On Tuesday, Nov. 3, approximately 200 students huddled together in the Peace Garden to negotiate demands with President Welty. The outraged crowd, already fueled by increasing fee hikes and fewer classes, called out their student government. “Where is ASI?” they asked, trying to make it seem as though members of ASI didn’t care and weren’t there amongst the crowd to show support.
But I have news for everyone, ASI was there and we do care. We have common goals, we just approach them in different ways.
As students, we know firsthand about fee increases, furloughs and having to register for classes that aren’t available. But as the student government, we know that pouting in a garden isn’t going to do any good. So while another group was holding ‘negotiations’ on campus that yielded little results, ASI was sending student voices straight to the heart of the problem: Sacramento.
That same Tuesday, ASI asked fellow students, “What is your degree worth?” and they told us. They told us what it meant to be the first generation, to break the female wage gap and to live the American dream. We heard them. In fact, we made a video of it to send to every state representative so they could hear too.
So today, when angry demands have fallen silent, the voices ASI asked to speak up are still heard. I encourage everyone to watch the “We Are Worth It” video on YouTube and to tell state representatives that you are worth it too.
Jessica Sweeten,
ASI President
I am sending this letter in regards to your online articles and comments left by fellow students (hopefully not staff as well). While I think a comments section is a great idea for others to voice opinions, I believe that someone should monitor it closer. An opinion is a fine line to walk and many of your posts on the site are pushing that line into hate speech. By definition, hate speech is speech that attacks or disparages a person or group of people based on their social or ethnic group, sexual orientation, social class, appearance, mental capacity and any other distinction that might be considered by some as a liability. I find it disgusting we still live in a world where individuals discriminate against each other, even on our own campus where we should be united as a student body. Furthermore, your staff does not do anything to monitor such comments. Instead of using this section as a form of sharing and commenting on articles, it has been turned into a racist mudslinging event and promotes no form of unity amongst campus. These comments neither help nor support anything that we should stand for and I ask that your staff remove these hateful posts and monitor them closer from here on out.
From a fellow student who is tired of the racist hatred still existing on campus,
Kellie Richards
Naomi • Nov 18, 2009 at 8:35 pm
The person who claims to be our ASI President should be fired! I give you props for writing such an opinion article yet your way of belittling the actions taken by hundreds of students is sad and sickening because your supposed to represent us not talk down to us. I almost feel you think this is a competition between you and your ASI and the “another group” that you mention. You have low self esteem and you need counseling for it becuase you fail to see this error in judgement that you make about you thinking your approach is better. That is why hundreds of students were in the Peace Garden and not at your booth, that is why you claim you want to work for corporate america in the video yet you dont see the numbers, and your fail to see where the numbers are at. Next time you run for president, make sure you run under a slogan that reads “students who dont deserve anything” cause that is how you are thinking.
Naomi • Nov 19, 2009 at 4:35 am
The person who claims to be our ASI President should be fired! I give you props for writing such an opinion article yet your way of belittling the actions taken by hundreds of students is sad and sickening because your supposed to represent us not talk down to us. I almost feel you think this is a competition between you and your ASI and the “another group” that you mention. You have low self esteem and you need counseling for it becuase you fail to see this error in judgement that you make about you thinking your approach is better. That is why hundreds of students were in the Peace Garden and not at your booth, that is why you claim you want to work for corporate america in the video yet you dont see the numbers, and your fail to see where the numbers are at. Next time you run for president, make sure you run under a slogan that reads “students who dont deserve anything” cause that is how you are thinking.
wow • Nov 18, 2009 at 10:40 pm
“A spot in Corporate America!” Awesome Jessica! Thanks for showing us where your leadership is leading Fresno State. You will be a perfect Russel replacement; our student trustee who will look out for the CSU as a business and not for the student’s interest. Why not actually lobby legislators that make budget decisions. An afternoon PSA is not going to change anything.
Love,
Your Biggest Fans
wow • Nov 18, 2009 at 2:40 pm
“A spot in Corporate America!” Awesome Jessica! Thanks for showing us where your leadership is leading Fresno State. You will be a perfect Russel replacement; our student trustee who will look out for the CSU as a business and not for the student’s interest. Why not actually lobby legislators that make budget decisions. An afternoon PSA is not going to change anything.
Love,
Your Biggest Fans
Jared Harper • Nov 18, 2009 at 10:19 am
The video is cute but not powerful.
Sweeten, you say:
“But as the student government, we know that pouting in a garden isn̢۪t going to do any good. So while another group was holding ‘negotiations̢۪ on campus that yielded little results, ASI was sending student voices straight to the heart of the problem: Sacramento.”
Pouting? Little results? Heart of the problem: Sacramento?
Look in the mirror, there is corruption within our local campus. You also fail to acknowledge the students you represent. Putting them down and condeming thier efforts by calling them pouters shows your lack of concern for students and dont be angry yourself or start pouting if they come back at you with harsh words. There have been hundreds of students making huge results. When did the Pres of ASI ever setup a meeting with Welty to negotiate thier concerns? When did the Pres of ASI boldly ask the President of this campus to stand at the forefront of the movement in asking the state to support education?
For all we know, the video ASI sent to Sac, possibly via email by link, or by DVD was probably chucked in the recycle bin or being laughed at by state legislators. What the students have done with the walkout and the negotiations caught statewide attention which might need some persons such as yourself to re-evaluate your opinon on how to advocate for higher education, now if that doesnt have you thinking, then you proabably dont know how to.
Jared Harper • Nov 18, 2009 at 6:19 pm
The video is cute but not powerful.
Sweeten, you say:
“But as the student government, we know that pouting in a garden isn’t going to do any good. So while another group was holding ‘negotiations’ on campus that yielded little results, ASI was sending student voices straight to the heart of the problem: Sacramento.”
Pouting? Little results? Heart of the problem: Sacramento?
Look in the mirror, there is corruption within our local campus. You also fail to acknowledge the students you represent. Putting them down and condeming thier efforts by calling them pouters shows your lack of concern for students and dont be angry yourself or start pouting if they come back at you with harsh words. There have been hundreds of students making huge results. When did the Pres of ASI ever setup a meeting with Welty to negotiate thier concerns? When did the Pres of ASI boldly ask the President of this campus to stand at the forefront of the movement in asking the state to support education?
For all we know, the video ASI sent to Sac, possibly via email by link, or by DVD was probably chucked in the recycle bin or being laughed at by state legislators. What the students have done with the walkout and the negotiations caught statewide attention which might need some persons such as yourself to re-evaluate your opinon on how to advocate for higher education, now if that doesnt have you thinking, then you proabably dont know how to.
Common sense required • Nov 18, 2009 at 9:17 am
The ASI video is and will be completely ineffective in changing anything. It is the type of thing that is done by groups like ASI to make themselves feel good and draw attention to themselves. For how many years have we heard from student leaders about how they went to Sacramento and advocated for students and against fee increases? How has that worked for you? I will go further – these types of efforts are actually counter-productive. They provide cover for do nothing, corrupt politicians in Sacramento, Long Beach and the 4th floor of the library by allowing them to appear sympathetic to the plight of students and promise to do everything they can to help, but nothing changes. Money and votes are the only things that matter to politicians and failure to understand that makes you worse than naive – it makes you part of the problem.
Common sense required • Nov 18, 2009 at 5:17 pm
The ASI video is and will be completely ineffective in changing anything. It is the type of thing that is done by groups like ASI to make themselves feel good and draw attention to themselves. For how many years have we heard from student leaders about how they went to Sacramento and advocated for students and against fee increases? How has that worked for you? I will go further – these types of efforts are actually counter-productive. They provide cover for do nothing, corrupt politicians in Sacramento, Long Beach and the 4th floor of the library by allowing them to appear sympathetic to the plight of students and promise to do everything they can to help, but nothing changes. Money and votes are the only things that matter to politicians and failure to understand that makes you worse than naive – it makes you part of the problem.
The helper • Nov 18, 2009 at 12:47 am
Directed at Jessica Sweeten and ASI…..
Regarding the ASI video: While I applaud the fact that ASI was doing something focusing on the real source of the problem in Sacramento, I think that the video would have been a lot more effective, and less annoying, if the students had actually spoken about what their degrees were worth instead of standing with a small sign and smiling, posing for a picture. The students speaking would have also taken the place of the annoying repeating of the same quote over and over again. That particular part is a little distracting as is the smile on the faces of a good chunk of the students. It seems like they’re enjoying what is going on instead of being serious about what their degree and education is worth. Hopefully this helps for the next time ASI wants to do something similar.
The helper • Nov 18, 2009 at 8:47 am
Directed at Jessica Sweeten and ASI…..
Regarding the ASI video: While I applaud the fact that ASI was doing something focusing on the real source of the problem in Sacramento, I think that the video would have been a lot more effective, and less annoying, if the students had actually spoken about what their degrees were worth instead of standing with a small sign and smiling, posing for a picture. The students speaking would have also taken the place of the annoying repeating of the same quote over and over again. That particular part is a little distracting as is the smile on the faces of a good chunk of the students. It seems like they’re enjoying what is going on instead of being serious about what their degree and education is worth. Hopefully this helps for the next time ASI wants to do something similar.