Changes to election rules increase competition

By Juliana Stumpp

Staff Writer

Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) elections are this week, running March 25 – 28, and competition has heated up for the next student body representatives. With the scandal from last year’s elections, students are looking forward to what interesting things might happen in the 2013 ASI elections.

Last year, ASI elections were rescheduled after the results were compromised when campus police found student Matt Weaver attempting to rig the elections in his favor. Weaver, who was running for president, pleaded guilty last week in a plea bargain with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He faces up to three years in prison when he’s sentenced in June.

This week, candidates will be campaigning during U-Hour and in between classes. Signs encouraging students to vote have already been placed around campus. So far, ASI presidential candidate Daniel Cruz has dropped just a week before elections started, leaving Matt Walsh and Israel Irizarry on the ballot.

Candidates for ASI President are competing with what they believe students are looking for in an ASI President. Irizarry is a fourth-year marketing major who held the position of College of Business Administrative Representative this past year.

“I’ve seen the other side of campus and have met people I haven’t met before. Therefore I feel there needs a different face for president, coming from a different background,” Irizarry said.

In his campaign video, Irizarry stated “I feel the communication and diversity could be improved here.” Past and current candidates have expressed this as an issue. However he argues that “the other candidates are great but I’m a listener.” He also explains his plans on how to change this epidemic, “My major is marketing so I have that background. I want to focus on social media like newsletters, YouTube links, etc.”

Since being actively part of ASI Board of Directors, Irizarry knows what it takes to improve student involvement.

“People still don’t know who to go to on campus. I want the students to know that I am available through email, phone, text, Facebook. However, ASI is the face of the ASI President, not me. It’s a team effort,” Irizarry said.

In regards to the controversial Student Success Fee, Irizarry mentioned that the controversy is because of a miscommunication between students. The other ASI presidential candidate Walsh has been actively participating as a student representative on the Student Success Fee Task Force.

“Well I’m part of the Task Force and they don’t have a say. Our goal is to solicit information to the students and back to the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC). We are more behind the scenes, like what the website will look like or dates that work for the students,” Walsh said.

In addition to his focus on the Student Success Fee, Walsh has three main goals: representing the underrepresented, student involvement and betterment of student programs and activities.

“There are three groups on campus that don’t have a voice and they are graduate students, extended learning students and the veterans center. They pay for ASI fees so they should be given the appropriate resources,” Walsh said. “Second, I don’t want just one student sitting on a bunch of committees but more students to participate. There are thousands of people on campus, it shouldn’t be hard to find. Lastly, and the biggest, the majority of student funded activities and programs should be student run or at least oversight.”

This past year Walsh was Chief of Staff to ASI President, Scott Silviera.

“I’ve physically sat in meetings and help set agendas for Scott. I have fought for the students on campus and will continue to do so. I know what works and doesn’t work,” Walsh said

In regards to changes in the election process, a new feature this year is the allowance of “slate election” where candidates can run as a team. There are two groups actively participating in this new option. Cipriano Vargas will be running for VP of Operations while his teammate, Christian Cayetano will be running for VP Marketing. Sarah Do, Vargas’ opponent, also has her own slate team consisting of Matt Walsh (ASI President candidate), Saul Serano (VP Finance candidate) and Arthur Silverstein (VP External Affairs candidate).

Running for the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences Representative are Tiffaney Boyd, Brett Medeiros and Cameron Tugwell. For College of Business Administration, Tyler Bahneman and Jeff Gutowski were nominated. Alex Evzerov, Daniel Geiszler and Jonathan Molina are candidates for College of Science and Mathematics.

Haley Perko, candidate for College of Education, Health and Human Services Rep, and Tricia Alcid, candidate for Student at Large Representative, are the only two running unopposed in their categories.

The rest of the winners will be announced Friday, March 29, after all the votes are finalized. Visit csusm.edu/asi/bod/asielections to see candidate campaign videos and other information.