Student leader to focus on rising fees

UC Davis senior Adam Thongsavat has a lot on his shoulders.

The history major from Merced, Calif., is president of the Associated Students of UC Davis, which represents some 24,000 undergraduates, provides dozens of student services and operates with an annual budget of $11.1 million.

Thongsavat and Breeana Marie Rombi, vice president of the student government, said that fee increases are foremost among the concerns they hear from fellow students.

Total fees for UC Davis undergraduates from California are $5,041 this fall, or 15.6 percent more than last fall. At the September meeting of the University of California regents, UC budget officials proposed a multi-year funding plan to provide students and their families with some predictability in educational costs; UC regents asked them to come back with a variety of options that could help minimize the prospect of additional student tuition increases.

As the fall quarter gets under way, Thongsavat and Rombi are planning a lobbying effort directed at state officials “that is newsworthy and efficient” — but haven’t decided exactly what form that effort will take.

“Having a lot of students go out there and having everyone involved is probably going to be one of the most exciting things for everyone,” said Rombi, a senior from Huntington Beach, Calif., who is double majoring in communication and Spanish.

Thongsavat said he supports the 2020 Initiative announced Sept. 21 by Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi to increase enrollment of undergraduates — including nonresident students who pay higher fees — to, among other things, provide additional revenue to support an additional 300 new tenure-track faculty positions.

Thomgsavat, who, with Rombi, created a new campus political party called “Bold,” said he's been able to make substantial progress on a campaign platform. He said he’s created at least a dozen new student jobs, successfully launched a grassroots campaign to get students to accept responsibility for their behavior during Picnic Day 2011, and got downtown businesses more involved with celebrating Aggie team spirit.

The student body president would also like to change the city’s noise ordinance policy. Specifically, Thongsavat says he would like to shorten the application permit process for loud parties and allow applicants to increase the allowable noise level. “We should enable students to plan parties that are safe with a new permit process,” he said.

Thongsavat, who is set to graduate in December, said he has no plans to explore the political arena when he finishes his term as president in March. “I am thinking of doing something with business,” he said.

Rombi, who will graduate this year, plans to go to law school.