ASI president and executive vice president stepped down on Monday
File photo by Bryan Cole / The Collegian
ASI President Mackee M. Mason and Executive Vice President Sandra Flores resigned from office Monday Oct. 6.
The two former executives were not at the special Senate meeting Tuesday night, but members of the Senate read Mason̢۪s and Flores̢۪ letters of resignation, making the announcement public.
Both executives said in their letters that, due to recent events, they have been unable to fulfill their duties as members of ASI and as students.
The Senate put Mason and Flores on probation on Sept. 15 in connection with the violation of the “substance free pledgeâ€Â being broken at an ASI retreat in July. The two former executives are also involved in a lawsuit against ASI and the California State University, Fresno, Association, Inc. claiming wrongful termination of the former ASI executive director.
File photo by Bryan Cole / The Collegian
Craig Parks, senator-at-large, read Mason̢۪s letter, and Alex Andreotti, senate secretary, read Flores̢۪ letter.
Mason stated in his letter: “Recent events have taken away from what we are trying to achieve. As a result, it has made it impossible for me to continue to be productive as president.â€Â
Mason’s letter continued, stating that he did not violate ASI bylaws or policies. He said that he paid back the charges of alcohol on his ASI credit card and “acknowledged, apologized for, and repaired the mistakes.â€Â
Mason̢۪s letter went on to say that he felt the probation issued by the Senate was suitable for his mistake and that the situation was used to attack him personally.
Mason said in his letter that it has become too difficult to perform his job as a student and as a student leader.
“These recent weeks have caused me to fall behind in school and I need to reprioritize what is significant in my life and get back on track with what matters most,â€Â Mason said.
Flores said in her letter that her most important role is that of a student.
“These situations have not been conducive to my health or my ability to be a student-leader and a student,â€Â Flores said in her letter.
She also said in her letter that despite the success she has had in office, the situation has held her back from doing her full duties.
“Sadly, I cannot disclose full information about my experiences in ASI over the past few months, which has led me to not be able to fulfill my duties as a student and as an executive,â€Â Flores said.
The petition that was supposed to be presented at last week̢۪s Senate meeting was submitted yesterday. A group of students collected 488 signatures requesting the removal of Mason and Flores.
Hector Cerda, a social work graduate student, presented the petition to the Senate before the announcement of Mason and Flores̢۪ resignations were made.
“The action to put them on probation is not sufficient,â€Â Cerda said. “We think that there should be stronger actions taken. They should be removed immediately.â€Â
After the meeting, Cerda said he was not expecting the executives to resign.
“Had I known, I would have saved my breath,â€Â Cerda said. “However, i think it is still important that our student body, the Senate, understands how a lot of us feel.â€Â
Joshua Cranston, sociology major, said he was pleased with the resignation.
“I guess they resigned, but they still are doing what the students wanted and that’s what they’re supposed to do,â€Â Cerda said.
Jamie Ruddy, senator for the College of Science and Mathematics, chaired last night̢۪s meeting. She said that senators who wish to fill the open positions can apply. The Senate will review their applications and vote new executives into office.
The bylaws state “the successor must be a current member of the Student Senate in good standing at the time of the vacancy and shall be approved by a simple majority of the present eligible voting members of the Senate.â€Â
Ruddy also said that the university is continuing to work with the Senate on reviewing the financial documents and bylaws.
“The university is going to keep working with us to make sure everything that we are already working on in the ASI office continues to keep going and we’re still working for students,â€Â Ruddy said.
Johnathon • Oct 10, 2008 at 12:00 am
Thank God these two future felons are out of office. It is embarrassing to be a student at Fresno State and have these two subhuman abominations match their ugly faces with their ugly acts of horrible judgement. If you have a class with either one of these two losers, make sure you don’t sit next to them. They will probably try to cheat off you or steal your books. Isn’t that the only thing they are good at? Oh, I mean besides being fat and ugly. But then again, even Stevie Wonder can tell that. Why don’t both of you go on NBC’s The Biggest Loser because that description applies in more than one way to both of you. While you lose weight you hippos, you can also learn how not to be a loser. The whole student body and community is ashamed of you and it is a wonder how you even show your faces on campus. How revolting.
Johnathon • Oct 10, 2008 at 7:00 am
Thank God these two future felons are out of office. It is embarrassing to be a student at Fresno State and have these two subhuman abominations match their ugly faces with their ugly acts of horrible judgement. If you have a class with either one of these two losers, make sure you don’t sit next to them. They will probably try to cheat off you or steal your books. Isn’t that the only thing they are good at? Oh, I mean besides being fat and ugly. But then again, even Stevie Wonder can tell that. Why don’t both of you go on NBC’s The Biggest Loser because that description applies in more than one way to both of you. While you lose weight you hippos, you can also learn how not to be a loser. The whole student body and community is ashamed of you and it is a wonder how you even show your faces on campus. How revolting.
Johnathon • Oct 10, 2008 at 7:00 am
Thank God these two future felons are out of office. It is embarrassing to be a student at Fresno State and have these two subhuman abominations match their ugly faces with their ugly acts of horrible judgement. If you have a class with either one of these two losers, make sure you don’t sit next to them. They will probably try to cheat off you or steal your books. Isn’t that the only thing they are good at? Oh, I mean besides being fat and ugly. But then again, even Stevie Wonder can tell that. Why don’t both of you go on NBC’s The Biggest Loser because that description applies in more than one way to both of you. While you lose weight you hippos, you can also learn how not to be a loser. The whole student body and community is ashamed of you and it is a wonder how you even show your faces on campus. How revolting.
Eric • Oct 9, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Sorry, carlos, but that’s not true. just to be clear here, educational privacy (federal law) covers all students at institutions that receive federal funding and applies to all students, regardless of age or institutional affiliation. let’s hope kevin is right ASI not doing something stupid (again).
Eric • Oct 10, 2008 at 4:30 am
Sorry, carlos, but that’s not true. just to be clear here, educational privacy (federal law) covers all students at institutions that receive federal funding and applies to all students, regardless of age or institutional affiliation. let’s hope kevin is right ASI not doing something stupid (again).
Eric • Oct 10, 2008 at 4:30 am
Sorry, carlos, but that’s not true. just to be clear here, educational privacy (federal law) covers all students at institutions that receive federal funding and applies to all students, regardless of age or institutional affiliation. let’s hope kevin is right ASI not doing something stupid (again).
Red Wave listener • Oct 9, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Cant we all just get along ?
Red Wave listener • Oct 9, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Cant we all just get along ?
Red Wave listener • Oct 9, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Cant we all just get along ?
good 1st step • Oct 9, 2008 at 11:41 am
Alumni,
How exactly has the University “come down so harsh on these two.” What has been done to them yet by the school? Sounds like they are still in school, no charges of any kind filed, scholarships/financial aid intact. Sounds like your approach of not judging too harshly is pretty much in place, at least if you are ASI president and operating on the university dime.
The point of my original post, and I’m flabergasted that nobody seems to be the least bit concerned about it, is that this entire incident shed some light on the practice of ASI officers traveling around the state with their credit cards and cell phones spending student money. While it is done obstensibly to improve student governance, how much bang for that buck are you seeing? Exactly how much money was spent on these retreats and trips and for what? Does this spending do the most to improve the educational experience of students at CSUF? Again, maybe it does but isn’t it time to at least reexamine the underlying assumptions behind this spending?
good 1st step • Oct 9, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Alumni,
How exactly has the University “come down so harsh on these two.” What has been done to them yet by the school? Sounds like they are still in school, no charges of any kind filed, scholarships/financial aid intact. Sounds like your approach of not judging too harshly is pretty much in place, at least if you are ASI president and operating on the university dime.
The point of my original post, and I’m flabergasted that nobody seems to be the least bit concerned about it, is that this entire incident shed some light on the practice of ASI officers traveling around the state with their credit cards and cell phones spending student money. While it is done obstensibly to improve student governance, how much bang for that buck are you seeing? Exactly how much money was spent on these retreats and trips and for what? Does this spending do the most to improve the educational experience of students at CSUF? Again, maybe it does but isn’t it time to at least reexamine the underlying assumptions behind this spending?
good 1st step • Oct 9, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Alumni,
How exactly has the University “come down so harsh on these two.” What has been done to them yet by the school? Sounds like they are still in school, no charges of any kind filed, scholarships/financial aid intact. Sounds like your approach of not judging too harshly is pretty much in place, at least if you are ASI president and operating on the university dime.
The point of my original post, and I’m flabergasted that nobody seems to be the least bit concerned about it, is that this entire incident shed some light on the practice of ASI officers traveling around the state with their credit cards and cell phones spending student money. While it is done obstensibly to improve student governance, how much bang for that buck are you seeing? Exactly how much money was spent on these retreats and trips and for what? Does this spending do the most to improve the educational experience of students at CSUF? Again, maybe it does but isn’t it time to at least reexamine the underlying assumptions behind this spending?
another alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 11:03 am
Its strange that you say that ALUMNI becuase when i attended fresno state my expericnce with people in the dorms and ASI students were pretty much one and the same crowd. Im not saying they all live in dorms, im saying they all were connected more less in the same friendship circles.
i could be wrong things might have changed since
another alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Its strange that you say that ALUMNI becuase when i attended fresno state my expericnce with people in the dorms and ASI students were pretty much one and the same crowd. Im not saying they all live in dorms, im saying they all were connected more less in the same friendship circles.
i could be wrong things might have changed since
another alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Its strange that you say that ALUMNI becuase when i attended fresno state my expericnce with people in the dorms and ASI students were pretty much one and the same crowd. Im not saying they all live in dorms, im saying they all were connected more less in the same friendship circles.
i could be wrong things might have changed since
Carlos • Oct 9, 2008 at 8:54 am
not when they are working for student government.
Carlos • Oct 9, 2008 at 3:54 pm
not when they are working for student government.
Carlos • Oct 9, 2008 at 3:54 pm
not when they are working for student government.
Kevin C. • Oct 9, 2008 at 8:28 am
FERPA applies to all students.
Kevin C. • Oct 9, 2008 at 3:28 pm
FERPA applies to all students.
Kevin C. • Oct 9, 2008 at 3:28 pm
FERPA applies to all students.
alumni • Oct 8, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Anyone who went to Fresno State and had any interaction around the dorms knows what goes on there is all I am saying!! Yes I do agree it should start there but lets not limit it to just them….
alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 5:35 am
Anyone who went to Fresno State and had any interaction around the dorms knows what goes on there is all I am saying!! Yes I do agree it should start there but lets not limit it to just them….
alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 5:35 am
Anyone who went to Fresno State and had any interaction around the dorms knows what goes on there is all I am saying!! Yes I do agree it should start there but lets not limit it to just them….
another alumni • Oct 8, 2008 at 9:45 pm
well hi there ALUMNI you should understand that if there is to be a campuswide effort to enforce alcohol issues, then what better then to begin from the organization that claims to be the student body leadership.
and when it comes to dorm drinking, the campus does have strict enforcement and anyone caught goes through am enforcement process. Yes there are those who try to hide it. But when yur caught your caught. and the underagre drinking in dorms well seems like you know more than we do….are you also someone who contributed to underage drinking?
another alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 4:45 am
well hi there ALUMNI you should understand that if there is to be a campuswide effort to enforce alcohol issues, then what better then to begin from the organization that claims to be the student body leadership.
and when it comes to dorm drinking, the campus does have strict enforcement and anyone caught goes through am enforcement process. Yes there are those who try to hide it. But when yur caught your caught. and the underagre drinking in dorms well seems like you know more than we do….are you also someone who contributed to underage drinking?
another alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 4:45 am
well hi there ALUMNI you should understand that if there is to be a campuswide effort to enforce alcohol issues, then what better then to begin from the organization that claims to be the student body leadership.
and when it comes to dorm drinking, the campus does have strict enforcement and anyone caught goes through am enforcement process. Yes there are those who try to hide it. But when yur caught your caught. and the underagre drinking in dorms well seems like you know more than we do….are you also someone who contributed to underage drinking?
alumni • Oct 8, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Yes this was an unfortunate incident, but come on now. There has to be more pressing issues then this. If the school is going to come down so harsh on these two, then lets take a good look at all the underage drinking that goes on in the dorms. If we’re going to cast harsh judgement on these two, then lets do it through the entire campus!!
alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 12:37 am
Yes this was an unfortunate incident, but come on now. There has to be more pressing issues then this. If the school is going to come down so harsh on these two, then lets take a good look at all the underage drinking that goes on in the dorms. If we’re going to cast harsh judgement on these two, then lets do it through the entire campus!!
alumni • Oct 9, 2008 at 12:37 am
Yes this was an unfortunate incident, but come on now. There has to be more pressing issues then this. If the school is going to come down so harsh on these two, then lets take a good look at all the underage drinking that goes on in the dorms. If we’re going to cast harsh judgement on these two, then lets do it through the entire campus!!
good 1st step • Oct 8, 2008 at 9:58 am
It is great that Mason & Flores finally did the right thing and stepped down. Now the time has come for the ASI to show some real leadership. First there should be true transparency on ASI spending and practices. What is taking so long on the review of documents from this summer? Students should have a clear understanding of precisely what their money is being spent on. Then, as part of that understanding, the time has come to reconsider what those spending priorities are. Is it the best use of student money to have ASI traveling up and down the state going to other schools to learn how their organizations work? Are cell phones needed? Is the trip to D.C. taken last spring really going to have the most direct impact on Fresno State students? The answers may be yes, but the status quo needs to be challenged. The country and state are in economic crisis and it is not going to get better any time soon. Fees are going up and will continue to do so. Just because things have been done a certain way doesn’t mean that is in the best interest of students in the current atmosphere.
good 1st step • Oct 8, 2008 at 4:58 pm
It is great that Mason & Flores finally did the right thing and stepped down. Now the time has come for the ASI to show some real leadership. First there should be true transparency on ASI spending and practices. What is taking so long on the review of documents from this summer? Students should have a clear understanding of precisely what their money is being spent on. Then, as part of that understanding, the time has come to reconsider what those spending priorities are. Is it the best use of student money to have ASI traveling up and down the state going to other schools to learn how their organizations work? Are cell phones needed? Is the trip to D.C. taken last spring really going to have the most direct impact on Fresno State students? The answers may be yes, but the status quo needs to be challenged. The country and state are in economic crisis and it is not going to get better any time soon. Fees are going up and will continue to do so. Just because things have been done a certain way doesn’t mean that is in the best interest of students in the current atmosphere.
good 1st step • Oct 8, 2008 at 4:58 pm
It is great that Mason & Flores finally did the right thing and stepped down. Now the time has come for the ASI to show some real leadership. First there should be true transparency on ASI spending and practices. What is taking so long on the review of documents from this summer? Students should have a clear understanding of precisely what their money is being spent on. Then, as part of that understanding, the time has come to reconsider what those spending priorities are. Is it the best use of student money to have ASI traveling up and down the state going to other schools to learn how their organizations work? Are cell phones needed? Is the trip to D.C. taken last spring really going to have the most direct impact on Fresno State students? The answers may be yes, but the status quo needs to be challenged. The country and state are in economic crisis and it is not going to get better any time soon. Fees are going up and will continue to do so. Just because things have been done a certain way doesn’t mean that is in the best interest of students in the current atmosphere.
better late than never • Oct 8, 2008 at 8:54 am
Glad to see the Mason and Flores– the dynamic duo– have finally seen “the light” and have done something “right” during their pathetic administration. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! Oh, does anyone know what the heck does 1509 mean? Sounds stupid!
better late than never • Oct 8, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Glad to see the Mason and Flores– the dynamic duo– have finally seen “the light” and have done something “right” during their pathetic administration. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! Oh, does anyone know what the heck does 1509 mean? Sounds stupid!
better late than never • Oct 8, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Glad to see the Mason and Flores– the dynamic duo– have finally seen “the light” and have done something “right” during their pathetic administration. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER! Oh, does anyone know what the heck does 1509 mean? Sounds stupid!
Carlos • Oct 8, 2008 at 6:24 am
(FERPA) laws only apply to students under the age of 18. in this case UNDER AGE means under the age of 21 which is the legal drinking age.
Carlos • Oct 8, 2008 at 1:24 pm
(FERPA) laws only apply to students under the age of 18. in this case UNDER AGE means under the age of 21 which is the legal drinking age.
Carlos • Oct 8, 2008 at 1:24 pm
(FERPA) laws only apply to students under the age of 18. in this case UNDER AGE means under the age of 21 which is the legal drinking age.
Kevin C. • Oct 8, 2008 at 6:03 am
Releasing information on the underage students would be a violation of their student rights and federal law (FERPA). One would hope that ASI wouldn’t be that dumb.
Kevin C. • Oct 8, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Releasing information on the underage students would be a violation of their student rights and federal law (FERPA). One would hope that ASI wouldn’t be that dumb.
Kevin C. • Oct 8, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Releasing information on the underage students would be a violation of their student rights and federal law (FERPA). One would hope that ASI wouldn’t be that dumb.
Carlos • Oct 8, 2008 at 2:39 am
hey what happened to the under age student that drank alcohol? are they being punished?
Carlos • Oct 8, 2008 at 9:39 am
hey what happened to the under age student that drank alcohol? are they being punished?
Carlos • Oct 8, 2008 at 9:39 am
hey what happened to the under age student that drank alcohol? are they being punished?
Jim • Oct 8, 2008 at 2:15 am
All I can say is its about damn time. They’ve shown they were too pigheaded to do the right thing until forced to do it. I’m glad that ASI can now move on and get back to performing its mission.
Jim • Oct 8, 2008 at 9:15 am
All I can say is its about damn time. They’ve shown they were too pigheaded to do the right thing until forced to do it. I’m glad that ASI can now move on and get back to performing its mission.
Jim • Oct 8, 2008 at 9:15 am
All I can say is its about damn time. They’ve shown they were too pigheaded to do the right thing until forced to do it. I’m glad that ASI can now move on and get back to performing its mission.