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ASI discusses parking prices, friday classes and problems with counseling services

Associated Student Inc. Sen. Marvin Flores reported Wednesday to the Senate that the Parking and Transportation Advisory Committee may be raising the price of parking permits because of the high demand on campus.

Flores said that he and ASI Vice President Miriam Hernandez are working with the committee to see if there is something additional students can get, should the prices go up. The committee has not yet confirmed that the prices will be raised, or what that would do for the parking situation.

“They didn’t tell us what issues exactly they would be fixing,” Flores said.

The topic will be discussed again at next month’s committee meeting, Flores said.

Also during this week’s ASI meeting, Dhushy Sathianathan, Interim Vice President of Academic Planning, brought his proposal to the ASI Senate to change about 100 sections of Monday and Wednesday classes into Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes. He cited concerns about space for classes and services and has brought his proposal to the Academic Senate.

Classroom availability is at capacity Mondays through Thursdays and at 30 percent on Fridays. Sathianathan said that he feels that the space is being underutilized.

There is a policy in place that has been ignored for several years due to low enrollment that states that classes scheduled for Monday and Wednesday in the hours of 8-11 a.m must also be scheduled for Fridays, Sathianathan said.

Sathianathan said that tutoring and research support classes are usually the last things to get scheduled in, causing cancellations.

“What I’m suggesting is that, I don’t want to fully change everybody’s lifestyle, but at least from 8 to 11, we must follow the policy and have at least Monday, Wednesday, Friday [classes] so that we can keep some room for these other activities that we need in the primetime,” Sathianathan said. “Because right now we have absolutely no elbow room for any of that space.”

Sathianathan mentioned that the Chancellor’s Office thinks California State University, Long Beach has sufficient classroom space and does not need to expand, and that the school only needs to manage and optimize its space better.

ASI Treasurer Wendy Lewis  brought up during public comments that the Academic Advising and Resource Center for the College of Health and Human Services is inefficient in how they schedule appointments and work with students. Fatima Hasan, senator for CHHS, echoed her comments.

“Everyone is kind of stuck scrambling to get appointments. It’s a nightmare,” Hasan said. “Maybe next semester you can get an appointment.”

Sen. Kimberly Krezen from the College of Education also reported problems with CED’s advising center later in her senator report. She said that students can no longer do walk-in appointments or call in for appointments. They can only make appointments online, which many students are having a problem with.

Krezen indicated that she may work with Lewis on a solution to the overall problems with academic advising.

ASI Senate voted in Vrinda Bhuta as the Government Elections Officer and confirmed two other positions. Yael Jimenez was confirmed as Associate Justice and Susy Cuevas was confirmed as the new ASI Attorney General.

The Senate also nominated and voted in Sen. Nikki Estanol and Richard Borjas onto Lobby Corps, a sub-committee of ASI Senate.

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