By Former vice president Joe Nino assumed presidential duties after the previous ASI head Daniel Gomez resigned from his position earlier this summer.
“I am hopeful and confident about the prospect of my good friend and running mate Joseph Nino taking the helm,” Gomez said. “As you may know, Joe and I have been friends for many years and I have seen him grow as a student, colleague and leader.
Gomez’s June departure was due to “personal reasons that require him to put his time and attention elsewhere,” said James Ahumada, ASI senior communications manager.
Nino was sworn in as president July 3 by Carmen Taylor, vice president of student affairs.
Filling the vice president position is Sofia Musman, former senator for the college of the arts. Musman along with several senators were appointed to their respective vacant positions during the Aug. 2 Senate meeting.
The Senate will have until the first fall meeting to confirm a vice chair, who takes vice presidential responsibilities when the vice president cannot fulfill obligations. Since Gomez’s departure, Nino now takes the reigns on fulfilling his campaign promise to fight for social justice.
“A lot of the things that were on our platform, we got that information from students, from our constituents,” he said. “So, we’re not going off of our own agenda but really trying to be the voices of students.
Last year, ASI government passed a resolution establishing a social justice and equity senate subcommittee open to students. Nino says the subcommittee plans to fight for social justice issues that our students have a voice on.
“We wanted to provide more resources for lots of our student organizations and student groups that are undocumented students, international students, cultural organizations,” he said.
Nino added that he plans to bring funding to the Muslim Student Association and the LGBT Resource Center to provide a “safe space” for students.
With the establishment of the SJEC, student government plans to further its fight for social justice through various events in the semester. Nino said that there will be an expression wall for students to write how they feel about recent tumultuous happenings such as Charlottesville rally and the presidency.
ASI is also working with the office of multicultural affairs to have an intersectionality fair in early November where students can meet with different advocacy and support groups.
Nino said the fair could help students relate with different constituencies.
“Having that fair helps people identify like, ‘Hey I am here under this constituency as an undocumented student but I’m also here facing issues with my gender.” Nino said. “Students can face lots of things from many different facets. [They] might be facing different issue, but both at the same time.”
Nino said he is confident about his role as president.
“I think it’s important to feel that way… because a lot of the times I’m serving as the liaison between administration, faculty and students. So it’s good to keep that line of communication open.”
