By snoadmin
With the recent launch of a petition to replace Associated Students Inc. leaders, the Daily 49er asks: Is a recall really necessary? Can a generous pay structure really serve as reason to replace — mid-school year — our ASI president, vice president and treasurer? The answer is a qualified no.
Jason Aula, a 2010 ASI treasurer candidate and the spokesperson for this anonymously released petition, has had a long history of sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. Time and time again he has attempted appointment and election into ASI leadership and time and time again he has come up short.
Aula ultimately believes the current ASI leaders are “overpaid, over [spend] and [do] not listen to students,” the Daily 49er reports. Aula’s argument may be a reasonable one; however, the manner in which he wishes to approach the situation is unnecessary. There are — undoubtedly — other effective ways to bring meaningful reform.
Whether his actions are sincere, however, is something to question. Remember, he’s the one who accused ASI President James Ahumada — who ran unopposed — of “slimming down” the ASI election in 2010. This petition just seems like another attempt by Aula to run for ASI office.
As reporters who have covered ASI’s inner workings, we know that the top three ASI leaders work grueling hours and sit through painfully long meetings with committees across the campus. While their pay is extremely generous, there is no doubt they do their jobs and are very dedicated. This leaves one to question any type of recall.
Yes, ASI leaders are paid better than most students, who also have to juggle work and school. And, yes, they get perks that most students don’t, such as cell phones, meal cards and employee parking permits. But — again — this alone is not reason enough for recall. If you were offered such perks, would you decline them? Aula seems to be saying he would.
The petition’s author aside, since ASI leadership is paid mostly from funds that belong to Cal State Long Beach students, it’s more than fair to ask them to take a pay cut, but it’s unnecessary to require them to step down from office.
Before attempting a recall election — which would without a doubt cost ASI money to hold — unsatisfied students should first exhaust all other options, including attending and speaking out at ASI Senate meetings, setting up meetings with the ASI president and finding out the processes necessary to get a pay decrease. The student leaders are elected to be our voice, and if we’re not saying anything, we won’t be heard. It is each student’s responsibility to speak up when ASI is not fulfilling its end of the deal. A recall should be a last resort.
The students behind the recall petition say they’ll work for half the price, but do they even know how a pay cut would be initiated? The student body must also realize that offering to work for less pay may be a mere marketing tool. It’s better to play it safe by keeping our current ASI leaders in office — who, for the most part, are doing a decent job — than electing new leaders simply because they are willing to deal with lower wages. Essentially, a recall election would not automatically solve all of ASI’s problems, but might put in office untested and inexperienced leaders.
For their part, the ASI leaders should step up to begin an honest dialogue with the students and consider taking a pay cut. If they truly believe in serving the campus before their own needs, they must acknowledge the students’ concerns. Ignoring them will only make students think they are out of touch.
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