Alicia Acevedo / The Collegian
Associated Students, Inc. senators and other Fresno State students have raised concerns about the cost and the purpose of a new executive position that was proposed to the student body.
While ASI President Selena Farnesi defends the position, several anonymous Facebook accounts have questioned her intentions by publishing documents, questioning ASI spending and past legislative actions.
Farnesi said she is aware some students want to know what ASI is doing to represent them.
She added that this year, lobbying efforts have doubled from previous years.
“Additionally, I am putting through a new initiative to create an external affairs position which would put us on the same level as all the other ASI’s,” Farnesi said.
“We are seeing that student governments have gotten more and more involved in lobbying because the state is having more and more control over what happens on our campus,” Farnesi added. “We want students’ voices to be heard.”
Students frustrated with Associated Student, Inc. have found several ways to voice their concerns about ASI’s representation of Fresno State students and passage of a new executive position. Some students have attended ASI senate meetings while other have created Facebook accounts to post their concerns.
Facebook pages such as Occupy ASI have posted what they claim are official documents revealing ASI’s failure to represent students.
Other Facebook pages such as Campiss Leaks and Occupy Fresno State have also posted their concerns and similar documents.
The documents displayed feature pictures of computer screens, letters and pictures of ASI members’ Facebook accounts. Campiss Leaks and Occupy ASI affirm on their page that they will be posting additional official documents informing students of ASI members’ misconduct and illegitimate use of student money.
ASI president Selena Farnesi said she has no opinion on Occupy ASI since the Facebook account is not affiliated to ASI.
“If someone is taking screen shots of ASI computers, they are doing so illegally,” Farnesi said. “If someone wanted those documents, they should just do a public records request.”
“[No public records requests] have been turned in and no documents have been given out, so my best guess would be that they are not legitimate documents,” Farnesi added.
Occupy ASI, Campiss Leaks and Occupy Fresno State have questioned the purpose and the cost of the new executive position students will vote on next semester.
Farnesi added that she expects the new position will be a paid executive position. She also added that the new executive position salary would be extracted from the ASI budget.
Farnesi said that every year since she joined ASI, the budget has been excessive.
“There is plenty of money in the budget to pay for that staff person without removing any funding from club funding,” she said.
Both anonymous Facebook accounts have also questioned ASI’s decision to add a new executive position, the $40,000 renovation of the Fresno State water fountain and other spending decisions.
Farnesi said ASI did not spend $40,000 on the Fresno State water fountain and that the money will not come from ASI’s budget.
Several ASI senators have voiced their opinion against the additional executive position, which they see as a waste of money because a senator has already been assigned to legislative affairs.
Senator of Clubs and Organizations Jose Nava, who has actively advocated for less ASI spending, said the new position would cost students about $750 a month, which will add up to $9,000 a year.
He added that money could be better used by adding more services for students, additional club funding or any other student service instead of being given to one person.
Nava also said the 5 percent salary increase the senate voted for on Nov. 7 for full time staff was a waste of money.
“This increase was because they supposedly had a good job performance review according to Sally Ramage,” Nava said.
Nava added that when he requested additional documents, “the only problem was that when I requested these reviews they said they couldn’t because it was Human Resources policy.”
He submitted a petition against the salary increase that approximately 250 students signed, but said it was ignored.
“Their excuse was that we have plenty of money,” Nava said. “But again, that money should be going directly to the students, not to office employees.”
Senator of Students Affairs Dulce Marin concurred.
“We do take a vote on Jan. 24 and there has been no email sent to students,” Marin said.
Marin added that January is too soon for a vote because students are usually preoccupied with adding and dropping courses and purchasing books to really pay attention to a new ASI executive position.
Farnesi said the new position will not affect services currently given to students and that all programs offered by ASI will continue.
“Nothing will be cut because of the new position,” Farnesi said. “In fact, what the new position will do is allow us to really boost up our lobby core and start getting students involved in legislation and lobbying at the state wide level.”
According to Farnesi, the new executive will be responsible for ASI legislative affairs, which means advocating and lobbying on behalf of students.
The new executive would also be responsible for general external affairs coordination.
Farnesi highlighted the importance of this new position.
“Congressman Jim Costa was on campus the other day and there was no one to talk to him because we don’t have this position,” she said.
Farnesi said she spoke to Costa, but she lacks the time to gather all the legislation information because she has meetings all over campus that are part of her obligations as ASI president.
She added that there is a senator in charge of legislation information, but he is obligated to work only eight hours a week which is not enough.
Joshua Stein • Dec 25, 2011 at 1:14 am
I really couldn’t care less about Occupy ASI. If there is wrongdoing on the part of Ms. Farnesi, then it should be investigated. I don’t have a strong opinion on the documents that these folks are presenting, nor of Ms. Farnesi’s explanation of those documents or their acquisition.
Mendoza’s article states the following:
“Several ASI senators have voiced their opinion against the additional executive position, which they see as a waste of money because a senator has already been assigned to legislative affairs…
“Congressman Jim Costa was on campus the other day and there was no one to talk to him because we don’t have this position,” [Farnesi] said.
Farnesi said she spoke to Costa, but she lacks the time to gather all the legislation information because she has meetings all over campus that are part of her obligations as ASI president.”
I fail to see the necessity of creating a new executive position in ASI explicitly to handle a duty which has already been delegated to senators. Moreover, even if it is false that this delegation has already happened, I see no reason why another paid position would need to be created when something could so easily be delegated to senators.
Whatever the realities of ASI funding, it seems strange to assert that the organization needs to spend more money to create a position when it is reasonable to fill the responsibilities of that position without hiring a new employee. It’s not simply about cost reduction, though that is a perk, but also about efficiency and a competent allocation of preexisting resources.
Dan • Dec 8, 2011 at 8:02 am
In a similar vein, I heard several months ago the local ACLU has been investigating the use of student funds for the Revitalize Fresno State effort, something that is the responsibility of local government and not ASI.
Ren • Dec 7, 2011 at 11:35 pm
“If someone is taking screen shots of ASI computers, they are doing so illegally,” Farnesi said. “[No public records requests] have been turned in and no documents have been given out, so my best guess would be that they are not legitimate documents,” Farnesi added.
Wait, if the documents on the Occupy Asi Facebook aren’t legitimate, how the heck can Farnesi possibly suspect that the photos are ASI computer screen shots? Something stinks… It seems Farnesi just confirmed that she is familiar with the documents, meaning the docs may be REAL!!!! WOW! why haven’t these documents been investigated further? If Farnesi did fabricate documents to get other people in trouble…she would be the last person I want representing the student body.
Campiss Leaks • Dec 7, 2011 at 3:49 pm
We just got our hands on some good documents……..Leaks are coming………..
We have shown up at the meetings, we always sit in the back. Are presence will be known!!!!!!
Expect Us!!
David • Dec 7, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Here’s a thought. Instead of pretending to be like Anonymous and wasting everyone’s time, why not focus on important things like the crime epidemic around campus. How about tuition increases? The declining value of a college degree? There are a million things you could be doing instead of engaging in these petty internal squabbles. Grow up, and stop acting like children. You’re making me regret my Fresno State diploma.
Campiss Leaks • Dec 8, 2011 at 2:12 pm
David,
A crime epidemic? The crime rate around campus has always been steady and the same.
David • Dec 9, 2011 at 7:22 pm
If that’s the case, fine. That was just one of several things I listed. Why don’t you try actually responding to my comment as a whole rather than poke holes in tiny parts of it.
Ren • Dec 10, 2011 at 6:23 pm
David, where were you when a large portion of last year was spent investigating anonymous complaints that were made against undocumented immigrants? Complaints that new evidence suggests Selena Farnesi may have fabricated herself!!!!! I was a skeptic at first…but Selena’s latest comments on the topic suggest that the documents on the Occupy ASI Facebook are real. Wouldn’t you call last year a waste as well? Once again, where were you to complain about this wasted time?
David • Dec 11, 2011 at 5:18 pm
This is my last comment. I’ve seen those documents, and all I saw was (very) circumstantial evidence and a lot of accusations. Nothing came of the complaints and the matter was closed…six months ago. As I recall, the complaints were about procedural irregularities–that doesn’t exactly warrant a smear campaign against someone who may or may not have had anything to do with making them. IMO, this whole process, from the original complaints last year to this ridiculous “Anonymous” campaign, is a monumentally stupid waste of time. Move on.
Ren • Dec 11, 2011 at 9:21 pm
David, you have obviously missed the point I was trying to make… and avoided my question. The complaints that were made against executives last year were in fact a smear campaign, and attempted to remove them from their jobs. Things would have moved on if it weren’t for the ACLU…who stopped the idiotic complaints from moving forward. As I have said before, if those malicious complaints where fabricated by Selena Farnesi, which cost the students thousands in attorney fees,… she should be disciplined by the proper channels. An investigation needs to take place….if you disagree with that reasoning, I question your ability to be impartial. Once again David …since you agreed last years complaints were ridiculous, where were you to demand that the ASI con men and women stop wasting the students time and money?
Go'Dogs • Dec 7, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Why is Ana Mendoza still allowed to write articles? Her articles have such a blatant slant, how is this even considered news? The Collegian already released an article this week regarding the new position, so why was this article even written? To promote Facebook groups that Ana Mendoza is members of herself? Why isn’t the author writing for the opinion section of the newspaper? That seems like a more appropriate fit.
Also these Facebook groups have attempted to organize events to attend ASI meetings, but no one from the organizations have ever shown. These groups thus have absolutely no support. Senators have actively attempted to reach out to organizers of the pages on the group Facebook walls, and have been ignored. If they are truly concerned about Fresno State, they would attend an ASI meeting and actively communicate their concern instead of trolling behind their computer. But then again, I guess if you have a couple people backing an organization it is easier to look “big, bad and scary” behind a Facebook page.
Thank you Ana Mendoza for re-confirming your political views, and who you support on campus.
CJ • Dec 7, 2011 at 3:54 pm
You do realize you lose credibility on the topic of calling people out over a computer when you can’t even post your first name when calling someone else out over a computer, right?
Occupy My Belly • Dec 7, 2011 at 1:12 pm
At least she’s eating well.
http://twitter.com/#!/SMFarnesi/status/144510694442803201