Associated Students Inc. Executive Director Richard Haller opened the senate floor to questions about the proposed 2009-2010 ASI and USU budgets for next year at the ASI Senate meeting on Wednesday.
The second reading of the 2009-10 ASI budget was approved by senators and will continue onto its third and final reading at next week’s meeting.
Senators Everett Bryan, of the College of Engineering and Avis Atkins, of the College of Liberal Arts, brought up several questions regarding the budget, including those concerning increases and decreases in payroll and scholarships.
Haller told senators that any proposed amendments to the budget would need to be turned in by noon on Friday, so they can be brought to the table and discussed at the final reading along with any other questions.
Despite budget issues, payroll will need to increase to include the future Student Wellness and Recreation Center employees, until new student fees take effect fall 2010 in order to reimburse the University Student Union. The search for SWRC employees will begin before the budget will be settled.
According to ASI Vice President Christopher Chavez, within the next coming week a committee will be interviewing candidates for the new facility’s associate director.
The Beach Legacy Referendum continues to be a campus issue and was addressed by ASI.
ASI Chief of Staff James B. Davis, a senior business administration major, informed the senate of a “No Means No” rally being held today “in opposition to the decision made by the Student Fee Advisory Committee to support the student fee referendum.”
Davis said the rally was organized by the Informations Systems student association .
According to Davis, the rally is to “put a face” to the 60 percent of students who voted against the BLR and will be held at the Speaker’s Platform from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Davis said via e-mail that he personally would “like to see another referendum take place for a lesser amount.” He said he doesn’t want students to be forced to pay a fee whether it is $95 or $1.
“Students are the ones that have to pay for the fee and so the students should be the deciding factor of how much they are willing to pay,” Davis said.
Davis said he wants Cal State Long Beach to be separate from other campuses that have mandated fees like the BLR.
“We don’t want to be like other campuses where the student voice doesn’t count,” Davis said, “I don’t think that’s the type of legacy athletics would want to leave.”
Hey “A Student,” The fans are sitting in the stands to watch the people on the court. No game = no fans. Come up with a better soundbite next time.
Thank you ISSA! 7 people shouldn’t be making the decision when the students already voted.
Who cares if the rally wasn’t a big turnout. Why should 7 little students decide the votes of 38,000 students? Budget cuts? Yeah, we’ve heard it all and we’re doing our parts. Don’t do it on the backs of us.
We aren’t even accepting students in the spring semester, and it’d be a slap in the face to enforce this nazi-vote fee on us students.
yes i’m mad.
as for the athlete situation…
THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE SITTING IN THE STANDS THAN IN THE GAME.
I appreciate ISSA standing up for the students!!!!! It was a needed thing. Thank you!
actually all views were welcomed. The co-organizer of the protest voted yes on the BLR as did some of our speakers we asked to say a few words. I even asked one of the waterpolo players to come and speak, he refused though…
I am the president of the ISSA for my one member (who I’m guessing I know who it is and hasn’t been a regular attendee of meetings and is very misinformed) This protest was not about the BLR, which you would have obviously known if you had listened. this is about democracy. If students do not want this fee, they have the right to say no. If the opinions of the students (who make up the school) don’t want to pay $95 for a fee, why should they be forced to? Other fees have passed just fine. I would welcome the Athletic Dept to rewrite the BLR and present it again. The athletic dept should not be able to push force their agendas on students. That’s ridiculous.
If you are sad the ISSA stands up for the majority of students, get a life. Maybe you’re the one who’s trying to push your personal agenda on all the OTHER STUDENTS. think about it…Teachers/faculty/students all told me they were impressed we would do this for the students. So if we make one student feel significant, our event was a success. We built school spirit. Maybe you should try to do the same member of ISSA.
Facts also were not distorted. We said how many students voted and that we should pay attention. We said multiple times we would welcome a new referendum that students would pass.
it wasn’t much of a protest anyway. i guess people really don’t feel that strongly about it. most of the “facts” presented were distorted. there was heckling when someone from a different viewpoint came up. it seems the values and principles of open and honest communication don’t apply to the protesters.
being a member of ISSA, I am extremely disappointed and embarrased at their management for sponsoring such an event, even with some of their members supporting the measure. it’s sad to see that someone’s personal agenda has to take place of the group.
What kind of democracy are we living in? And if the Fee Advisory Committee didn’t care on what the 60% of students have to say, why do they bother asking?
it wouldn’t have made a difference if i voted. how sad. little by little our values and principles are beginning to degenerate…
the school’s not the only one that needs to cut back because of the recession; where’s my [forced] handout?