Associated Students, Inc. executive candidates gathered at a debate Thursday evening to discuss the issues Cal State Long Beach students are faced with, such as lack of communication between ASI and its constituents and parking fees.
Presidential candidates were the first to be asked questions on the Southwest Terrace of the University Student Union. The three presidential candidates, Raul Preciado, Eyad Aljubran and Erin Swetland, first discussed the problems with the lack of communication between ASI and CSULB students.
“I know what it’s like to be a frustrated student,” Preciado said. “I see people eat alone during lunch on campus and I want to change that.”
Aljubran agreed that there was a lack of communication on campus and suggested solutions, such as starting information centers and communicating through faculty members.
“There’s a problem with structure,” Aljubran said. “If leaders feel disconnected, how do you think students feel?”
Swetland proposed to distribute a monthly newsletter through students’ e-mail as a way to inform students about what ASI is going to do for them.
“I would possibly use BeachBoard so that we can get feedback from students,” Swetland said.
Vice-presidential candidates were later faced with the same questions and agreed that communication is key to having a successful community within the CSULB campus. Both candidates Christopher Chavez and Ruben Cordova had the same ideas when it came to finding a solution to reach out to students.
“Information is the key to a successful relationship with students,” Chavez said.
Jason Aula, another ASI vice-presidential candidate, offered a different approach on how to help solve the feelings of isolation students have at CSULB. Aula suggested that ASI should “start fresh by communicating with the freshman and build up from there.”
The candidates later discussed parking fees and what they believed would help relieve the problems students face. Swetland started the debate by suggesting that CSULB encourage carpooling more as one of the main methods of transportation.
“We should provide more spaces for carpoolers and an incentive so more [people] carpool,” Swetland said.
Preciado followed up on Swetland’s statement saying that students need a way to continue riding busses to school free of cost. Aljubran agreed with both candidates’ suggestions and agreed with the idea of having more spaces created around the neighborhoods surrounding the campus.
Chavez went on to call student parking “a perennial problem,” and said that “ASI can do a lot to advocate for parking problems.” Chavez suggested fighting for free bus passes for a longer period of time, rather than just one semester.
Cordova said that ASI “can’t go with one strategy,” and that it must communicate more with the city of Long Beach to help create more parking spaces.
Aula had another take on the parking situation.
“Advocating for structures or shuttles is going to cost money,” Aula said.
The ASI candidates for Treasurer were next to answer questions from the panel, which focused on the university’s budget crises and campus events. The two candidates Brian Troutner and Abigail Fomperosa each agreed on finding a funding solution through the students.
With an ASI budget of $3 million, AS fees of $44 and a USU fee of $50, the candidates were asked whether or not they would keep the current form of CSU student funding.
“We should reach out to students to find out what they want,” Troutner said.
