Ryan Tubongbanua / The Collegian
Graham Wahlberg filled the void of ASI president, but says regaining the trust of students will be a difficult task
He is a Fresno native, who graduated from Bullard High School Magna Cum Laude.
He sees no future in a political career, despite the fact that during high school he ran for office every year — and lost every year.
Graham Wahlberg filled the vacancy of Mackee M. Mason, who resigned as Associated Students Inc. (ASI) president following violations of the Code of Conduct policy, as did former executive vice president, Sandra Flores.
The executive vice president position was filled by Senator Beatriz Campuzano.
“They [Mason and Flores] put a lot more work in and they are given credit for,â€Â Wahlberg said.
He claims he wants to meet with Mason whose experience he feels is “invaluable,â€Â but has not yet had the time to do so.
“I’m willing to meet with him and take up some of the things he was working on that I agree with,â€Â he said. “I have been advised to do so to have him teach me the ropes.â€Â
Wahlberg, a construction management major, was a senator for the College of Engineering, before becoming Fresno State̢۪s new ASI executive president. He said he is aware of the challenge he has undertaken.
But this is not Wahlberg̢۪s first attempt to win a spot in a political office. He ran last year, but dropped out.
“I did not want to get caught up in the backstabbing,â€Â he said. “I didn’t like the way the campaign was heading and the things you would have to say just to defend yourself.â€Â
He also said he knows that due to the controversy surrounding ASI, things will be more difficult for him.
“We need to work on restoring ASI’s credibility and morality,â€Â he said.
“ASI is not very popular with the students,â€Â Wahlberg said. “Some of the senators refused to wear their shirts with the ASI logo — not me,â€Â he added as he pointed to the ASI letters on his shirt.
Wahlberg has a couple of things in mind to help restore Fresno State̢۪s students̢۪ trust in ASI, such as good decision-making, being open and not giving anyone the opportunity to say anything bad.
“Why are we not winning football games and why is parking such a problem?â€Â Wahlberg said. “I’m sure students want answers.â€Â
But some students do not look to ASI for answers.
“I don’t care about what is going on,â€Â said a pre-nursing student who refused to disclose her name.
“I didn’t know we had a president before the controversy… but I can’t trust them,â€Â said Andrew Sanchez, electrical engineering freshman.
Former ASI President Mackee M. Mason and former Executive Vice President Sandra Flores resigned after stating in letters to students that the substance-free pledge was broken while attending an ASI retreat.
Tollman, J • Oct 25, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Like you had anu Jarod? You were a joke, and still are!
Tollman, J • Oct 25, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Like you had anu Jarod? You were a joke, and still are!
jl • Oct 25, 2008 at 2:13 am
Say what you want, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that our new president thinks that his job is to get answers about why we aren’t winning football games!
Great platform, and it still doesnt take away from the fact that he forgot to mention his outrageous number of campaign violations, trying to act as if he was a noble character! Please!
He says he has no political aspirations, but all he says is what he thinks people want to hear! Football…oooo….parking….yeah! Get some real plans with tangible goals or go sit down.
jl • Oct 24, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Say what you want, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that our new president thinks that his job is to get answers about why we aren’t winning football games!
Great platform, and it still doesnt take away from the fact that he forgot to mention his outrageous number of campaign violations, trying to act as if he was a noble character! Please!
He says he has no political aspirations, but all he says is what he thinks people want to hear! Football…oooo….parking….yeah! Get some real plans with tangible goals or go sit down.
Funny • Oct 24, 2008 at 12:40 pm
JL = Jarod Lindo? Funny you are so quick to criticize. Aren’t you the man who was said he was ‘most qualified’ because, as you say, you are a STUDENT? And I think you were the one who was clueless; last time I remember you tried to MAKE A MOTION AND VOTE in a senate meeting when you weren’t even in office. Idiot. You had no plans, and no clue…so shut up.
Funny • Oct 24, 2008 at 7:40 pm
JL = Jarod Lindo? Funny you are so quick to criticize. Aren’t you the man who was said he was ‘most qualified’ because, as you say, you are a STUDENT? And I think you were the one who was clueless; last time I remember you tried to MAKE A MOTION AND VOTE in a senate meeting when you weren’t even in office. Idiot. You had no plans, and no clue…so shut up.
jl • Oct 23, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Winning games? Come on.
And check your facts, Graham quit the presidential race last year after 300 campaign violations! Before official campaigning even started!
He has never won a political office and now he gets in, by default. And still has no actual plans for anything, he knows what he’s in for?? No he’s in over his head.
jl • Oct 23, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Winning games? Come on.
And check your facts, Graham quit the presidential race last year after 300 campaign violations! Before official campaigning even started!
He has never won a political office and now he gets in, by default. And still has no actual plans for anything, he knows what he’s in for?? No he’s in over his head.
jacko • Oct 23, 2008 at 8:06 am
Winning football games, what a stupid thing to say. Winning football games isnt important. Focus oh helping the students not the athletics program.
jacko • Oct 23, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Winning football games, what a stupid thing to say. Winning football games isnt important. Focus oh helping the students not the athletics program.
Jared Harper • Oct 22, 2008 at 10:09 pm
I agree GM….winning games what the heck does tha have to do with ASI? nothing….they should win back the student fees that Welty and past ASI officers robbed from students.
We were totally ignored and not a single student in ASI advocated for us. The parking is a joke. The corner of Cedar and Shaw should have been done long ago and ASI should have done its governmental duties and pushed the city of fresn to finish it by first day of school.
Oh and what about the fees for the lawsuit? dont give me the dumb arguement ASI, that insurance is covering it. What will you all do to protect students fees from rising. I suggest a 5 year freeze for all Fresno state students. no more student fees stop them for 5 years.
If you want to get in good with students ASI…then ask the students what they want. dont take our money and run. (or buy a beer and leave us out) just kidding
Jared Harper • Oct 23, 2008 at 5:09 am
I agree GM….winning games what the heck does tha have to do with ASI? nothing….they should win back the student fees that Welty and past ASI officers robbed from students.
We were totally ignored and not a single student in ASI advocated for us. The parking is a joke. The corner of Cedar and Shaw should have been done long ago and ASI should have done its governmental duties and pushed the city of fresn to finish it by first day of school.
Oh and what about the fees for the lawsuit? dont give me the dumb arguement ASI, that insurance is covering it. What will you all do to protect students fees from rising. I suggest a 5 year freeze for all Fresno state students. no more student fees stop them for 5 years.
If you want to get in good with students ASI…then ask the students what they want. dont take our money and run. (or buy a beer and leave us out) just kidding
gm • Oct 22, 2008 at 11:23 am
Why are we not winning football games? There is a topic of great importance for ASI. If you really want to get the respect and support of students, then be an advocate for students, not the administration. Don’t tell students that ASI is lobbying in Sacramento to keep state fees down then campaign and vote to increase student fees. Don’t support taking money from students in the form of fee increases because it is desperately needed to fund student organizations and then spend thousands of dollars for trips and retreats for yourselves. Where is ASI on the fact that many of the food choices on campus are being eliminated? Where was ASI during the creation of the Master Plan that led to that decision? Could you justify to the students each and every expenditure in the budget? Just because things have been done a certain way, doesn’t mean that is how it should be. Winning football games isn’t an ASI problem, winning for students is.
gm • Oct 22, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Why are we not winning football games? There is a topic of great importance for ASI. If you really want to get the respect and support of students, then be an advocate for students, not the administration. Don’t tell students that ASI is lobbying in Sacramento to keep state fees down then campaign and vote to increase student fees. Don’t support taking money from students in the form of fee increases because it is desperately needed to fund student organizations and then spend thousands of dollars for trips and retreats for yourselves. Where is ASI on the fact that many of the food choices on campus are being eliminated? Where was ASI during the creation of the Master Plan that led to that decision? Could you justify to the students each and every expenditure in the budget? Just because things have been done a certain way, doesn’t mean that is how it should be. Winning football games isn’t an ASI problem, winning for students is.