2. iii. Though it did not happen early in the year, the new DoC Andrew Nguyen
has created mutliple posters advertising ASUCM elected officers in
Senate and the Executive branch as well as a ‘Presidential Report’ to
students.
d. Hold at least biMonthly Town Halls around campus topics
i. An appointee for Commissioner of Education & Awareness has been
selected awaiting confirmation.
ii. Education and Awareness, the former DoC, and the Leadership Outreach
commissioner have held two town halls for students, one ASUCM Day
event on Scholars Lane, and tabling for the Winter Fest through the
Diversity Commission.
e. Create an ASUCM website focusing on recruitment, resources for students, and
education.
i. Met with Amy LozanoSmith from Communications to learn about Drupal
(the current software used for University Websites) and our old and “new”
unpublished website. After consulting the Director of Communications
Jess Lopez, we have decided to use Wordpress to make it more user
friendly with a lower learning curve. She is putting together a website
design team and a beta version before moving over. Currently the
members are on the team. NOTE: The forms were down over summer
and we had IT fix the server issue. The ICC one should work now. We are
also adding it to Cat Life.
ii. NOTE: After months of non completion, I have asked for the resignation
of Jess Lopez and asked Andrew Nguyen to replace her as Director of
Communications. A basic wordpress was created and further
development is currently in progress.
f. Create an ASUCM phone app for this website.
i. An application for UC Merced has been developed with the University in
conjunction with Andrew Nguyen and Jess Lopez. It includes an ASUCM
section.
g. Create a FB page for the Presidential office (link)
i. Advertising for more outreach and continuing to work on more regular and
informative posts. (Woot! 339 Likes!)
h. Lay out clear expectations for RCOs to work with ASUCM and on how to become
a student service.
i. Senate Pro Tempore Adam Brown has said that he will work to improve
and clarify this process building off efforts last year. Researched the
bylaws and determining dependent from independent services.
i. Create a “Dos and Don’ts” of Getting Funding list for RCOs. (link)
i. Wrote it and submitted the draft to Senate requesting feedback. Based
upon my personal experience as a Senator and what I will be looking for
in approving legislation.
ii. After no response from Senate, I have dropped it as a Senate bill and
3. created a personal draft to be released with the website. Fully written but
awaiting publishing of the Website. It explains all ways to get funding from
ASUCM with benefits, downsides, and why you would choose it. Also tips
on how to write a Senate bill.
j. Present Weekly Presidential video addresses using YouTube.
i. Cirpriano Taylor with Reach Authentic Media (RAM) is helping us with
video expertise and videotaped the 091113 Senate Meeting. It was the
first meeting recorded on video in many years. This will soon be
published, including the President Report section.
ii. Multiple reports have been filmed and posted. Still working to increase
viewership.
iii. Reports at Senate Meetings have been filmed for past few months and
even moved to live streaming for students thanks to the continued service
of Reach Authentic Media.
2. Collaboration
a. Create a Recruitment Application for students to get involved. (link)
i. Well over 150 students sent in applications to be in ASUCM. Currently in
the process of appointing them. It is a rolling application to allow students
to continuously apply.
b. Increase the number of opportunities for students to get involved to 100
nonelected spots.
i. With the new commissions, student involvement in University Standing
Committees, and Executive Staff, there are well over 100 positions
available assuming that Senate will approve of the Commissions (59
Students each)
c. Reach out to new students at orientations and ASCEND.
i. Attended and presented at all three ASCEND sessions (2 Undergrad, 1
Grad).
d. Establish Executive bylaws to increase executive staff, formalize commissions,
and provide structure to build upon.
i. Discussed with executive board. We seem on board to write the bylaws.
ii. Staff members are currently gathering information from executivesfor
creation of Document. A rough planning Draft had been created.
iii. After interviewing each officer, creating Executive bylaws was not
supported by other executives and this project was transitioned to
creating guidelines for each office. Currently work on transition
documents for my office.
iv. Will bring ‘Executive Guidelines’ back next year.
e. Create recruitment organization focused on student involvement.
i. Commissioner for Leadership Outreach (recruitment) appointment was
sent to Senate for confirmation, but has been tabled for three weeks until
a newly formed adhoc completes a review.
ii. Delainie Inman has been appointed as the Container and is now meeting
4. with her team. Transferred application privileges to leadership Outreach.
f. Establish liaisons and official connections with prominent community
organizations.
i. I’ve planned for the Neighborhood Relations Commission to specifically
reach out to community organizations. A Commissioner has been
nominated and is awaiting Senate confirmation. The NRC has gotten
Chris ramirez, former City Council candidate and active member of
Merced County Project 10%, has become the NRC advisor. It is still
working on establishing community relationships officially.
ii. Multiple meetings with local leaders from the League of Women Voters.
iii. Municipal relations Commission has convinced the City of Merced to
establish a Standing committee for working with ASUCM. He has also
become the liaison between ASUCM and the league of Women Voters.
iv. A relationship has been built between the Merced MultiCultural Chamber
of Commerce and ASUCM through Bobcat Radio and Bobcat Media and
Merced County Office of Education.
v. Jack Lemon and other community members have invited students to be a
part of the downtown business association for Merced.
vi. As President, I have served on the Citizens Advisory Committee for the
Merced County Association of Governments which primarily runs
transportation and public works projects. This has focused on projects
related to University Parkway and the Los Banos Bypass Project.
g. Use online signups to build spreadsheets and usable data.
i. Allocated Communication money from Senate for the purchase of an
ASUCM Tablet and Laptop for tabling. Used Google Forms for ASUCM
Application and Freshman Orientation Table Sign Up.
ii. Successfully gathered large mailing list for gym programming fee issue.
iii. Leadership Outreach commission created inside of ASUCM to maintain
and expand recruitment lists and gather emails from students.
iv. Despite significant effort, RECCESS at UC Merced decided to not join
ASUCM to serve as the point organization for survey. Effort to create
commission for campuswide survey tabled till next year.
v. Worked with the University student Affairs division to revise and approve
of the Undergraduate Experience Survey for students, a widepspread and
funded survey to look into campus issues.
3. Complete all appointments during the first month in Fall.
i. Currently in the third week of this. Cannot complete this goal with the
current Leadership Outreach Commission Ad Hoc committee since it will
require a 5th week. Working to keep most of my appointments to this
date, however.
ii. Majority completed within first four weeks, with unexpected delays
holding back a few. All Done in 8 Week period. Still Reviewing.
iii. Court positions after multiple resignations took a significant time to fill, but
5. I’m proud that Court is now a fully functional branch of ASUCM! :)
b. Add a liaison position for the Fraternity & Sorority Council.
i. The Fraternity & Sorority Council Vice President of University Relations,
Michael Briggs, will be the FSC liaison. Thanks to FSC President Miguel
Jimenez.
4. Campus Action
a. ReEstablishment of campus Lobby Corps with focus on financial issues.
i. External VicePresident Jefferson KuochSeng has appointed Phil Coba
as the Director of the Lobby Corps.
ii. Lobby Corps has been established with a number of visits I was able to
participate in, including the offices of State Senators Galgiani, Berrhill,
and Assemblymember Adam gray. Additionally, vists were made with the
office of Congressman Mark Vidak.
iii. $1,000 has been allocated to the campus lobby corps for 20142015.
iv. Lobbied for Budget issues including $125 million more in the UC Budget
for FY 20142015 in Sacramento. (4714)
b. Establishment of Voter Registration Corps with focus on financial issue
education.
i. External Vice President Jefferson KuochSeng had appointed Aurea
Bolanos as the Director of the Voter Registration Corps.
ii. RUC was not established and the Voter Registration Corps has remained
nonissue specific.
iii. Aurea Bolanos has held a workshop at the Student Lobby conference
teaching other students and campuses about Voter Registration best
practices.
c. Reach out to proUC and/or local Legislators to establish one connection within
their office.
i. I have written a letter for all elected legislators (State Assembly, State
Senate, and State Executives) explaining what ASUCM is, and our wish
to be involved with any higher education related bills. Sent to UCM
Government Relations for edits and the mailing process.
ii. Lobby visits have been done to local offices.
d. Operate at least one UC Merced led campaign for a higher education issue.
i. Signed Resolution in Support of SCA5 to overturn Prop 209 banning
affirmative action and for Fossil Free UC.
e. Create task force for addressing Dining Center problems.
i. Zacharas Daniels to head a Dining Center advisory committee. Recently
confirmed by Senate.
ii. A team of four other members have been added onto the committee.
iii. Dining will be doing an interview series with Director Jason Souza about
dining issues.
f. Bring a USSA GrassRoots Organizing Weekend (GROW) to UC Merced to train
students in Direct Action and use Electoral Action Trainings (EATs) and
6. TurboVote.
i. Did not bring these to the campus as expected. However, we were only
paying 1/4th of our appropriate membership dues which now reflect the
proper amount.
g. Push for Progress on Triple Zero by 2030
i. Campaign promise to have Pepsi cups in the DC replaced with Wax cups
has been completed.
ii. UC Merced Sustainability garden has been planted and is ready for
student gardeners.
iii. The Sustainability commission has built a relationship with Jim Genes of
the University Sustainability Commission and $3,000 has been allocated
to programming for the next year.
5. Other Promises
a. Hold an ASUCM Constitutional Convention or submit edited Constitution for Fall
election.
i. The edits did not work out for Fall Semester as it was not ready and too
early to determine exactly what was needed for the organization. The
election also began at the beginning of Fall semester rather than Spring
Semester.
ii. For Spring semester, an amendment was drafted and researched for
months, but has been tabled until Fall of 2015 due to issues with
signature gathering (950) and passing a Senate resolution.
b. Organize library study program to quiet the library.
i. Currently in contact with the Fraternity & Sorority Council and the Director
of Academic Affairs Jessica Perez. Looking to establish meeting between
these two and the library, and then to present our proposal to Executive
ViceChancellor and Provost Tom Peterson.
ii. Despite creating a lineitem in the budget for DoAA last year, it was not
pushed by our current Director. I have discussed this with a potential
Academic Affairs candidate and he is on board.
iii. As no person is running for the Academic Affairs office, if elected, I will
make sure to appoint a student which will follow through with this.
c. Reform committee system to bring about clear roles.
i. Met with Senator Darrel Justo to discuss committee reform.
ii. Included this in the Constitution amendment, but as that is being tabled,
will come back Fall 2015
d. Expand social Greek Life access to ASUCM funding.
i. Requesting meeting with the Fraternity & Sorority Council President,
Miguel Jimenez, to discuss a bill and looking for a sponsoring Senator to
take lead.
ii. Senator Zach Mondo has taken up a draft of the bill with me and sent it to
Senate. However, Senate did not support the bill and it failed by one vote.
iii. The bill was reintroduced in a similar format and passed by a 69% vote!
7. WOOOOT!
e. Establish simple resolutions to speak only for only ASUCM, to congratulate or
criticize smaller issues more quickly than normal.
i. Brought up to a number of ASUCM Senators but none were willing to
introduce a new bill format.
f. Establish a suitable Code of Ethics for the members of ASUCM.
i. This was completed during the campaign process in Spring under former
President Garrett Patton. The document was designed after the amended
version I collaborated on two years ago, and rolls over year to year.
g. Encourage more leadership in the internal Senate officer positions.
i. Met with Senate Pro Tempore Adam Brown to discuss Senate, and we
both agreed that there needed to be more accountability and direction
from internal positions. He has done a good job this year in making sure
to let people know he is looking out for redundant comments, hostility,
and apathy.
ii. Met with Secretary Sam Gaerlan to discuss expanding the position
beyong attendace. She then assisted Treasurer Ken Gaffney during the
budget call.
h. Create Watchdog Organization for ASUCM
i. While a Government Accountability Office was created in a draft of an
amendment to the Constitution, it was not able to be put on the ballot.
Since this body has to be completely neutral and unbiased, it must be in
the Constitution. Will be tabled for Fall.
i. Establish a functional Bobcat Radio with student made programming and music.
i. Met with Bobcat Radio twice about future planning. It is currently pursuing
an FM LowPower license. Originally stalled by the maximum number of
allowed UC Radio stations (It’s capped systemwide, not by each
University). Encouraging the development of streaming online media in
the meantime. Current budget is still an empty line item at $0.00.
Manager is Jesus Delgadillo, and it is pursuing sponsorship with the
Writing department.
ii. After progress was not made, Jesus Delgadillo was asked to step down
and Samuel Smith was appointed as its new head.
iii. Bobcat Radio has been tabling and helping at events as a Dj organization
to get more attention and volunteers.
iv. Bobcat Radio has an online station!
j. Make ASUCM involvement for academic credit
1. Bylaws prohibit ASUCM from funding organizations that receive
academic credit. Unsure as to how this applies to the actual
ASUCM Units such as CAB, and may need to be amended.
2. Discussed this with Vice Chancellor Lawrence and Vice Provost
Whitt. VP Whitt was not in support of the idea, and this will need to
be brought up to the Academic Senate to continue.
8. k. Establish ASUCM internships.
i. Currently we have one paid intern for 15 hours per week. Creating a more
official internship process for involvement in appointed positions.
ii. Two official and paid student internship positions have been created in
the new ASUCM budget under the student payroll line item.
iii. Additionally, under my office, I created a Fellowship program for students
that wanted to work directly under my office in assisting me. Over 10
people met regularly during Fall semester.
iv. There are now over 160 positions in ASUCM as compared to 5060 last
year. Success!
l. Gain Access to Office door in Library for all ASUCM Members
i. Emailed Facilities and our advisor. Upon followup, found that we need to
be issued keys for the door. Still working to get at least some ASUCM
Officials key access after normal hours.
ii. Works untils 12am now at the back door!
m. Meet the Student Regent event. (contact her)
i. Had the opportunity to speak for two hours with Cinthia Flores at her visit
to UC Merced. Also spoke with her at the UCSA Board meeting in Fall
and at Students of Color where we both marched together for State
Constitutional Amendment 5 for Affirmative Action.
ii. Cinthia Flores gave a video presentation to myself and Senate discussing
alternative tuition models.
