ASUCD State and National Affairs Office

The subject of this entry no longer exists in Davis or is a former version of something that came afterwards.All information here is for historical reference only.

The ASUCD State and National Affairs Office (SNAO) was part of the ASUCD Office of External Affairs from 2004 to 2006 and then became its own unit during the 2006-2007 academic year. In Spring 2007, it became the ASUCD University Affairs Office. SNAO served to educate and advocate for undergraduate students on state and national issues. The SNAO involved students in this advocacy through voter education, grassroots organizing, lobbying elected officials, and educational forums.

SNAO also worked with the University of California Student Association (UCSA) to advocate for legislation that affects undergraduate students.

2006-2007 Staff

• Michelle Shaffie: Director
• Matt Shannon: Assistant Director (Legislative Liaison)

* Anneka Euser: Campus Organizing

2005-2006 Staff

• Liz Burrell Director
• Marwa Rifahie
• Charles Palmares

History

In 1972, ASUCD established the ASUCD Student Lobby Annex to communicate the work of the Student Body President's Council (SBPC) Lobby at the California State Capitol. The Annex also provided the Lobby with information from ASUCD on issues of concern in order to make the Lobby more effective and representative of all UC students. After the Lobby limited the scope of its advocacy in the mid-seventies, the Annex also became responsible for advocating those issues not within the educational scope of the SBPC Lobby.

Then in 1986, after the SBPC changed its name to the University of California Student Association, the Annex changed its name to the ASUCD State/Student Lobby - a name more accurately reflecting the Lobby's twofold purpose: First it is primarily responsible to undergraduate students at UC Davis, providing information concerning pertinent legislative issues and voicing UCD sentiment to UCSA and the State Legislature. The second responsibility is to UCSA. As an active campus office for UCSA, the lobby provides grassroots organizing to assist UCSA in its lobbying efforts. In January 1989 the State/Student Lobby changed its name to the ASUCD State Lobby to more accurately reflect its purpose.

Shortly thereafter, in February of 1989, the National Lobby was created in order to provide UCD students with a voice to the federal government level. This unit complemented the State Lobby by addressing federal issues, presenting student viewpoints to national officials, and monitoring the US Congress, the US Department of Education, and similar federal agencies. In spring of 1993, funding for the National Lobby was cut, and by early 1994 the unit was deleted.

In 1994, due to the UC General Counsel's interpretation of the Smith v. Regents ruling by the California Supreme Court, structural and programmatic changes were made to the State Lobby. Because the decision limited the use of mandatory student fees for the purpose of advocating ideological or political positions outside of the UC system, the State Lobby Office was renamed the State Affairs Office to reflect moderate changes in its function in relation to the State Legislature but none relative to university entities. Later on the same year, upon withdrawing from UCSA, the now defunct Executive Council voted to delete the State Affairs Office entirely.

During the Fall 1995 elections, nearly 2/3 of the ASUCD membership voted to rejoin UCSA through the UCSA Affiliation Act. Following its passage the combined State/National Affairs Office was reestablished in 1995.