The Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) senate held its first meeting of the fall semester on Wednesday, where it voted in a new senator, set priorities and discussed initiatives to improve student engagement and campus resources.

Senate update

Daisy Guzman was confirmed as the new senator for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Guzman, who ran alongside two other candidates, received nine votes out of 19. 

Guzman’s approach focuses on tangible action to remove barriers for students. She stressed the importance of listening to students’ needs, particularly those who may feel uncomfortable attending in-person meetings or participating in large events.

“The only way that we’ll be able to grow is if we listen to other people and we actually take [their] word and we do the best that we can to do with it,” Guzman said.

In addition to the new senator confirmation, the senate also confirmed Senator-at-Large Parker Hill as the new senate secretary. The secretary will serve as a secondary accountability role for ASI, holding both the student senate and executive officers responsible for the bylaws and government procedures.

Parking update 

Derek Brantley, the manager for Fresno State Traffic Operations, gave a presentation about parking. He said that there are nearly 7,000 parking spots available for students during the day and 10,000 at night, when the yellow lots become available, after 10 p.m.

In his presentation, he expressed plans for modernizing parking lot P20.

“You can see by the color of the asphalt that it’s been phased over the years, and this is what we’re working on,” Brantley said.

According to Brantley, they plan on renovating the parking lot over the summer, similar to how they did P5 and P6 in the past. 

He also said that Traffic Operations writes roughly half as many parking violations as they did eight to 10 years ago. He said that it is, ethically, part of their job.

“Our goal is not to go out and write a bunch of tickets,” Brantley said. “Our goal is to prevent tickets.”

The discussion highlighted the potential for collaboration between ASI and campus administration to develop creative solutions, such as additional permits, shuttle services or improved parking lot signage.

General reports

During executive reports, President Camalah Saleh highlighted several ongoing initiatives. The student cupboard mural, created by alumni students with safety oversight from facilities, is a student-led art project that is currently in progress on campus. 

Saleh also discussed a cost-sharing plan for 500 replacement Bulldog ID cards to alleviate financial burdens for students needing access to library and campus facilities. 

Instructionally Related Activities funding was another focus. The budget is now strictly tied to enrollment, eliminating the surplus that allowed higher allocations in previous years. 

Saleh outlined new guidelines for funding requests, emphasizing transparency to ensure all student organizations have a fair opportunity to receive resources. She encouraged clubs to explore ASI club grants as an alternative source of funding.

“Since I stepped into this role in June, I’ve been working to make sure that the process is more clear and more straightforward,” Saleh said.

Several senators provided updates on projects and initiatives. Senator Alexandra Durham reported efforts to start a public garden with the sustainability club, while Senator Kristen Martinez discussed plans to restore the Craig School of Business fountain, calling it an “eyesore.”

Martinez reported that a student had approached her with a beautification project for the fountain and that they had started reaching out to faculty about the project. She mentioned that they might turn the restoration into a volunteer project for students in October.

The discussion on parking underscored broader challenges for student accessibility, signaling a focus for ASI in addressing logistical issues alongside equity and academic support. 

Before the meeting concluded, ASI Operations Manager Frederick Lisitsa praised all the work ASI has done this early in the semester.

“It’s September third and we sound like a December or February senate,” Lisitsa said. “The last five years have been hard for ASI…this is the year that I really believe you guys can take ASI and run with it.”

Lisitsa said that he is proud of the senate so far for all the work they’re doing for students and their needs.

ASI meets every other Wednesday from 4-6 p.m. in the Resnick Student Union Room 207. The meetings are livestreamed and open to the public.