Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) held its annual budget call meeting on March 18. In total, they allocated $126,126 to 11 campus organizations and events. 

Before the senate began the budget call, Fresno State student Ganeev Virk came forward for public comment. She commended President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and his administration for their actions regarding the sexual violence allegations against César Chávez. 

On Wednesday, the university announced that they will remove Chávez’s statue in the Peace Garden. As of Friday, it is completely removed. 

Virk acknowledged this, but also called for the removal of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Peace Garden.

“For decades, Punjabi and other students on campus have called for the administration to remove the statue of Mahatma Gandhi from our Peace Garden,” Virk said. “And we have been ignored largely and been told that the administration will not support that, as well as other faculty and professors on campus.”

Virk pointed to some of Gandhi’s actions that she said make his presence in the Peace Garden unwelcome. 

“When visiting South Africa … he wrote [that] the white people there should be the predominant race and that black people are troublesome, very dirty and live like animals,” Virk said. 

Virk also said that Gandhi slept naked next to his grandnieces to test his chastity.

“I don’t know about you, but I consider that sexual abuse and sexual violence,” Virk said.

She said that now that a precedent has been set with Chávez, she hopes that the same sentiment will be applied to other figures on campus and in the Peace Garden.

Another public comment was submitted via email, discussing Vintage Days.

Cameron Black, a junior electrical engineering student and president of the National Society of Black Engineers, said the senate should continue supporting the event.

“Beyond funding, Vintage Days also gives us a chance to give back to campus while strengthening our team,” Black said. “Spending long hours working together might not sound glamorous, but it builds real connections and teamwork. For me personally, it pushed me to step up as a leader, coordinating my team and making sure things ran smoothly.”

During the budget call, representatives from each campus organization had the chance to make a case for their funding before the senate. Then, the senate reviewed the recommended allocations from the finance committee and decided how much funding to give in total.

Here’s a list of the recommended funding and the ultimate allocations:

• The Fresno State South Valley Campus requested $1,000. The finance committee recommended $1,000, and the funding was granted in full.
• Student Involvement requested $25,000 for homecoming. The finance committee recommended $6,000, and the senate allocated $5,000.
• The Student Recreation Center requested $20,000 for intramural sports. The finance committee recommended $5,000, and the senate allocated $5,000.
• The Maddy Institute requested $12,500, and that same amount was recommended by the finance committee. The institute was allocated the full amount.
• Student Involvement also requested $29,210 for Off Campus Student Life. The finance committee recommended $20,000, and the senate allocated $20,000.
• The Learning Center requested $1,980 for the Reaching for Inspiration, Success and Excellence program. The finance committee recommended the same amount and the senate allocated it in full.
• Fresno State Radio requested $18,946 for equipment, the finance committee recommended $10,000 and the senate allocated the requested amount in full.
• The Dream Success Center requested $30,000. The finance committee recommended $20,000, and the senate allocated $30,000.
• Student Involvement requested $25,000 for Vintage Days. The finance committee recommended $7,000, and the senate allocated $12,000.
• The Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) requested $5,200 for the Wellness Retreat. The finance committee recommended $5,200, and the senate allocated the full amount.
• The SHCC also requested $12,000 for the Wellness Vending Machine. The finance committee recommended the same amount, and the senate allocated the full funding.

The meeting adjourned at nearly 6:30 p.m. ASI meets every other Wednesday in the Resnick Student Union Room 207. Meetings are livestreamed and open to the public.