By Before Associated Students, Incorporated (ASI) senators gave President Mitali Jain a letter on March 29 containing their reasons for a vote of no confidence, students had already voiced disappointment for Jain’s performance.
Among those students was Ashton Ramos, the Queer Students’ Alliance (QSA) president, who spoke about the club’s disappointment towards the differences in Jain’s campaign and her actual actions during her presidency. Ramos said in an article released by the Daily Forty-Niner that Jain said she would advocate for the cultural resource centers, but they never saw Jain take the initiative to do so.
Ramos said Jain would speak to the administration about improving the resource centers. However, the resource centers wanted her to talk to students to better understand their needs.
“You need to talk to the students. But not only did she lie about talking to the students and lie about wanting to care about the resource centers, she never showed up, never talked to any student leadership,” Ramos said.
Luis Ortiz, a member of La F.U.E.R.Z.A. and board member of Students for Quality Education, said Jain lacked initiative when it came to the university’s cultural center. He said being located at Faculty Office 4 had issues like lack of ADA accessibility, no running water and rats in the vents and main room of the Latinx Resource Center.
Jain’s promises of cultural center advocacy and lack of following through with them disappointed cultural organizations.
“They [ASI] promised better cultural centers for us, and they have not done a single thing. Mitali Jain did promise us to have better cultural centers and to be in contact with us. That has not happened,” Ortiz said. “Even during that meeting [senate meeting], they claimed to have representatives visit the center, but that never happened.”
3/27/2024 - Luis Ortiz, member of La F.U.E.R.Z.A. and board member of Students for Quality Education, attended the senate meeting on March 27 to speak about President Mitali Jain's lack of involvement in the cultural centers, student affairs and to ask the senate to move forward with a vote of no confidence. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
Ramos said cultural organizations were upset Jain used her class load and job as an excuse for not reaching out, as well as Jain saying organizations could reach out to her.
Fatima Zeferino, current director of advocacy and former president of For Undocumented Empowered Leaders (FUEL), said she and Jain met in 2022. Zeferino said that, at the time, Jain spoke about supporting undocumented students. Later, Zeferino was told about a private discussion Jain allegedly participated in.
Zeferino said ASI employees told her Jain used the terms “legal” and “illegal” to refer to people who came to the United States in the “right” and “wrong” way in a conversation about immigrants.
“And she was talking about herself as an immigrant that came here the legal way, because she came here on a visa. This year they [ASI individuals] have come forward that she’s more specifically referring to Mexican immigrants.”
Not all cultural organizations have negative experiences with Jain. Both Beach Hillel and South Asian Student Association students attended the special meeting on March 29 to speak in favor of Jain.
However, when contacted for an interview, neither group responded to the Daily Forty-Niner for comment.
Students’ comments and the issues addressed in the letter throughout the year pushed ASI senators to take action.
“I think it’s just been a lead up for the past couple of months. Especially like when we heard from the public comments from different communities on campus,” ASI senator, Matt Melendrez, said. “When students show their concern, then you know, that solidified really the initiative for the vote of no confidence.”
With the vote of no confidence passed, some students feel enough has been done while others feel ASI should move forward with a recall election. Ramos is among the group who believes a recall should be pushed, but also recognizes that the time frame will most likely not allow it.
While Ramos is grateful that ASI listened to students and voted no confidence, it took ASI almost the entire academic year, resulting in delayed action which was less than ideal.
3/27/2024 - Queer Student Alliance President Ashton Ramos attended the senate meeting on March 27 to voice their disappointment in Mitali Jain for not visiting the resource centers, reaching out to students and for being late to senate meetings and missing the issues brought up during public comment. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
In an email interview, Jain expressed her own concerns with the vote of no confidence. She said it was made in haste rather than fully considered. She said the topic was brought up at a point where Robert’s Rules of Order would not have allowed for it.
Jain said she was disappointed the weight of positive versus negative student experiences was not considered.
“So naturally, the no-confidence vote has been deeply concerning to me. It’s disheartening to see a lack of confidence expressed by some members of the senate. However, I remain committed to serving the student body and addressing their concerns in a constructive manner,” Jain said.
Even with the vote of no confidence coming late in the academic year, both Ortiz and Zeferino believe a recall election should be held. Melendrez agrees with La F.U.E.R.Z.A, FUEL and QSA about moving forward with a recall election. He believes it would set the proper precedent that ASI will hold its members accountable at any time of the year.
Claire Pearson, senator of the College of Arts, is of a different opinion than Melendrez, senator-at-large. She believes moving forward with a recall wouldn’t have the impact it would have had earlier in the year. She is also concerned with the time it would take to move forward with the recall, as the election will most likely have to take place during finals week and results will come out after everyone has already left campus.
Should the decision to recall Jain be made, it will be the first time a recall election has been held, so ASI Bylaws would be reviewed. ASI Bylaws can be vague, which is something Pearson believes should change to better outline responsibilities and perhaps prevent another vote of no confidence from taking place.
Senators Pearson and Melendrez believe in rewriting the ASI Bylaws to focus on students rather than the administration. The president’s duties do not include specifics like “visiting cultural centers” or “talking with students.” However, if they are rewritten to include those specifics, students may become more involved with ASI.
As the end of the academic year approaches, the likelihood of a recall election lessens. Scheduled senate meetings for April 10 and April 17, when the recall discussion was to take place, were canceled and the recall was not discussed at the meeting on April 24.
Despite the vote of no confidence, Jain continues to serve as president, hoping students know she will continue to advocate for their needs.
“I’m constantly listening to students’ feedback and addressing their concerns in my capacity as president. My door is always open, and I’m committed to continuing to work in partnership with students to build a stronger and more vibrant campus community,” Jain said.
