Associated Students Inc. has joined the “Made in the CSU” campaign, a statewide support system advocating higher education in the state of California.
The California State Student Association, which founded the campaign, describes its mission statement as “to maintain and enhance access to an affordable, quality higher education for the people of California,” and defines itself as the single recognized voice for the Cal State University system.
ASI has been advocating the campaign by spreading the word throughout the CSULB campus since April 20.
ASI president James Ahumada spoke to student senators about the campaign during Wednesday’s Senate meeting.
Senator Stephen Thomas, who is part of Lobby Corps’ campaign coordination subcommitee, said ASI’s role in the campaign was about letting everyone know how important education is to California.
“James [Ahumada] and myself have been working together to coordinate the campaign to reach the most students with the materials that we were given to work with,” Thomas said. “We have posted flyers on our campus and posted stakes with information. We have also put up handbills and table tents postings on the tables in the USU, Nugget and University Dining Plaza.”
According to Thomas, the student staff in the University Student Union, Student Recreation and Wellness Center, the Nugget and the dining plaza are wearing the Made in the CSU shirts on Wednesdays for 3 weeks. ASI has also distributed buttons and wristbands to help inform students on the importance of the CSU.
CSSA hopes to capture the attention of state legislators by showing exactly how much of a contribution the CSU system makes to the state’s economy. According to its website, the CSU system returns $5.43 to the economy for every dollar the state invests in it. Furthermore, more than 95,000 people graduate into the workforce from the CSU each year.
“Our collegiate educational system is the driving force behind so many vital industries in California,” Thomas said. “California is made in the CSU.”
Among the professionals graduating from the CSU are nurses, farmers, engineers, law enforcement officials and numerous others. Fifty-two percent of California’s teachers, 82 percent of social workers and 54 percent of business professionals owe their degrees to the CSU.
The system also prides itself in maintaining diversity because of the large amount of degrees it confers to students of various ethnic backgrounds.
“That facts are empowering and we want to empower each other to further our success as CSU students,” Thomas said. “We are the future.”
The Made in the CSU website is connected to YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. It features a support pledge that anyone can fill out, as well as a list of those who have signed it.
ASI Executive Director Richard Haller and ASI Vice President Lucy Nguyen have already taken the pledge.
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