Sohum Kalia
Internal Vice President
Contact info:
Web: ivp.as.ucsb.edu
Email: internalvp@as.ucsb.edu
Office Hours: TBD
The UCSB administration has failed to meet some of the most basic standards and needs of the student body.
Through housing crisis, predatory tuition and campus fees, nonsensical academic policy, and general incompetence, Associated Students has failed again and again to hold this administration accountable.
Somewhere in the $15 million of student fees and the quest to preserve its own status quo, AS has lost its way. We spend far more time squabbling over unactionable virtue signals and world events we have no power over that we forgot to discuss the issues that are affecting real students here at UCSB.
Associated Students has long lost the respect of the student body. Many students are not even aware that they have a student government, or that every single student pays ~$800 into it. I believe respect for any government, student or otherwise, is not demanded by its officials, rather earned through its positive impact on the community. Likewise, I believe it’s time we at AS stopped demanding your respect and actually took the time to earn it. Here’s how I plan to earn your respect:
TRANSPARENCY: Every candidate and their mother has promised transparency in some form, but no other candidate has a proven track record of delivering on this promise.
As IVP I will demand and publish monthly and quarterly reports from all campus designated fee recipients including Student Health, CAPS, and UCSB Housing initiatives.
As IVP I will ensure that every student is able to track every penny of their student fees accurately and without unnecessary restriction on information.
ACCOUNTABILITY: The purpose of Associated Students is to represent the student body to the UCSB administration. AS should fight for the wants and needs of it’s student body not just to prolong its own disappointing status quo.
As IVP I will ensure that students always have a place to demand change and accountability; from both the UCSB administration and AS
My actions speak louder than my words and I have never been one to be quiet about what I believe.
Accountability
Publish quarterly reports on how your student fees are being spent and gain feedback to ensure your student fees are being spent responsibly.
Engagement
Collaborate with AS Entities and other campus organizations to host a quarterly Craft Far infusing the association with a more diverse group of student leaders to create a better atmosphere of productivity within AS.
Empowerment
Create senate staff positions to provide more opportunities for people to get involved in AS and enhance productivity, efficiently and transparency within Senate.