University and External Affairs Committee

Jewish students at UC Berkeley continue to feel targeted and look to student government for support in light of rising antisemitic rhetoric on a national level. 

ASUC Senator Milton Zerman resigned at the ASUC Senate meeting Feb. 19, during which several grievances on perceived injustices were discussed. Zerman resigned in protest of the rejection of his controversial bill to condemn Bears for Palestine for its cubicle display in Eshleman Hall.

The ASUC University and External Affairs Committee voted against SR 19/20-032, Senator Milton Zerman’s bill that would condemn Bears for Palestine for its cubicle display in Eshleman Hall. Many members of the public attended to comment on the bill, most of whom stood in solidarity with BFP.

More than 200 people attended the ASUC Senate’s University and External Affairs Committee meeting Monday on ASUC Senator Milton Zerman’s contentious bill titled “Condemning Bears for Palestine for Their Display in Eshleman Hall Glorifying Violent Terrorists.”

The ASUC Senate met Wednesday night to discuss this year’s advocacy agenda, which prompted a debate on abortion.

The ASUC Senate passed eight resolutions at its regular Wednesday night meeting, two of which addressed the low Black student enrollment at UC Berkeley while another called for accommodations for students observing Ramadan during final exams.

Chancellor Carol Christ spoke at Wednesday’s ASUC Senate meeting about future financial strategies for the campus and fielded questions about the recent fee increase by the Berkeley International Student Services office.

“We’re really intent on making sure we’re going to be able to achieve the things we talked about, the things we promised to students,” President Alexander Wilfert said.

During this week’s regular Wednesday ASUC Senate meeting, senators moved a new business resolution — that calls for the resignation of UC Regent Norman Pattiz — to committee for discussion, and heard from the new Chief Legal Officer, Prathyush Parasuraman.

Two resolutions — one urging UC Berkeley to create an undergraduate voting holiday and another advocating for greater space allocation to the Educational Opportunity and Undocumented Students programs — passed through the ASUC Senate without debate at its meeting Wednesday.