PLATFORM
CAMPUS ORGANIZERS REVITALIZING GRASSROOTS INITIATIVES (CORGI)
CORGI is a slate that espouses the values of the humble corgi. Enthusiastic, social, empathetic and determined - the corgi is a dog that symbolizes innocence and valor, a fresh face for student government. As the members of this slate, we aim to translate these learnings from our corgi compatriots into empowered student action. That is why CORGI envisions a new student advocate - one who is mutually respectful, entrenched in community, accountable and consistent. After all, they receive thousands of dollars in total from our student fees - it’s not to be absent or ferment in their positions. You may then wonder: why doesn’t CORGI contest the presidential race? Our answer: our slate is about the work that makes our student community what it is and not the titles that they occupy. There is division and contempt, toxicity and difficult intentions, which tend to occupy and segregate communities due to this race, an outcome we condemn. As community-oriented advocates and campus organizers, we work towards a grander vision. Entrusted with your vote and voice, we have three major goals:
- Protecting and strengthening student communities on campus.
- Improving services for student needs without student-borne costs.
- Empowering student voices with greater political representation in the region.
Protecting and Strengthening Student Communities
UCSD’s administration has effectively taken a chainsaw to the funding and powers of community organizations such as the Core and SAAC organizations - such as MECHA, KP, BSU, APSA, et cetera. Locking students out of their offices and deserved funding has extended beyond just student organizations (as happened in April-May 2024) and now affects even the Associated Students who do not have control over even the format of their own meetings - all this to avoid “PR mishaps” that harm the university’s image as a neutral and boring campus which has been purposefully cultivated.
Desperate times call for desperate measures to protect student-run spaces and communities on campus - from the SPACES organizations to the Co-operatives, the Associated Students to rightful free expression. We propose making the Associated Students autonomous and independent from the University (as done in Berkeley, LA and many CSUs) through incorporation. This provides us with a stronger voice to negotiate against this muffling injustice without the treacherous manhandling of administrative interference which rears its ugly head every week or two at the Associated Students. UCSD’s unjust funding cuts have also jeopardized crucial academic retention programs under the Teaching + Learning Commons and SPACES, further increasing the gap between UCSD’s “standard” students and neglected ones. Hence, we will work on expanding alternative academic assistance programs in collaboration with academic student organisations, following the example set by BioConnect with regards to Biology courses. Furthermore, ensuring that student voices are documented and delivered is just as important - which is why re-negotiating the funding of student-run newspapers is a crucial part of this platform.
Protecting student communities also implies protecting students from the often invisible or shady problems they face on campus merely for being themselves, pushed down for their own existence. For one, we stand behind our undocumented student community. Many members of this slate have organized for undocumented students for years, even writing demands that we intend to uphold if elected. These include negotiating funding for undocumented students services, safeguards that demand the highest judicial authority allowed to enter campus for federal immigrations agents, et cetera. Furthermore, we also stand behind our disabled student community. Many members of this slate have organized for disabled students for years as well, trying year-on-year (as we continue to do so in these positions) to create the disabled students resource center as well as revamp the Office for Students with Disabilities which displays a regrettable inability to function effectively, consigning students to bureaucratic hell to receive any accommodations. We propose the creation of a student-run oversight board to make this office’s workings transparent and accountable. Finally, we contend that this student government does not effectively consider its worker peers as deserving of community and spaces for convening and organizing, especially students who do not have union representation such as dining hall workers and Recreation workers. Hence, we demand empowering the director of the labor commission for the Associated Students to actively work in developing a community for unrepresented workers and support the creation of collective units of discourse and communal power.
A student association cannot be successful without continuous and free student input - which is why we intend to implement a popular direct democracy proposal that allows students to push and propose items to be discussed by the Associated Students Senate and Assembly with an adequate (50) signatures at the earliest. In addition, to be representative, this student government must be diverse instead of being dominated by students with political science majors. Thus, we intend to expand opportunities to STEM majors through programs that cultivate STEM students for student government through career advancement opportunities and projects such as data analytics and student-supported research grants.
To ensure a smooth and effective student government we require a system that emphasizes checks and balances - especially in terms of fiscal and organizational accountability. Hence, we propose the creation of an accountability task force with the sole purpose of reducing the clear stagnation and delays of several offices of the student government both by providing helpful resources and keeping them up to date of Association-wide deadlines and on-track to help with student problems.
More Student Needs But No More Student Fees
Student needs grow more expensive every year - which is not unexpected given that we study in California. Student populations at our campus also grow larger every year. Unsurprisingly, the budget allocated to crucial student need services like the Basic Needs Hub does not expand at the same rate every year. However, pushing the cost of basic needs and services onto students through more fees is neither viable nor sustainable solution. Firstly, we intend to advocate for increased funding to nutritional assistance and basic needs programs on campus - the Hub, Tritonfresh (for nonresident students), et cetera. We also aim to support students in their quest for affordable and safe housing by negotiating housing contracts in sum through an alternate housing portal system for off-campus housing and also providing streamlined access to legal services to consult on housing and leasing issues. We also aim to work on providing transportation options as mentioned in the third goal. In order to better support parking opportunities on and around campus, we aim to utilize our STEM involvement strategies to create parking applications that define open parking in real-time as well. In addition, creating opportunities for affordable food by partnering with the food cooperatives on campus to create a network of alternate food providers, bypassing the expensive HDH system.
In order to provide these new and current services, we intend to generate revenue through alternate sources. Firstly, we intend to expand our investment in enterprises and profitable services of the association such as Triton Outfitters and AS Graphics Studios in order to allow a larger scale to improve revenue. But that is not enough. So, we intend to introduce new initiatives and plans in collaboration with local businesses and stores to drive foot traffic for fees. In addition, we intend to increase the ability of the Associated Students to raise funds through philanthropic and grant-based assistance for specific events and initiatives by creating a specific task-responsibility (the funding network taskforce) as a collaborated commission under the CFO and the VP of External Affairs.
Student Political Representation
A crucial part of generating a student-supportive community in and around UCSD is ensuring representation in administrative and governmental settings. These are areas such as Planning Groups and Commissions, City Councils and County boards. To achieve the initiatives requiring collaboration with local partners, we require contentious and pro-student representation free of administrative interference. This project also requires significant empowerment of current advocacy and endorsement initiatives under the Office of External Affairs and Local Affairs which we intend to accomplish. This means greater student representation in the room with unions, business councils, planning groups, et cetera. In addition, our current state-wide lobbying body, the UCSA, collects a quarter million dollars of student fees but has not continued to proactively engage with campus-specific issues. This has resulted in a disconnect between state-wide efforts and local priorities which only serves to harm the effective utilisation of student fees and voices. We intend to renegotiate this relationship to argue for a more integrated and stronger UCSA which is fiscally responsible and transparent so that it does stagnantly become an organization using its latent authority to be co-opted by larger movements for a shred of student-based legitimacy.
Conclusion
This association consists of hundreds of students. Functioning as fractured units with limited centralized coordination over certain objectives has resulted in a significant breakdown of this association’s ability to operate effectively in support of its students. However, even in these depths, we witnessed a moment of undeniable clarity last year when many offices, senators and the assembly of the AS came together with its student community to unequivocally address the challenge of boycotting genocide-complicit corporations and supporting the cause of Palestine. And yet, where are we with the implementation of those very measures we enacted in that past year? Most have stalled and been condemned to the backburner. We deserve competent leadership and student government that does not fizzle out initiatives over the course of an annual election. There is power in determination and consistency - a power we as CORGI intend to cultivate. But why should you trust us?
Our slate consists of members with significant experience in grassroots community organizing in San Diego as well as internationally. We understand that in our short time at this university, leaving it a better place than the one we came into is our ultimate duty. From organizing for disabled students to undocumented immigrants, free expression rights to diverse representation, we won’t give up our resolve to fight for students. These years will come to define what future students will question and ask - what did our alumni do when faced with assaults on free speech and expression, community spaces, and unfair treatment of their peers? We fight for you as much as we fight for them. That’s why we implore you VOTE CORGI: Short Legs, Big Vision.
For questions/concerns/ideas/comments/sending corgi pics: email corgislate@gmail.com
GOVERNING STRUCTURE
The central organization of this slate is centered around the organizing committee of this slate. This consists of the Executive candidates [Aryan Dixit and Aryen Singhal], our chief marketing strategist [Jasmine Lee] and two student advisors who do not contest this election. This 5 member committee is headed by our slate’s primary representative, Aryan Dixit. Any decisions and organizational queries will be discussed by this committee which comes to a decision with a unanimous threshold. Disputes and differences between the members of this committee will be settled primarily through the adjudication mechanism of our subordinate advisors who will counsel and reconcile the committee. In the unlikely event of irredeemable differences, the members of the slate running for election will be invited to decide on the matter at hand. If there are allegations against an individual running in the slate for activities deemed inappropriate conduct or against the code specified in our platform for our student advocates, there will be a slate-wide meeting where members may examine the individual and decide their fate within the slate. The ultimate policy platform will be defined by the organizing committee of whom any copies or replications will be finally communicated by the slate’s primary representative alone.
CANDIDATES
- Aryan Dixit
- Aryen Singhal
- Jasmine Lee
- Bruno Eliseo
- Divenaa Madan
- Arya Verma
- Justin Topete
- Gavin Martinez
PLATFORM
The PILLARS Slate is built on our core Pillars below in bold.
Reallocating AS funds to Basic Needs
- Accomplished by reducing marketing and travel budgets in AS
- Period Project expansion
- Free textbook program expansion
- Gasoline initiative expansion
- Increased parking capacity or subsidized parking
- Increase funding for the Undocumented Students Center`
- Expansion of the iTable programme
- Buddy system app for women walking home at night
Food Security, Nutritional Access
- Increasing funding to the Triton Food Pantry
- TritonFresh
- Listing coupon deals at Ralphs and surrounding vendors
- Grocery shuttle expansion
Covering Healthcare Co-Pay
Increased Scholarships
- Rolling basis scholarships
- More scholarship opportunities based on merit and for middle-class students
Increased funding for Cultural and Religious organizations
- Expanded resources for cultural/religous needs (access to advisors, resources on where to find houses or worships, resources for halal/kosher/non-beef food, etc.)
- Funding for religious needs events
College Council and Admin Divestment
Protest Policy Reform
Student Organizations Funding Promise
- We will not allow AS to reduce student org funding
- Make the Funding maximum appeals process easier and more accessible to all student organizations
Increased Course Capacity
- Increasing class amount and/or size for GE courses
- Helps prospective transfer students
Office for Students with Disabilities Reform
- Increase the amount of disability specialists
- Removing the quarterly reapplication process
- Ensure that OSD is actually adhering to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Having OSD more accurately define “Permanent” and “Temporary” disabilities
Greek Housing
University-funded Greek housing project. Similar to the plan outlined here
Sustainability
- Fund green-ideas by students that promote sustainability; ban single use plastics
- Push to make construction carbon neutral
GOVERNING STRUCTURE
William Simpson, Mina Nguyen, Ricardo Miranda, and Nico Cruz, as four Executive Board Candidates will solve internal disputes as they arise and through the election process. Other members of the slate have an equal position in disputes or decisions regarding slate matters. If William Simpson, Mina Nguyen, Ricardo Miranda, and Nico Cruz are unable to resolve the internal dispute or if the dispute involved all of the four, the other members of the slate shall appoint a secondary person to resolve the matter through a democratic process.
CANDIDATES
- William Simpson
- Mina Nguyen
- Ricardo Miranda
- Nico Cruz
- Tanya Pulla
- Kera Finnigan
- Fnu Moazzma
- Erin Ramos
- Mohammed Zaid
- Francisco Becerra
- Lizbeth Diaz
- Tianna Ortiz
- Arif Ruslan
- Wuyi Heryadi
PLATFORM
We are committed to restructuring Associated Students' finances to allocate more funds directly to students and student organizations. Our priorities include increasing support for student clubs, school spirit activities, mixers, organizational fairs, and club rush events. We intend to advocate for the creation of a student-led task force to address parking challenges, including expanding or establishing new parking contracts to increase available student parking. Additionally, we will push for greater investment in student safety—such as enhanced campus police support and increased campus lighting—and expanded resources for student-led entrepreneurship.
We also aim to strengthen campus media by increasing investment in The Guardian and other student-run media initiatives. Lastly, we will advocate for the re-opening of Geisel Library for 24-hour access, ensuring students have the resources they need at all times.
GOVERNING STRUCTURE
The governance structure of the slate is led by the Presidential candidate, who oversees the overall vision, strategy, and execution of the slate’s initiatives. The Executive Vice Presidential candidate serves as the second-in-command, supporting the President in decision-making and ensuring smooth coordination among all members. The Vice Presidential Candidate of Academic Affairs and the Vice Presidential Candidate of External Affairs play key advisory and operational roles, contributing to policy discussions and spearheading initiatives within their respective domains. While the President holds the final decision-making authority, all leadership members collaborate to advance the slate’s mission and advocate for student interests effectively.
CANDIDATES
- Zakaria Kortam
- Dylan Archer
- Alex Sun
PLATFORM
1. Equity in Action → Expanding Support for Low- and Middle-Income Students
At THRIVE, we get it—navigating college isn’t the same for everyone. That’s why we’re fighting to make UCSD more affordable and accessible, whether it’s through better financial aid, more academic resources, or stronger support for students from all backgrounds. Everyone deserves a fair shot at success, and we’re committed to amplifying diverse voices and creating a UCSD community where everyone feels included and valued.
2. Transforming Campus Life
College is more than just classes—it’s about feeling safe, connected, and supported. THRIVE is all about making UCSD a better place to live and learn, from improving campus safety to helping off-campus and commuter students, we’re working to create a more inclusive, transparent, and supportive environment. We’re here to listen and take action to make student life better for everyone!
3. Empowering Student Voices → Bridging the Gap Between AS and Student Orgs
We know how frustrating it can be to feel unheard. THRIVE is here to change that by making it easier for students to connect with AS, get funding for clubs, and access academic accommodations when they need them. Your voice matters, and we’re making sure it’s heard loud and clear!
4. Building a Stronger Future → Setting Students Up for Success After Graduation
THRIVE isn’t just about today; it’s about preparing students for a thriving future. Graduation shouldn’t feel like a cliff—UCSD should help set students up for what comes next. THRIVE is pushing for more career resources, internship opportunities, and programs that help students feel confident about their future. Whether it’s landing a job, getting into grad school, or figuring out life after college, we’ve got your back!.
5. Stronger Together → Building a More Connected Triton Community
UCSD is a big place, but that doesn’t mean we have to feel disconnected. THRIVE is all about creating a stronger sense of community—whether it’s through more campus events, better spaces for student orgs to meet, college councils, or making sure everyone feels like they belong. We believe college should be more than just getting a degree—it should be about building friendships, making memories, and feeling like you’re part of something bigger.
GOVERNING STRUCTURE
Guadalupe Barrera and Omar Salazar Fernandez, as Executive Board candidates will seek to solve internal disputes if they arise and candidates through the election process. The other members of the slate have an equal position in any dispute or decision regarding slate matters. If Guadalupe Barrera and Omar Salazar Fernandez, are unable to resolve the internal dispute or if the dispute involves all of the two, the other members of the slate shall appoint a secondary person to resolve the matter through a democratic process
CANDIDATES
- Guadalupe Barrera
- Omar Salazar Fernandez
- Elena Padilla Macias
- Mayani Bowens
- Alicia Schmerold
- Alicia Fehlman
- Emily Nguyen
PLATFORM
Central to Tritons Together is community progress, the aim of safeguarding and expanding student services, resources, and programs throughout campus as a whole and within campus coalitions by uniting students through community resources, trainings, and joint-initiatives.
We have outlined our Path to Progress to translate this central idea into action, outlining ten reforms we will implement if elected to hold administration and student leaders accountable and strengthen student coalitions. Our mission is to protect student rights and resources, to ensure student fees are used responsibly and effectively towards funding student programs and services, to address key deficits in transparency and accountability across campus, to provide equitable support for student groups across campus, and to make data driven policy changes that reduce student financial burdens and improve our campus community.
1. Protect Student Rights and Research Programs through State and Federal Advocacy
Protect undocumented students, international students, LGBTQIA+ students, students with dependents, disabled students, and all student groups currently facing hardship and/or restrictions on personal and student rights by protecting and improving existing programs and services, expanding student support networks, and collaborating on advocacy initiatives.
Strengthen relationships with student leaders across the UC-system and at nearby colleges and universities to address the local and state housing crisis and create collaborative advocacy programs that ensure student unity and collaboration at the local, state, and federal level.
2. Reverse University Budget Cuts and Ensure Research Opportunities are Protected
Reverse University budget cuts to essential services, including Geisel Library, and conduct sweeping audits of current University budgets and budget processes to ensure that all budget allocations are made with student priorities first, working with the Academic Senate to pass policy reforms that make the budget process effective and student centered.
Work with University Administration to ensure student research opportunities and student worker rights are protected as research programs and grants are cut at the state and federal levels, causing student career opportunities and student worker conditions to decline.
3. End Dining Hall Price Inflation, Reduce Parking Prices, and Provide Ticket Support
End HDH expansion into existing campus locations and tackle Dining Hall price expansion, in which most items in dining halls are above prices of non-HDH stores on campus, causing on-campus students to run-out of dining dollars before the end of the year and off-campus students to avoid HDH markets and dining locations due to the inflated prices.
Implement direct relief for student parking tickets, Student Advocate support for parking ticket appeals, and strong advocacy efforts toward reducing parking fees, alongside efforts to extend trolley hours from UTC to Downtown SD until 2 am and expand future public transit routes.
4. Eliminate Resource Gaps and Expand Availability of Resources for Disabled Students
Ensure all students have access to resources on-campus and locally in San Diego, utilizing AS resources and expanding AS student services to create innovative pilot programs, increase engagement, and reach students currently not accessing existing student services.
Implement and expand advocacy programs and services for disabled students, ensuring the Office of Academic Affairs, Office of EDI, and Office of External Affairs coordinate to develop changes to the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) to simplify processes in academic affairs and student affairs, and to provide holistic resource support for disabled students.
5. Strengthen Student Advocacy Coalitions and Student Organizations Across Campus
Reform current Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commissions (BIPOC Commission, Women’s Commission, International Students’ Commission, Undocumented Students Commission, LGBTQIA+ Students Commission, and Students with Dependents Commission) to each have a Commission Advisory Board involving all applicable student organizations, College Council representatives, and campus leaders to promote collaboration and build stronger community.
Simplify the Student Organization Funding Guide and TAP Form to make application processes more intuitive for students, providing direct support for new and small organizations to access funding, greater flexibility on application deadlines, and a streamlined application where AS takes information directly from CSI and UCEN for reservations and other form requirements.
6. Expand Academic Advocacy to Ensure All Departments and Programs are Represented
Ensure Associated Students advocates for all undergraduate students in all departments by expanding academic advocacy and retention programs to increase attention to issues of course offerings, academic support services, and career development opportunities while promoting collaboration between the Office of Academic Affairs, Senate, College Councils, academic and pre-professional Student Organizations, and all campus advocacy and academic groups.
Maximize efforts to improve administrative accountability and transparency through student audits of all academic units, ensuring equitable policies and practices for all students and promoting alignment of spending and fiscal priorities with student needs, priorities, and values.
7. Establish a Student Media Union to Collaborate and Advocate for Student Media
Create a Student Media Union to advocate for resources for student media programs and organizations and create collaborative marketing programs and events to build engagement.
Build campus-wide collaboration programs with student media groups, aiming to enhance journalism and reporting across campus and ensure independent management and stable funding for all student media services, enterprises, and programs (including enterprises and services under AS, independent student organizations, and other student media groups).
8. Establish Office of Technology and Innovation to Implement Data-Driven Changes
Establish Office of Technology and Innovation to develop innovative tech projects within the Association, expanding digital resources and enhancing data capabilities to ensure student feedback can be effectively collected, analyzed, and implemented into Association programs.
Expand revenue in conjunction with the Office of Finance and Resources, Office of Enterprises and Services, and new Office of Technology and Innovation by developing new revenue opportunities and asset management tools alongside student quantitative trading groups and student investment groups, positioning AS to decrease reliance on student fees.
9. Increase Involvement Across Campus by Reimagining Start-of-Year Recruitment
Provide student group recruitment grants for organizations participating in start-of-year recruitment collaboration, effectively creating campus-wide cohesion to maximize outreach and connect networks to provide students with greater access to involvement opportunities.
Reimagine start-of-year recruitment alongside student organizations, Greek Life, and campus media, promoting early collaboration on recruitment efforts to leverage Associated Students’ resources with the varying opportunities offered across campus while building community through shared recruitment, promotion, and training efforts in the first weeks of Fall Quarter.
10. Implement Active Transparency with Freedom of Information and Inspector General
Implement public Ethics and Sustainability Audits for all funded Association units to ensure equitable spending of student fees in alignment with student priorities and values, working to ensure all audits are comprehensive and made publicly available.
Establish Freedom of Information procedures to allow requests for information from Associated Students and enhance accountability; establish roles of Auditor General and Inspector General to analyze fiscal and non-fiscal compliance and alignment with student needs and priorities.
Our Path to Progress aims to build effective and transparent student leadership, ensuring that student government and student fees are managed effectively to maximize their positive impact within the student body. If elected, we will implement these changes through frequent collaboration and open communication, aiming to build-up campus coalitions and uplift unity within the Association as we establish new legislation implementing program proposals and practices that sustain long-term student support, translating plans into action that puts rubber to the road and sees accountability and transparency throughout campus made a reality, and collaborate across campus groups to promote stronger, more united student advocacy efforts.
GOVERNING STRUCTURE
Members of Tritons Together, upon joining, all agreed that disputes shall be resolved as follows:
- Any conflicts that arise in a meeting shall be adjudicated by the Chair of the applicable meeting, unless the Chair is themself a member of the conflict, in which case the conflict shall be adjudicated by the person that would alternatively be the Chair.
- Any conflicts that arise between individual members shall be adjudicated by an individual member of the slate agreed upon by the parties involved, along with a member who shall observe the adjudication to keep records and maintain rules.
Adjudication shall involve an open discussion led by the adjudicator, who shall ensure that: (1) a clear question, or source of the conflict, is identified and developed, (2) the key views of all involved parties are voiced individually, and (3) the parties involved have an opportunity to discuss their views and how they can reach a compromise or resolve their conflict.
CANDIDATES
- Ivan J. Ramirez
- Hannah M. Gurne
- Noa Reyzblat
- Kiana Pereira
- Ethan Shih
- Elijah Dukhovny
- Gilad Segal
- Amanda Obedian
- Cooper Levinson
- Kyle Gilbert