By The first campaigning event for ASI candidates, “Coffee with the Candidates” kicked off in front of the CSULB bookstore walkway. Candidates were excited to answer students’ questions and explain their campaign goals.
Students were handed a card with five boxes that required a five signatures from candidates. ASI coordinators rewarded participants who completed their cards with their choice of iced coffee or tea along with a black crossbody bag.
The meet and greet allowed students to get to know their future representatives and voice any concerns they had with the school.
CSULB students Karlie Lovvik and Leia Nilo were among the students who expressed concern regarding the recent CSU tuition increase.
“We’re a little concerned with how expensive tuition is and we wanted to know what they’re doing to get involved with that,” Lovvik, a human resources major, said. “We were also talking to them about some of the events. We’re trying to see if there’s any ways that they can improve the amount they talk about it so we know what’s going on.”
3/11/24 - Long Beach, Calif: Potential vice president of finance Jaimin Suthar talks with students during the coffee with the candidates at noon at the Bookstore Walkway. Suthar will be running alongside Sheesh Dhawan, who would be the executive vice president if they win, and Archie Sehgall, who is running for ASI president. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
Nilo, an animation major, discussed the notorious lack of air conditioning in the Fine Arts buildings with a Senator of College of the Arts candidate Dylan Garcia.
In September 2022, students from the Fine Arts building arranged a walk out in scorching heat to express their need for a proper air conditioning system.
“I’m in the art department and there’s a lot of problems there. So that was good to know that there’s a senator standing up for us,” Nilo said.
Networking on campus was an issue present by a student to Andre Achacon, a candidate for Vice President of Finance.
“Networking is a huge part of college,” Achacon said. “You gotta know the people in the industry to get into the industry […] ASI is working towards that.”
3/11/24 - Long Beach, Calif: Teresa Falcon, who will be running for ASI president, talks with students and shows presentations to attendees at the coffee with the candidates at noon at the Bookstore Walkway. There will be another coffee with the candidates on March 12 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. and the executive candidate debate on March 13 at the Beach Auditorium from 5 to 7 p.m. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
Teresa Falcon, a candidate for ASI president, discussed how important student involvement with ASI planned activities can be.
“It’s really important to ensure that we’re reaching students so I’m happy when we get opportunities like this,” Falcon said. “We can really connect with students and share, you know, ‘this is what’s happening on campus’ and ‘this is what we’re doing.’”
The Executive Candidate Debates hosted by Beach Forensics and held in the Beach Auditorium, are on March 13 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Voting is only online and polls will be open all day from March 18-20. Students can vote through any device that has access to their student email.
