In the first of a series, the Daily 49er brings you the Associated Students Inc. candidates, in their own words. Online elections will be March 21-24.
Justin Lawson
Justin Lawson, a junior political science major, secretary of system-wide affairs under Associated Students Inc. and restaurant server at Lucille’s, is a self-proclaimed “high strung person.” He is also running for ASI treasurer.
“It’s just my personality,” he said.
Lawson first became involved on campus through the Theta Chi Fraternity. His fraternity brothers later encouraged him to be part of ASI.
Within 11 months of starting school, Lawson became president of his fraternity, and, within four months of his presidency, he became assistant secretary of system-wide affairs. Lawson plans to graduate in the spring of 2012.
Q: How do you plan on voicing students’ grievances about the budget cuts?
A: Advocacy. That is one of the main focuses of ASI, to school administration, the California State Student Association and the state. All the executives work towards advocacy. [I would advocate for] full participation in Lobby Corps, [which] the board created this semester, continuing sending the president and student representative to the monthly CSSA meetings, participating in the March for March.
March 14 is when students of the CSU are all meeting up in Sacramento to voice their opinions. [I would advocate for] participating in the CSSA events, participating in CHESS (California Higher Education Student Summit). ASI has done an excellent job in advocating for students on behalf of budget cuts and things like this.
Q: What would be your main focus during your term?
A: [The] main focus of my term would be making the resources and funds ASI has to offer more accessible to more students. There are a lot of student organizations that take full advantage of the funds in ASI, but there are a lot that don’t, and there are a lot of students that don’t know the capabilities that ASI has to offer. I would do my best to make funds more accessible by making the grant allocation process an online process and making fiscal certification more accessible [through] an online process.
The more student organizations that are fiscally certified, the more opportunity they have to receive funds.
Q: How is your candidacy different from your competitor’s?
A: My candidacy is different in the ideas. I believe I had the right ideas for the position with the idea of making ASI more accessible to students by utilizing the website and making grant allocation an online process.
I believe that is really going to make ASI and the funds more accessible to the students. I believe that is how I am different.
Q: In your own words, what’s the purpose of your position and the important duties?
A: The purpose of treasurer is to act as the chief financial officer of the corporation and to chair the Board of Control. They oversee the grant allocation process.
Q: How are you qualified for the position?
A: I have served in ASI for two years, in the president’s cabinet and as an academic senator, and I have executive leadership experience in other student organizations.
Q: How do you respond to students who say the ASI execs are paid too much? Would you consider taking a pay cut?
A: My first priority is service to students and student organizations. This comes before compensation. I’m open to having talks with students and gathering their opinion on executive compensation and having a real conversation.
I do not believe that executives are overly compensated because most of the time they spend 34-40 hours in the office. They put in a lot of hard work, but I am open to having discussions. I would consider having a discussion [about taking a paying cut].
Q: What do you want the students to know about you as a person?
A: I am a driven, motivated individual who enjoys leadership and really enjoys everything ASI has to offer.
Michael Quibuyen
It’s Thursday morning and Michael Quibuyen has hit the snooze button several times before dragging himself out of bed. To begin his day, Quibuyen starts with his hair.
“I feel like when I do my hair, I’m being creative,” he said. “It’s never the same all the time. I guess I feel to get those creative juices going every day, I create with my hair.”
Quibuyen believes in the power of sustainability and hopes to incorporate it more on campus. He is a “super senior,” expected to graduate in the spring of 2012 with a major in environmental science and policy, and a minor in political science. He is the current ASI senator for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Q: How do you plan on voicing students’ grievances about the budget cuts?
A: Personally, through advocating in the Senate to drive resolutions not only through the senators, but also through writing proposals in the Board of Control. I will utilize the newly formed Lobby Corps committee to be a street team to reach out to organizations that want to help advocate against the budget cuts. I want to gain more visibility and notoriety throughout the state by funding programs that student organizations and Lobby Corps can work together on and support large marches on campus and abroad. By allowing for funding for student travel to have representation at the capitol, I will collaborate a lot with the other branches and organizations on campus.
Q: What would be your main focus during your term?
A: My main focus will be to re-evaluate the grant-making process and make sure to sit on the committee that will oversee the Student Excellence Fund because it is a fee increase that will help programs like the Educational Opportunity Program and bring back outreach events such as Kaleidoscope.
Q: How is your candidacy different from your competitor’s?
A: My campaign is different because I am viewing the position from the perspective of an everyday student. My background is similar to many students on campus and I feel I would connect more with students and organizations. I am very knowledgeable about what ASI has to offer and how the corporation works with many of the services on campus.
I am also very knowledgeable about the grassroots sustainability movement that is occurring on campus, I feel I would be a great representative for that group of students and I understand many of the projects that will eventually come through the Board of Control. I have also served on the Board of Control for my whole term and I have grasped the idea of how meetings are run and how I would be able to improve upon the process.
Q: In your own words, what’s the purpose of your position and the important duties?
A: The Treasurer of ASI is the Chief Financial Officer that oversees a multi-million dollar budget and is responsible for the sustainability of the corporation through advocacy, creating, and maintaining an operating budget, and voicing the concerns of students to the administration.
The responsibilities, for me, include providing funding for student organizations as well as enriching the lives of students on campus through many of the services that ASI offers. The ASI treasurer is not limited only to money but also to be an advocate for the students by helping organizations become sustainable. It is also about being a person that is approachable to the student body so that other students can see the work ASI does. I want to strive to work with students that are not involved with an organization to show them how easy it is to make the most out of their college experien
ce.
Q: How are you qualified for the position?
A: I am qualified for the position because of my experiences with ASI and my passion to help engage the students in organizations or other events. Although I do not have much experience in the position of treasurer, I have learned from all the leaders in the previous years and I can honestly say that the duties listed for each position play a very small part in the position itself. Treasurer is more than a position about money and budgets, but it is also a position that will be great approaching students, being compassionate when organizations need funding or being relatable when students are in need of assistance. I also know enough about the structure and policy in ASI to actually know the answers to all the questions that may come up.
There will be times where ASI will need to overcome adversity and adapt to sudden changes and, from my experience being a part of different student organizations, I know that I will definitely be able to change to the unexpected.
Q: How do you respond to students who say the ASI execs are paid too much? Would you consider taking a pay cut?
I would like to say that I understand the concern the students have about being paid too much. I am a student on financial aid, paying for college on my own and working a part-time job to make ends meet. I can assure the students that the money ASI executives get is not affecting student organization funding or other student services.
Also, it needs to be voiced more openly that the fellowship agreement that ASI executives sign has a provision that, if you’re employed anywhere else, you have to leave the position and dedicate 25 or more hours a week to serve the students. The amount of money that is allocated to the ASI executives covers the cost of living for the student. I feel, in my situation, it is absolutely necessary to be paid for the position. Since I have bills to pay and other responsibilities to take care of for myself and my family, I only would consider taking a pay cut when it is the absolute last resort to save a program or other student service within ASI that I hold dear to my heart.
Q: What do you want the students to know about you as a person?
I want them to know I am really someone they can approach. I’m funny, proactive and laidback. I will do my best to really advocate for them too. I’m hardworking and I really want to reach out to other unknown organizations and get in touch and see what their issues are with the campus. I will really try my best to save students money, because I’m a student too. In terms of sustainability I want them to know that I’m always working towards environmentalism in order to improve campus life.
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