

The Colorado House Committee on Business Affairs & Labor voted unanimously last month to kill House Bill 1152, a bill that would have prohibited employers from firing employees for their recreational cannabis use after work hours and even their medical cannabis use during work hours. The bill was ultimately replaced by the resolution to form a task force to study the relationship between employment and medical cannabis use. 

This is not the first time a bill advocating for cannabis users has been proposed in the state of Colorado, and it likely won’t be the last. However, like the bills before it, HB 1152 was overcome by concerns over safety, enforcement and the rights of employers. 

HB 1152 was sponsored by Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder, a longtime advocate for medical marijuana users. 

“Many Coloradans still maintain that ‘reefer madness’ attitude, and it does everyone a disservice.” –Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder

“I am very familiar with this community; I’ve worked with them for years,” Hooton said. “I have sympathy for them. I realize they have no voice at all at the capitol except for a handful of volunteer lobbyists, and they only have so much influence.” 

One significant qualm the committee and the business community had with HB 1152 was it contradicts Colorado employers’ rights to enforce a drug-free workplace. This right was upheld in 2015 following the Coats v. Dish Network verdict, when the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that in a statute preventing people from being fired for lawful activities outside of work, the term “lawful” refers to activities under both state and federal law.

“People who use medical marijuana are not a protected class, so in a traditional employment relationship, the employer does get to set the terms and conditions of employment,” Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Adams, said.

Despite this decision being a triumph for Colorado employers, the verdict also left medical marijuana users open to facing potential consequences of consuming cannabis despite it being a legal substance in the state of Colorado. To mediate this challenge, Hooton amended the bill to initiate a task force; however, she did not get much feedback from the business community on the original or amended bill. 

“Part of the problem is that I had offered the bill concept mostly to the business community weeks before the bill had its first hearing, and I only got one response,” Hooton said. She felt it sent a clear message: “The constitution protects us from an obligation to employ medical cannabis patients. We are protected, and we are going to fight and oppose anything that may force us to consider another approach. That was the unified message.”

Concerns were also raised about how Colorado businesses would maintain relationships with the federal government if they permitted the consumption of medical THC during work hours.

“It jeopardizes a business’s ability to comply with federal law and maintain drug-free workplaces, which could have far-reaching consequences for employers who do business with the federal government, again putting into jeopardy hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal contracts flowing into the state of Colorado,” said Jess Kostelnik, government affairs manager for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

HB 1152 also caused worry on the county level regarding how employers would measure their employees’ level of impairment in the event of a work-related accident given the lack of reliable testing technology. Eric Bergman, policy director at Colorado Counties Inc. — which represents 61 of the 64 Colorado counties — elaborated in an interview. 

“We really don’t have a way to differentiate active THC versus background or remnant THC,” Bergman said. “Short of that, the liability concerns for Colorado employers are huge. Until such time that a test is developed, we really can’t move forward on this. I think we do agree that a conversation is warranted but it’s really hard to get at this until we have a test.” 

Hooton believes we won’t have a solution for this issue until Coloradans rid themselves of misconceptions about impairment and medical cannabis consumption.

“(Medical cannabis strains) control symptoms without impacting functioning, but so many don’t know that,” Hooton said. “They lump recreational and medical into the same category. Many Coloradans still maintain that ‘reefer madness’ attitude, and it does everyone a disservice.”

Reach Elizabeth White at cannabis@collegian.com or on Twitter @lihhhhhz. 

The Daily Trojan features Classified advertising in each day’s edition.  Here you can read, search, and even print out each day’s edition of the Classifieds.

Click the Classifieds icon to download the PDF of today’s Classifieds:

To place an ad, please contact an ad representative:

(213) 740-2707

USC Student Publications Student Union – Room 400

Los Angeles, CA 90089-0895

http://dailytrojan.com/ads

The post Classifieds – April 4, 2022 appeared first on Daily Trojan.

The Boston University women’s lacrosse team dropped another game, losing to Lafayette College 16-13 at Nickerson Field.

On March 7, Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist and science communicator, performed his new show “Astronomy Bizarre” to a full house at Eccles Theater. The astrophysicist served as a tour guide through the phenomena of the expansive universe: black holes, dark matter, dark energy, diamond stars, gamma-ray bursts, white holes, wormholes and multiverses. The director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium entertained and educated throughout the two-hour show.

Tyson concluded the show by emphasizing the growing interest in science.

“Science isn’t just for the experts anymore,” he said. “As we learn more about our strange universe, more than ever people are curious about science.”

When you add social media to the mix, scientists like Tyson make up a new breed of influencers who are shaping how the general public understands and perceives science. Specialists in complex topics use their social media to break tough concepts down into comprehensible content.

Jim Steenburgh, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah, has over four thousand followers on Twitter and shares information on current snow conditions in Utah through his blog Wasatch Weather Weenies.

“I’ve always been in communication with my friends about the weather,” Steenburgh said. “It’s something that affects everybody’s lives all the time. So ever since I was a graduate student, and even as an undergraduate studying meteorology, people have been calling me up for the weather forecast. So, it’s been natural for me to open up my communication and to share information with others.”

Steenburgh said it’s important for scientists to engage the public and share their knowledge with them.

“It’s also important to inspire younger people, but they don’t have to necessarily major in what we call ‘STEM,’” Steenburgh said. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there, so now it is more important than ever to understand what science is and how it works. I don’t think what I do is necessarily changing the world, but it’s a small step to try and provide good information to people and hopefully make some people look at science in a fun way.”

Bryn Dentinger, professor at the U and the mycology curator at the Natural History Museum of Utah, has appeared on dozens of podcasts to share his passion for fungi with the greater public.

“I try to participate anytime I’m given an opportunity by people who are a lot more active and successful on social media,” Dentinger said. “I’ve never turned down an opportunity. I’ve kind of had to learn how to communicate my expertise. When you study a group of organisms that are largely ignored by the world, you have to convince people that they are worth studying. I like podcasts because they’re really informal. You have to think about the words you are using and communicate in a different way than when you are writing.”

Dentinger said he talks about what he finds interesting and is passionate about.

“I think that’s more effective than just rattling off a bunch of facts that you could look up on Wikipedia,” Dentinger said. “I think it’s our obligation as scientists to communicate to the broader public the importance of what we are doing and discovering. It’s part of why I feel very much at home at institutions like museums; outreach is such a critical component of those institutions. To me, I guess it just comes down to my ethical responsibility to society. To make research really useful, we need to at least communicate what we do to the public.”

n.levinzon@dailyutahchronicle.com

@LevinzonNathan

The post Science ‘Influencers’ Find a New Way to Share their Passion and Knowledge appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

On Tuesday, March 29, the University of Maine General Student Senate (GSS) met in Neville 100 for their weekly meeting in which they recognized multiple clubs and sparked a debate over funding. 

The meeting opened with Connor Bray’s official appointment to the position of Vice President of UMaine Student Government (UMSG) and the President of the GSS after being elected by the student body. Bray will be taking on this role starting next fall for the 2022-2023 academic year. 

A representative from the Black Student Union (BSU) was present at the senate meeting as the club is seeking to be recognized again as a university organization. 

“We are not just looking for one specific type of person to come,” the Vice President of BSU said. “Everyone is welcome, it’s just a place where people of color can feel safe, recognized and speak on their struggles.” 

The club is among many groups that was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the club is now trying to make its official return to campus.

“I remember BSU from my freshman year… Like many clubs and organizations, [COVID-19] really took a toll on it, so I’m very excited to see it back up here for preliminary recognition,” Zachary Wyles said, the president of UMSG. 

After a majority vote, BSU was approved for preliminary recognition. The club meets on Tuesdays in the Multicultural Center and welcomes all who want to make UMaine a more inclusive campus. 

A representative from the Permaculture and Gardening Club was also present as the club was seeking final recognition. 

“It is a space for getting hands-on practice with gardening and permaculture techniques,” the club’s representative said. 

According to the club representative, the word permaculture is a play on “permanent agriculture,” and they are working toward learning how best to work with the Earth. 

They host events at the Terrell House, which is a university building that was converted into a space for students to practice and learn permaculture in 2010. 

“I think the Permaculture and Gardening Club is a great way to extend our green thumb and show our sustainability as a university and student body,” senator Ciro Falanga said. 

After a brief period for discussion, GSS approved the club’s request for final recognition. 

Senator Falanga also highlighted in his report as chair of the Residence Hall Association that the Spring Festival is going to be on Sunday, April 10, from noon to 8 p.m. According to Falanga, there are going to be activities geared toward on-campus residents to welcome the spring season. 

Off-campus residents are also allowed to participate in any of the activities and events. The festival is being hosted on the University Mall with activities and raffles happening all day. From 4 to 8 p.m. there is also going to be ax throwing.

“It’s going to be a fun day of spring festivals so please come and join us,” senator Falanga said. 

The senate concluded their meeting with a funding request from the Backcountry Squatters club. 

Backcountry Squatters is an outdoor club for women and gender-nonbinary students with a mission to create a space that represents these students and encourages them to get outdoors. 

“We want to increase the availability of outdoor recreation to people who may not necessarily have that naturally to them or have access to the resources on their own,” Meave Merkle-Scotland said, the vice president of Backcountry Squatters. 

One aspect of the funding request sparked a large debate within the senate, after Vice President of Financial Affairs, Frank Kelly, suggested removing the funding for new climbing equipment from the request. 

“I think the senate should be hesitant about funding the climbing gear aspect of the resolution, given that we have a pre-existing climbing club,” Kelly said. 

According to Kelly, it is a policy of the senate to not have clubs that accomplish the same tasks. 

“Although the two clubs accomplish different things, purchasing the same gear for both organizations does not fall into an effective use of the student activity fee, in my opinion,” Kelly said. 

Multiple senators weighed in their opinions on this recommendation, some in support of Kelly’s suggestion and others opposed. 

“I do think that VP Kelly does have a point on being redundant with budget items, however I do think that the fact that Backcountry Squatters is more specifically geared toward female and nonbinary persons we should treat them as a separate thing and look at it from that perspective,” senator Falanga said. 

There were concerns raised about how the clubs would go about sharing climbing gear and where the line is drawn when it comes to asking clubs to share gear with one another. 

Lauri Sidelko, the advisor to student government, raised a point that they also have to consider who is responsible for maintaining the upkeep of equipment and the long term safety of having multiple groups utilizing the same gear. 

After a very close vote, the senate did approve the removal of the climbing gear and approved the rest of the funding request. 

President Wyles was happy to see many student senators passionate and involved in Tuesday’s  meeting. 

“Everybody put their two cents in and I love that so I’m really proud of you guys for getting involved in the process,” Wyles said.

2022 ASUC elections endorsements

This is the first academic year campus has been back to “normal” since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While this return has been exciting for some, it has rightfully caused many a great deal of vulnerability and frustration. Meanwhile, pandemic-induced challenges have been compounded with ongoing struggles faced by the campus community, including those centered around institutional inequalities, mental health, housing and basic needs. 

In this pivotal year to come, UC Berkeley students not only deserve but require representatives who are understandable, knowledgeable, dedicated, determined and tenacious. To identify candidates who best exemplify these values, The Daily Californian’s editorial board interviewed each executive and senatorial candidate. Based on these interviews — as well as additional research — we have compiled a list of those we endorse to best serve the campus community. Here are our choices. 

To vote in the ASUC elections, click here.

No endorsement for ASUC president

The UC Berkeley community has every right to a student government and an ASUC president who will not only exemplify their values but also act upon them. Though optimistic about certain aspects of both Catherine Bauer and incumbent Chaka Tellem, the Daily Cal’s editorial board also holds reservations about each that make it impossible to issue a full endorsement. 

Giancarlo Fernandez for executive vice president

Running for reelection as ASUC executive vice president, or EVP, Fernandez hopes to develop the work he started this past academic year. Fernandez intends to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, leadership engagement and student engagement expansion to Registered Student Organizations, or RSOs. Blending his platforms of DEI and engagement with RSOs, Fernandez aims to provide underfunded RSOs with collaborative spaces in Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union.

Bailey Henderson for external affairs vice president

Henderson has the contacts and relationships the EAVP needs to prioritize and use to lobby for students. His knowledge and experience — coupled with a focus on marginalized student groups — are commendable. Henderson wants to hear from students and student groups directly, particularly underrepresented ones, and center their needs in his advocacy. This includes considering issues such as affordable housing and enrollment growth. While Henderson’s experience and big-picture ideas are important, he needs to improve the specific policies and processes to accomplish his goals.

James Weichert for academic affairs vice president

Weichert understands where he falls short — and while he still needs to develop practical ways to get student input — he is searching for ways to bridge those gaps. In the meantime, Weichert has readily demonstrated his ability to serve student needs and get results using policy and relationships within the ASUC and campus administration.

Crystal Choi for student advocate

With a wealth of experience having worked in the Student Advocate’s Office for the past three years, Choi would take on the role of student advocate with grace, strength and sensitivity — all of which are critical qualities for the position. She approaches the position of student advocate with a fundamental understanding of how to balance the role’s internal responsibilities to caseworkers and its external role in building relationships with the campus community and administration.

Aileen Sanchez for transfer representative

Ultimately, Sanchez is passionate about her platforms and recognizes the diversity among the transfer students community. From formerly incarcerated individuals to undocumented immigrants, students need a someone within the ASUC who will approach their struggles through an intersectional lens — and this is something Sanchez can bring to the table.

Here are the 20 ASUC Senate candidates you should vote for this year

After thorough deliberation and consideration of each candidate’s platforms, relevant experience and interview responses, we have determined who we believe can best represent the student body. The following 20 ranked candidates are those we think are right for the difficult job ahead.

Here’s how you should vote on the 2022 ASUC ballot referendum

Each year, students have the ability to vote on a series of propositions designed to support students and various campus services. This year’s ballot includes two propositions: the Graduate Assembly Fee and the Save the Daily Cal Initiative.

The Daily Californian