Many students know Associated Students, Inc. runs the University Student Union and funds student activities, but ASI officers also work to push the student agenda at the legislative level.
ASI is part of the California State Student Association, a nonprofit organization which comprises all of the California State University’s student governments. The group consults the governor, CSU Board of Trustees and state legislature on issues affecting students. Its mission is to “maintain and enhance access to an affordable, quality public higher education,” according to its website csustudents.org.
ASI President James Ahumada and ASI Secretary for Systemwide Affairs Llaura Garcia represent Cal State Long Beach in CSSA.
Garcia — who also serves as CSSA’s chief of staff — said the goal of the organization is to look at legislative and university affairs and try to address the needs of the students. She said the group is reaching out to students to tell them they have a voice in the decisions that impact them.
“A lot of our students, aside from the board members of CSSA and ASI, don’t know about CSSA,” Garcia said. “We also have a Facebook page. We’re trying to reach out from there… to inform them that they do have a voice at the system-wide level, from the chancellor’s office to legislative issues.”
The group recently released its 2010-11 policy agenda, which includes goals such as improving student shared governance, advocating for the Federal DREAM Act and sending student delegations to Washington to talk to legislators about keeping the CSU affordable.
Student leaders meet regularly to set goals and discuss issues affecting each campus.
“As the budget gets impacted, it affects each campus differently,” Garcia said. “Long Beach State will be different than Sonoma State. They’re able to talk collectively about how each campus is affected, and have a voice based on their campus.”
CSULB may have a particularly central role in governance due to its position as the CSU’s flagship campus and its proximity to the chancellor’s office, located in downtown Long Beach. In addition, former CSULB ASI President Chris Chavez is now the president of CSSA.
Garcia said students are encouraged to get involved. The CSSA website features action steps students can take, like registering to vote and writing letters to the governor.
Visit the CSSA’s website at csustudents.org, or facebook.com/csustudents.
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