ASI execs talkin’ politics

Associated Students, Inc. President John Haberstroh and Vice President Jonathon Bolin kicked off their series of town hall meetings yesterday, giving students a medium to voice their concerns and hold dialogue with ASI leaders.

The town hall meetings fulfill a campaign promise the duo made when running for office in the spring.

Haberstroh explained ASI’s structure and function to those in attendance, stressing the importance of student feedback and participation.

“There is an idea that ASI is an elite club that sits around and does nothing,” Haberstroh said. “We want to be visible and fit into students’ routines.”

Bolin presented an ASI Senate update, announcing ASI’s support for Proposition 30 and asking students to vote for it. If passed, the bill would protect funding allocated to the CSU this academic year by raising the state sales tax and increasing taxes for those with incomes exceeding $250,000 per year.

If the proposition fails in November, the CSU would face a $250 million trigger cut.

“Please, in November, vote yes on Prop. 30,” Bolin said.

Bolin also recapped to students that the CSU’s finance committee postponed voting on three new proposed student fees yesterday that would have charged students for taking heavy loads of classes, postponing graduation and repeating classes.

Bolin also updated students about the happenings on campus, including renovations to the recycling center and a new Student Recreation and Wellness Center policy that bans cell phone use in the locker rooms.

He added that the campus shuttle system is developing its own app that will show the locations of the campus shuttles, how many people are riding them and when they will be arriving at their next stops.

The floor then opened up for students to ask questions and raise concerns.

Some concerns that students mentioned included a desire for concerts on campus by big name artists, ASI’s
availability to students and a need for more printers throughout campus.

Jane Emerson, a junior women’s studies major and Middle East studies minor, asked the executives what ASI’s stance on HR 350 was, a bill that suppresses free speech, she said.

“HR 350 classifies any sort of criticism or discussion about Israeli military action as anti-Semitism,” she said.

Emerson said she would like to see opposition against the bill from administrators.

Bolin and Haberstroh said they had never heard of HR 350, and that’s why the town hall meetings are so important.

“I would have never heard of it,” he said. “We want this to be a forum for students to voice their opinions in a non-formal meeting.”

Bolin said all comments are welcome, negative ones especially.

“Negative views are what we need,” he said. “They improve you by checking your performance.”

Marcella Santia, a senior human development major, said the meeting was informative and productive and that she would be returning.

“This is a first step to get involved with ASI and be a part of what I pay for,” she said.