The executive director of Associated Students Inc. at Cal State East Bay was recently forced to step down from his position.
Executive Director Robert Lara received the order from the campus president, for undisclosed reasons.
According to Cal State Long Beach ASI Executive Director Richard Haller, the political implications could influence other schools as well. He said the action could possibly have been intended to lessen the scope of ASI’s authority.
“I am not familiar with East Bay’s constitution or bylaws, so I’m not sure what they allow or don’t allow,” he said. “[There is] speculation that the university was attempting to take over control of the University Union, which is currently under ASI’s management.”
Haller noted that there was a clear hierarchy in power between a CSU campus and its ASI program.
“ASIs are separately incorporated nonprofit corporations that are considered auxiliary organizations of the university,” he said.
The CSULB ASI job description for the position of executive director describes it as someone who “is responsible for the overall financial, legal, programmatic and administrative management of the nonprofit membership association.”
The reasons for the sudden termination of such a high-ranking figure remain unclear.
CSUEB ASI Board Administrator Lil Parker described the available information as “generalized,” when asked to explain the circumstances surrounding the situation.
“We as a staff have not been privy to that information,” she said.
Neither Lara nor the CSUEB ASI president could be reached for comment.
Regarding the power balance of ASI organizations, Haller said, “Although they are legally separate entities, their formation is subject to the approval of the CSU as well as the individual campus. As a result, they are ultimately under the direction and control of the campus president.”
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