During its senate meeting Tuesday night, the Undergraduate Student Government announced Zach Garcia as the winner in a special election that took place from Sept. 10–12 . USG held the special election to fill the vacant spot left after former senator Dakota Driemeyer resigned Aug. 18. 

Garcia, a former senator and accessibility chair at Pepperdine University and a senior majoring in political science, framed his campaign around addressing students’ basic needs around food insecurity and expenses such as parking permits and laundry fees.  

Now that he is elected, Garcia said he is working on implementing Electronic Benefits Transfer cards as an acceptable payment option at on-campus dining locations such as SEEDS Marketplace and Tutor Campus Center. 

During the senate meeting, chief justice Ryan Tung announced that students cast a total of 1,418 votes — equal to about 6.8% of the undergraduate population — up from the 987 ballots cast in the last special election in September 2024. 

Garcia received 340 votes, which was 23.9% of the total votes cast among the eight candidates that remained after one candidate, Landon Lagesen, was disqualified by USG’s judicial council for violating multiple sections of the USG Elections Code.

The judicial council found Lagesen guilty of three violations, including improper solicitation of votes, offering favors to influence voters and coercion through rewards. The council found him guilty Sept. 19.

The case began when Tung filed a complaint Sept. 12, alleging that another student solicited votes for Lagesen in exchange for guaranteed entry into a Pi Kappa Alpha party Sept. 11. 

While Lagesen argued that he was unaware of the students actions, the council determined fraternity ties made it “impossible for Lagesen to have never met” the student and ruled that he had responsibility when it came to his supporters’ conduct. 

The council found Lagesen not guilty on two charges, including allegations tied to participating in group messaging online while sharing information about his candidacy, and said the definition of “items,” such as clothing and stickers, in one charge was too ambiguous to convict. The council concluded that Lagesen’s campaign compromised the fairness of the election. 

“The resulting outcome of the election through the Defendant’s campaign is not fair and does not uphold the values of the Undergraduate Student Government,” the opinion read.

As a sanction, Lagesen was disqualified from the special election. However, the council noted that he “is not barred from participating in future elections.” 

During the meeting, senator Sudeepta Murthy presented her projects, saying she and her senate aides completed a project to increase transparency with USC Hospitality for the Flex120 meal plan and its eating time restrictions. 

The Hospitality website has been updated with the hours in which students on the plan can use their swipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Murthy said she is also working with USC Hospitality on the possibility of allowing students to opt out of the meal plan for the next year. 

In her presentation, Murthy also said that she has been working to evaluate the feasibility and logistics of a Waymo discount and expanding the Free Lyft program’s hours.  

Murthy also said she is currently working on adding new study spaces and wants to give the lecture rooms in the Leavey Library basement 24-hour access. 

“We’re hoping that by opening the existing classrooms, we can foster that community,” Murthy said.

During its meeting, the senate confirmed Autumn DeBonnett, a junior majoring in business administration and communication, as the Black Student Assembly advocacy liaison. 

Chief diversity officer Yasmeen ElFarra said that DeBonnett is passionate about enhancing the Black student experience on campus, and plans to ensure that Black student voices are uplifted and heard when it comes to University decision-making. 

Chief programming officer Alisandra Edmonds also announced the appointment of Morelia Cadenas, a junior majoring in public relations and advertising, as the co-executive director of the Undocumented Trojan Success Assembly. Cadenas will work with UTSA to foster a safe and supportive environment for undocumented or temporary resident students.