As part of a series, the Daily 49er brings you the Associated Students Inc. candidates, in their own words. Online elections will be March 21-24.
Stephen Thomas has a lot on his plate. He is a full-time student, with a part-time job as a P.F. Chang’s server and still finds time to indulge in personal challenges, like his last expenditure in May, when he climbed Mount Shasta.
“I feel like I’m always busy, but I’m not upset about it,” he said.
Thomas is a junior business management major, as well as the current Associated Students Inc. senator for the College of Business Administration. He serves as Senate Pro Temp, the chair of the Senate Audit Committee and the Senate representative for both the Board of Control and the Student Fee Advisory Committee. Last year, he served as the vice president of his fraternity Theta Chi and president of the Interfraternity Council. He is also a member of the Society for Advancement of Management.
“I purposely make myself busy,” he said. “It’s what gets me going, it’s what motivates me. I have no room to complain about it.”
At 21 years old, Thomas plans on graduating in the spring of 2013. He is currently campaigning for ASI vice president.
Q: How do you plan on voicing students’ grievances about the budget cuts?
A: Well, I believe ASI leadership needs to be proactive in dealing with the budget crisis. We need to be able to respond quickly and firmly. We have to send a message to CSU and California that we are the future of this state and that California cannot continue to put more and more financial burdens on college students. During my term as secretary for system-wide affairs, we implemented the “More Than Numbers” campaign to help all students understand the severity of the budget cuts to higher education. I also flew to Sacramento, where I visited the capitol to visit the decision makers and make sure that they keep education a priority for California. As a senator, I continued work in Lobby Corps and wrote important resolutions to oppose the budget and bills that would reduce services to ASI students. It is vital to continue all this work to make education California’s top priority for investing in the future.
Q: What would be your main focus during your term?
A: Over the next year, I would focus on fundamental aspects of student advocacy such as legislative lobbying, shared governance and fair process for all students. Through our legislative lobbying efforts, we need to make sure that students are represented in the state and federal arena so that they continue to invest in higher education and our future. Through efforts like shared governance where ASI shall continue to work alongside the university to make sure that we have a seat at the table for concerns, like class availability.
Another one of my focuses would be in fair process for all students when we, as students, make university grievances like grade appeals. The process is different from department to department and college to college, and I want to make sure that we continue the work we have done this year to make that a standardized process across the university so that we, as students, are all treated equally.
Q: How is your candidacy different from your competitors?
A: Experience. I believe that my experience gives me the knowledge of how to deal with the many challenges ASI and CSULB’s students are facing.
Q: In your own words, what’s the purpose of your position and the important duties?
A: For me, being vice president is more than chairing the meetings. It’s making sure that the official campus voice of CSULB’s students is functioning properly. The well being of ASI is dependent on the well being of the Senate; when a Senate is productive and actively engaged with the campus community, ASI as a whole does better. We need to make sure that the Senate collaborates together to create clear and tangible goals at the beginning of the year so it can be productive.
Q: How would you increase the communication between ASI and the students?
A: I think that it boils down to involvement. ASI needs to be more involved in the lives of students, and I know more students would love to be involved in ASI. We should focus more on creative programs such as street teams, which go out and reach the students on the way to classes and in the dorms in order to give all students more accessible information about what ASI is doing. It will also be my promise to have an open door policy so that all students can work together to create a strong ASI for the future.
Q: How are you qualified for the position?
A: Well, first as a member of the board last year I was able to learn and understand basic workings of the Senate and how it functions. Also, as Pro Temp of the board, I have worked closely with the vice president to understand the behind-the-scenes work that goes into such a large meeting with so many members. As chair of the Senate Audit Committee, I was given the opportunity to run ASI meetings efficiently and effectively so that all members are heard and what happens in the meetings is reported back to the senate. On a more personal level, I believe that I am an enthusiastic and a creative problem solver. When concerns are brought forward, handling them head-on and with enthusiasm is my approach to having a productive senate.
Q: How do you respond to students who say the ASI execs are paid too much? Would you consider taking a pay cut?
A: ASI executives are expected to work 25 hours a week and sign a fellowship agreement that this will be their only form of employment. As common practice, executives put in 35 to 45 hours a week, which doesn’t always equate to California minimum wage, but that’s beside the point. ASI is here to serve the students. If it comes to cutting executive pay or student programs and organization funding, of course it is time to reevaluate things. It has happened before and may very well happen again.
Q: What do you want the students to know about you as a person?
A: I am a student just like you. I commute to school and work hard while still balancing ASI, school and my friends. I love smiling and making n
ew friends. I’m a fun and enthusiastic person and love to spend time with friends and family. I am motivated by challenges and I believe that in times like this, we will be facing more and more challenges with the California budget and these types of issues motivate me the most.
Mild mannered University Student Union commercial services employee Melissa Molina has a tough road ahead of her in her campaign for vice president of Associated Students, Inc.
Molina, who is new to the realm of student politics, hopes to overcome her more experienced competition like the protagonist of a modern day Cinderella story. But this Cinderella likes rap music.
“Mostly what I listen to is underground hip-hop,” she said. “That’d be awesome if I could rap! But I can’t.”
Claiming music as her passion, Molina believes she can relate to students well and represent their voice accurately.
Some may recognize her if they’ve bought discounted amusement park tickets or a Snickers bar from her before, since her work in USU commercial services encompasses both the information desk and the candy counter, as well as the games center. The 21-year-old nutrition major is in her fourth year of school and expects to graduate in the spring of 2013.
Q: How do you plan on voicing students’ grievances about the budget cuts?
A: Something that I really want to get done in office is to start the new Tuition Relief Now Act. What it does is it freezes tuition for the next five years and to make up for revenue we would tax millionaires 1 percent. Those that receive annual income greater than 1 million dollars would get a 1 percent tax. This was something that was done in 2008, I believe. I don’t think they got enough signatures, so it wasn’t put on the ballot. I remember signing the petition when I was a freshman. I’m trying to bring it back.
Q: What would be your main focus during your term?
A: Well, my main focus would be to do that, the Tuition Relief Now. Also, I would like to bring concerts to the campus. Warped Tour was done here every year, and I’d like to bring that back. We have that beautiful big pyramid that holds, what? Like 5000 people? I feel like Long Beach is a very artistic and musical community and I’d like to bring some of that back and create school spirit.
Q: How is your candidacy different from your competitors?
A: Well, my candidacy is a little different because I feel like I can relate to the students more. I don’t dress in a suit everyday. I know [Stephen Thomas is] involved in a frat, I’m not. He like has all these posters of himself up and I don’t. Also I know he’s running with Lucy and the other treasurer and I’m by myself. My main focus is on school spirit and uniting the campus.
Q: In your own words, what’s the purpose of your position and the important duties?
A: Well, as vice president I would be in charge of the Senate. My duties include meeting the needs of the students and meeting with the Senate to discuss current events on campus, like issues within the Senate.
Q: How would you increase the communication between ASI and the students?
A: Like I said [at the executives’ forum], it’s all about, like, getting our word out there. Most students don’t really know what goes on in ASI. They don’t know where their money goes, where ASI money is being spent. Also it would be nice to get feedback from the students about changes that they would like to see on campus and where they would like their money to go.
Q: How are you qualified for the position?
A: While working within the building for like three years now I get to see what they do, like what goes on in campus. I feel like it’s something I could do. I’d like to make a difference on campus. I’ve been coming to school for four years working and taking a full load. I have good time management I feel like I have a lot of new ideas I’d like to bring to the table and I’m truly here for the students, to serve the students.
Q: How do you respond to students who say the ASI execs are paid too much? Would you consider taking a pay cut?
A: Wel
l I understand where they’re coming from saying we get paid too much, but there are a lot of duties and a lot of time put into this job. If I do get elected as vice president, I can’t hold another job. This would be my only source of income, and like everyone else I have to pay rent and bills. If the students felt that I needed to take a pay cut, then I would. But I would prefer not to.
Q: What do you want the students to know about you as a person?
A: I’m a humble person. I don’t get angry very often. I am a hard worker. Dedicated, too. I finish everything I start. I’m optimistic and open to new ideas.
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