Graduate Assembly

President Donald Trump’s administration issued a proclamation May 29 suspending entry of certain international students from China seeking a visa for graduate and postgraduate study in the United States.

ASUC Senator Romario, who does not use a last name, did not anticipate struggling to financially sustain himself due to the sheer workload of an ASUC senator when he ran for the position last year.

Described as a “strong leader” and “fierce advocate,” Bahar Navab began her appointment as UC Berkeley’s associate dean of students and executive director of the ASUC Student Union on May 1.

UC Berkeley Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Stephen Sutton announced Sunny Lee as the permanent Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students on Tuesday. Since July 2019, Lee served as the interim dean of students.

The ASUC Elections Council and Judicial Council held virtual meetings Monday and Wednesday, respectively, to certify election results for the 2020-21 academic year.

After the 2020 ASUC elections, the current executive officers’ term is coming to a close. COVID-19 has created a unique situation on campus and while all executives continue work on their platforms, most found themselves adjusting their plans to address current campus needs.

The 2020 ASUC elections had a marginally higher voter turnout than in 2019, despite the pandemic pushing the elections to take place entirely online. Although graduate student voter turnout increased by 487%, undergraduate voter turnout dropped by 17% compared to last year.

The Graduate Assembly held elections for its executive board for next year via Zoom, while elections for the Graduate Council were postponed until May. Despite the meeting being held remotely, procedures, discussions and votes were able to occur similarly to regular in-person meetings.

The student body passed a student fee for increased transportation options and graduate students voted in support of the Graduate Assembly separating from the ASUC with two referendums.

The GA has been pushing for independence for years, citing various forms of neglect from the overarching student government.