Few students attend AS meetings

By REUBEN CONTRERAS

On a recent Thursday night, the three executive officers of the university’s student government prepared to start their biweekly business meeting. Another 15 student senators of Associated Students gathered in the University Student Union. In the middle of room 312 and 314, 20 chairs were assembled as usual for students who were there on student business.

When Brent Hansen, Associated Students executive vice president called the meeting to order, the five other students at the meeting had no trouble finding a seat. That’s because the Associated Students officers and senators outnumbered them nearly four to one.

On this night, two of the five students were newly appointed senators to fill vacant Associated Students seats. And sitting in the front row were Liza Bolanos and two friends. Bolanos, a senior, was there to ask Associated Students to help in her letter writing campaign asking Gov. Schwarzenegger to restore budget cuts to the California State University system.

The low attendance at Associated Students’ meetings is not uncommon, Associated Students officers say. And while they attribute the lack of interest to Fresno State’s commuter school status, they still say that Associated Students has initiated a number of successful projects.

On the night with the five students attending, Michael Karbassi, a former city council candidate, was there to be officially confirmed as the new senator of Student Affairs.

Karbassi said Associated Students meetings are sparsely attended because students “are busy with classes and extracurricular activities and they face a lot more distractions than ever before.”

Hansen said that, despite the low attendance at meetings, accomplishments are made with or without the support of students. Some of those accomplishments are paying for new laptops in the Madden Library and passing new election codes for the student body election on April 20 and 21. Senators and executives notice the low number of students at Associated Students meetings. “Getting students interested in the meetings and getting feedback is a goal itself,” Hansen said.

Associated Students senators and executives have done a number of things to let students know about the meetings, Hansen said. On the day of and the days before a meeting, senators and executives will announce in their classes that a meeting is scheduled.

The Associated Students meet every other Thursday in the University Student Union at 5 p.m. Hansen, a business major, said that meetings are open to students.

Associated Students complies with state open meeting requirements. “AS always follows the Gloria Romero Act,” Hansen said.

The Gloria Romero Open Meetings Act of 2000 says a legislative body of a student body organization must conduct its business in public meetings. All meetings of the legislative body shall be open and public.

Information about Associated Students meetings is available outside at the AS office. The open meetings act says the agenda for a meeting must be posted 72 hours before. Hansen said copies of the agenda are available at the meetings. Minutes for the previous meeting are posted outside the Associated Students office after the senators and executives approve them.

Associated Students President Molly Fagundes said the senators and executives talk with students outside the classroom, as well.

“We use The Collegian. We have club and Greek visits to get the word out about AS,” she said. “I believe going to club meetings and talking to the Greeks is helping get the word out about AS.”

Sean Smith, senator of engineering, said Associated Students meetings are always open to students.

“Whether it be in the office in the USU, our senate meetings, our booth in the free speech area, our Web site, tailgates, The Collegian, I encourage students to make contact with us.”

Smith, a civil engineering major, said senators make contacts with students in the college department they represent. Each senator represents a specific college on the campus.

“I frequently meet with the dean, associate dean and professors within my college to better understand the current status of the campus and the student body,” Smith said.

Hansen said nearly 20 senators and executives are available to talk with students. Each week, senators serve one hour in the Associated Students office at the University Student Union and one hour at the Associated Students booth in the free speech area.

The Associated Students recognized the need for increased computer accessibility in the Henry Madden Library. To help meet this need, AS made a donation to the library, which gave 25 new laptops to the library for student use. Hansen said. The cost of additional staffing to support the program was also covered. Associated Students also provides funding for the readership program.

The purpose of the program is to provide Fresno State students with free newspapers on campus. The program started with USA Today and The Fresno Bee.

“The program has seen increased circulation this year, and it is expanding,” Fagundes said. On Feb. 10, Associated Students approved a trial period for The New York Times, which began March 7.

This year, construction began on The West Complex/Student Recreation Center a recreational and multipurpose facility for students, at the Save Mart Center.

“Students were ecstatic to be involved in the planning process and were eager to use the on-campus recreation facility,” Fagundes said.

Fagundes, an agriculture communications major, said the center will drive home the message that physical activity and recreation are key elements in the health and well being of active college students.

“The recreation center will provide a wonderful environment where Fresno State students can work out without having to leave the campus,” she said.

Associated Students, passed new election codes on Feb. 10, for the next student body election. New policies, enforced by the election commission, include that candidates may run only for one office each election.

Candidate must have their petition signed by members of the same school or college department they would represent. The petitions are available now through March 28, the due date to turn them in. Plus, there will be no formal or informal campaigning within 100 feet polling booths.