





The Internal Affairs Commission (IAC) is a subordinate body of the ASUCD ASUCD Senate Senate. IAC reviews legislation regarding matters of association policy and procedure before they go on to the Senate of the undergraduate student government.  As such, many of ASUCDs policy wonks get their start in IAC. Meetings are largely spent reviewing exciting stuff such as bylaws, LongRange Plans, and other internal matters.  The commission is made of nine members and a few alternate members.

IAC has open meetings on Mondays at 5:10 PM in the MU Mee Room.  The meetings are typically longer than that of any other ASUCD Commission, as they have so many bills to review.  IAC is also mostly responsible for writing the LongRange Plans for all ASUCD units.

The commission has been described as Infernal Affairs Commission Infernal Affairs, as they get all of the hard legislation and none of the glory that comes from running programs. However, IAC does hold programs like ASUCD legislationwriting clinics. The most recent one was successful but poorly attended, as only two of the six newly elected senators attended.

 Members 

Commission Chair: Users/SpencerMcManus Spencer McManus

Commissioners



 History 

 Past Chairs 
  Users/SpencerMcManus Spencer McManus (Fall 2013Spring 2014)
  Amy Martin (Winter 2011)
  Users/SergioCano Sergio Cano (Winter 2010Fall 2010) and (Winter 2011Spring 2013)
  Users/MatthewShannon Matt Shannon (Spring 2009)
  Amy Hartstein (Fall 2008Winter 2009) and (Fall 2009Winter 2010)
  Users/JillWeinstein Jill Weinstein (Spring 2007)
  Mike Rivera (Fall 2006Winter 2007) and (Fall 2007Spring 2008)
  Paul Harms (Spring 2006)
  Kai SavareeRuess (Spring 2005Winter 2006)
  Marvin Zamora (Spring 2005)
  Kahliah Laney (Spring 2004Winter 2005)
  Users/BobGill Bob Gill (Fall 2003Spring 2004)
  Jakob Suski (Winter 2003Spring 2003)
  Pelin Erdal (Fall 2002)
  Erik Canales (Fall 2001Spring 2002)
  Allen Shiu (Fall 2000Spring 2001)
  Anthony Volkar (Fall 1999Spring 2000)
  Melanie Sengupta (Winter 1998Spring 1999)
  Scott Reed (Winter 1997Winter 1998)
  Matt Malone (Fall 1996Fall 1997)
  Maya Kwiat (Winter 1995Fall 1995)
  Peter Nguyen (Fall 1993Winter 1995)
  Larissa Adams (Fall 1992Spring 1993)
  Donny Anderson (Fall 1991Spring 1992)

 IAC: Birthplace of Power 

There is a high incidence of powerful people coming from the ASUCD Internal Affairs Commission.

A few examples:

President
  Peter Nguyen, former ASUCD President 199596 and coauthor of the Democracy at Davis Constitutional Amendment
  Scott Reed, former ASUCD President 199899
  Sara Henry, former ASUCD President 20032004
  Darnell Holloway, former ASUCD President 20062007

 Vice President
  Aaron Bloom, former ASUCD Vice President 199596 and coauthor of the Democracy at Davis Constitutional Amendment
  Theron Spurgeon, former ASUCD Vice President 19992000
  Darnell Holloway, former ASUCD Vice President 20052006
  Molly Fluet, former ASUCD Vice President 20082009
  Previn Witana, former ASUCD Vice President 20102011
  Maxwell Kappes, ASUCD Vice President 20142015

 Senator
  Brett Leggett, former ASUCD Senator 199596
  Maya Kwiat, former ASUCD Senator 199596
  Erica Rios, former ASUCD Senator 199596
  Amos Tubb, former ASUCD Senator 199596
  Jason Capitan, former ASUCD Senator 199596
  Users/BobGill Robert Gill, former ASUCD Senator
  Janine Fiel, former ASUCD Senator 20042005
  Darnell Holloway, former ASUCD Senator 20042005
  Marvin Zamora, former ASUCD Senator 20052006
  Michael Lay, former ASUCD Senator 20062007
  Molly Fluet, former ASUCD Senator 20062007
  Justin Patrizio, former ASUCD Senator 20082009
  Erin Lebe, former ASUCD Senator 20082009
  Kevin Massoudi, former ASUCD Senator 20082009
  Previn Witana, former ASUCD Senator 20082009
  Don Ho, former ASUCD Senator 20092010
  Amy Martin, former ASUCD Senator 20102011
  Kabir Kapur, former ASUCD Senator 20112012
  Maxwell Kappes, former ASUCD Senator 20122013
  Gareth Smythe, ASUCD Senator 20132014


Controller
  Kai SavareeRuess, former ASUCD Controller 20062007
  Users/PaulHarms Paul Harms, former ASUCD Controller 20072008 and 20082009
  Joey Chen, former ASUCD Controller 20102011
  Don Ho, former ASUCD Controller 20112012
  Melanie Maemura, former ASUCD Controller 20122013


Unit Directors
  Brett Leggett, Director of the ASUCD Academic Affairs Office 199697
  Dorothy Yee, former Director of the ASUCD City/County Affairs Office 199596 and former Assistant Director of the ASUCD Academic Affairs Office 199697
  Scott Reed, former Director of the Book Exchange 19971998
  Derick Lennox, former Director of ASUCD Lobby Corps 20062008
  Matt Shannon, former Director of ASUCD University Affairs 20072009
  Kabir Kapur, Director of Office of Advocacy and Student Representation 20142015


Elections Committee Chairs
  Sergio Cano Sergio Cano, former ASUCD Elections Committee Chairperson Winter 2011
  Aaron Hsu, former ASUCD Elections Committee Chairperson 20122013
  Eric Renslo, ASUCD Elections Committee Chairperson 20132014


Chief of Staff
  Users/KevinPowers Kevin Powers, ASUCD Chief of Staff 20072008
  Amy Hartstein, ASUCD Chief of Staff 20082009
  Francisco Lara, ASUCD Chief of Staff 20142015


Other
  Tom Aguilar, GSA Vice Chair 20072008, GSA Chair 20062007, GSA External Chair 20052006 (was actually the Internal Affairs Representative to the Legislative Assembly, back in the long, long ago)
  ASUCD Business and Finance Commission, Greg Webb Gregory D. Webb
  Users/MissyWhitney Missy Lyla Whitney, ASUCD Court Chief Justice 20082010


IAC was very influential under the leadership of one of its longestserving chairs, Peter Nguyen.  Serving first as member and Vice Chair of the IAC from 199293, Nguyen went on to chair the commission from Fall 1993 through Winter of 1995 when he was elected ASUCD President.  During this era, a large number of ASUCD leaders emerged from IAC (see above),  and IAC was the primary progressive resistance to the Davis College Republicansdominated Executive Council.  In fact, so many Council bills died in IAC that, for purely political reasons, the Executive Council called a closed session to discuss the job performance of Nguyen as chair in Fall 1994.  Nguyen opened up the closed session to the public, exposed the political gambit to the press, forced the Council majority to back down from removing him as Chair, and caused a backlash against the Davis College Republicans which led to their fall from power in the Winter 1995 election.

 Dramatic incidents 

  Rather dramatically, Users/RevChad was forced to resign from IAC when he joined the 2005/2006 Elections Committee as you can only hold one Senateconfirmed position at any given time.
  Pledge of Allegiance Controversies (20062007): Steve Ostrowski has been a frequent cause of drama, as has the commissioners overreactions to Ostrowski.  Steve introduced a bill to add the U.S. pledge of allegiance to the Senate agenda three times, it failed three times.  Due to the surprise of Users/PaulHarms various Users/AndrewPeake ASUCD officials at being videotaped, the meeting was shortly adjourned. The tape was turned into a http://www.youtube.com/watch?vEicfEjI4YA seven minute Youtube video with music, stock images, and written commentary in the form of title cards.  The cameraman was funded by the conservative http://www.leadershipinstitute.org/ Leadership Institute.  There was also a letter written by former DPD Officer and former Controller  Cameron Menezes that Infernal Affairs Commission attacked the commissioners position on the Pledge.



20070207 11:53:39 nbsp Where can I find the bills that have been proposed before ASUCD regarding the Pledge of Allegiance? Users/CarlosOverstreet
 http://asucd.ucdavis.edu/government/govdocuments/senatebills/bills.html Bill #12 is one of the previous bills to have the pledge mandatory in senate meetings.  ~Matt
 http://asucd.ucdavis.edu/government/govdocuments/senatebills/20052006 The 0506 year, bill #84.
   I see how its only a minor change in the agenda of the meeting, however, I would like to know why it was oppossed with such vehemence, besides the fact Steve Ostrowski was the author?  Users/CarlosOverstreet
    There were a variety of reasons, including that it went against the uc davis principles of community. Im not in a good state to answer your question.
    I read through the principles of community and I dont see how the pledge of allegiance (without a real loose interpretation of the principles) contradicts this.  Users/CarlosOverstreet
     Its a violation of the Principles of Community because the Pledge of Allegiance is, in part, a form of blasphemy in my religion.  As a Discordian, Im sure that Under God really means Under Goddess, so Im cool with that.  But it says To the republic, for which it stands.  This is clearly false, as wiki:wikipedia:Emperor_Norton Emperor Norton, our saint, has clearly declared the United States an empire.  To say anything different would sully the name of Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico, and people should be ashamed to recite this desecrating nonsense.   Users/BrentLaabs
     Do you refrain from saying the pledge of allegiance at all?  Users/CarlosOverstreet
      In the last several Senate meetings, Andrew Peake Peake or Michael A. Molnar Molnar have been leading the Pledge of Allegiance, during public discussion, which is when I normally read off the names. There have been varying degrees of participation, and varying degrees of Under God, but in public discussion it is completely voluntary, and people are allowed to say and think what they want. Users/MaxMikalonis
     Emperor Norton did tolerate the continued presence of Congress, after they did not follow his orders and break up. That can be viewed as him tolerating the duel existance of the Republic. Users/JosephBleckman
    This bill parallels the placement of the flags at Senate. It has the possibility of alienating those that 1) do not identify themselves as American or 2) do not want to or feel it is necessary to pledge to any flag or country. The pledge can also be a very intimidating event for anybody that is attending Senate who is not comfortable with reciting or even hearing the pledge. The flags are a passive display, whereas reciting the pledge is an invasive event to some. Granted, recital of the pledge is voluntary, but listening to the pledge is not. Taken in account with bylaws that require certain people to be present at Senate, the passing of the bill can create a very unfair environment to some. So in the end, this bill can serve to alienate those that are mandated to attend Senate meetings and may even discourage student participation in ASUCD.  Users/EricWu
     The pledge of allegiance is intimidating? Oh, please, Eric. Pathetic, and indicative of how very little you understand or appreciate the United States of America. Users/CameronMenezes

20070207 12:21:27 nbsp The IAC shouldve known better, Mason Harrison anyone?  I dont think its a big deal but then again I wasnt there. Users/GregWebb

As such I want to prevent any speculation or claims regarding this incident, I dislike drama and would like to not see it on this wiki. ~Users/DavidPoole

Linking the video is rather pointless due to how the video itself is rather misleading. The only substantial part of the entire clip is when someone who isnt even on the commission tells the camera man to turn it off. Most people who watch it have absolutely no idea what is really going on, and Id rather not have misleading clip posted here to confuse people. Aside from that, if people feel that the event is worth a paragraph on this page so be it. ~Matt Shannon
  Im inclined to second Commissioner Shannons motion. The clip implies that both formerChairman Harms and Senator Peake are IAC Commissioners, which is an unfortunate implication to draw in this case. Unless this footage actually does make some semimajor media/news providers, the misrepresentation of the Commission is rather shady to have on this page. Now, if the footage does make Fox News, or something like that, then itd have a place here, due to the noteworthiness of it. Users/JosephBleckman Commissioner Bleckman
   Is there a law in ASCUD prohibiting the video recording of ASUCD Commission meetings? Why was steve recording in the first place?  Users/CarlosOverstreet
   I agree with all of you, I linked it to mitigate an edit war, I guess I rather not have pointless reverts etc. I think the issue has passed though.

20070228 16:53:32 nbsp Wow. That video is ridiculously stupid. Users/TusharRawat

20120514 00:06:35 nbsp Its Joshua Herskovitz not Herskoivtz Users/JoshuaHerskovitz
