“Students should know that Associated Students, Inc. exists entirely to serve students,â€Â Lauren Johnson, ASI Vice President of Finance said.
“ASI is all about students serving other students. Whether it be through the Laptop Lending Program, club funding, events, rGrants, meetings or the Bulldog Pantry. We just want to work together with other students to give them the best experience possible here at Fresno State,â€Â said ASI President Jessica Sweeten.
The team is made up of two executives, the president and the vice president of finance as well as 15 student senators, eight of which represent each college or school. The other seven senators represent the entire student body.
“Whenever students have a problem with anything, they should feel comfortable coming to ASI with concerns so that we can help them. One of the best ways to get involved in ASI and the campus at-large is by participating in university-wide committees. The commitment isn’t huge but it goes a long way,â€Â Johnson said.
According to the mission statement on their web site, ASI provides a means for effective student participation in the governance of the University, creates awareness of student opinions on campus issues, assists in the protection of student rights, and provides programs and services to meet the needs of the students and campus community.
Through ASI, students are able to be a part of university-wide committees, known as “shared governance.â€Â This creates the opportunity for students to give their input on campus policies.
ASI has been serving Fresno State students since 1911. In 1921, they were known as Associated Students, when Fresno State was known as Fresno Normal School. As time went on and the campus grew, the name became Associated Students, Inc.
“ASI here at Fresno State wants to make sure that the opinions and voices of the students get heard and their issues are brought up to administrators, Sweeten said, “ It is important to increase the level of productive communication between students and administrators here on campus and we are hoping to be that facilitator.â€Â
“We are putting an extra stress on the shared governance model. ASI has always been focused on shared governance, but especially during the changes made in light of the state’s financial situation that has affected Fresno State, this is a particularly important plan,â€Â Johnson said.
ASI also sponsors and offers several programs. Two of the more important programs involve ASI grants. One is given to clubs and organizations that host events for Fresno State students. These clubs can be given up to $2,000. The other is given to students who are working on projects with faculty supervision.
Among all the other programs that ASI provides, The Readership Program gives students free daily newspapers from the Fresno Bee and the New York Times. ASI also helps provide more 150 Dell laptops for students who want to rent one through the Library Laptop Loaner Program.
All the other programs that ASI provides can be found on their Web site.
“I would love to see ASI expand into a huge presence on this campus. I would love for students to know exactly what ASI is and how we help students and want to be involved in this great organization,â€Â Sweeten said.