By Sonia Lemus

Assistant News Editor

  Mariela Gomez, Associated Students Inc. president informed ASI during their Nov. 3 meeting that she is on a time crunch. Gomez is the student representative in the Advisory Committee for the closed presidential search.

  Gomez recently learned during her Oct. 30 closed meeting for the presidential search, that the deadline for anyone to submit information of what they want in CSU Bakersfield’s next President is Nov. 10.

  Gomez has scheduled open forums for November from 9-10 a.m. in the Stockdale Room, and Nov. 9 from 6-7 p.m. in Student Housing East Multi-Purpose Room.

  Gomez said she felt the Oct. 30 open forum was very intimidating for students. She wants students to feel more comfortable voicing their opinions in her forums.

  There was discussion of having the forums broadcast to the Antelope Valley Campus or having them hold their own forum.

  Another issue ASI discussed is collecting three to five complaints from students regarding academic advising. Gomez will be meeting with Provost Jenny Zorn to show her the complaints students have regarding advising.

 ASI also continues with its Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals efforts. From now until Nov. 20, they will continue with their letter writing campaign called Contact Congress.

 After Nov. 20, they want to focus on having more phone banks available so that students can contact congress through phones here at CSUB, if they do not want to use their own personal phones.
  “This isn’t an issue that should only concern ASI, this an issue that should concern the student body in general,” said Vice President of University Affairs Anthony Briseno.

 ASI also said they want students to voice their opinions regardless of their stance on DACA. 

  “Let students know we are just getting your opinion on DACA. Whether you are for or against it, just letting our voices be heard,” said Briseno.

  However, ASI does advocate for all students regardless of documentation.

  Briseno also brought 50 postcards for the AV campus to join the Contact Congress campaign.

  Some ASI members discussed expanding the DACA efforts outside of CSUB to high schools and their local communities. They were advised to be cautious with bringing the efforts to high schools because of district regulations, but were more than welcome to take any of CSUB’s ideas to their communities.

  Additionally, Chief of Police for University Police Department Marty Williamson attended the meeting. He heard the ASI’s concerns regarding parking. He told them that parking lot A, parking lot I, and parking lot E have good amounts of available parking spaces even during CSUB’s busiest hours.

  Briseno voiced his concern saying that the area around the new Arts and Humanities building was not well lit, and that on occasions the lights in parking lot A were out.

  Williamson said if the issue ever happens again, they should inform UPD immediately. As parking lot lighting should never be off when it is dark.

  He also said that UPD has now hired the two officers they needed, making UPD fully staffed.

  UPD also canceled their active shooter training because only ten students RSVP’d, and UPD would have wanted a slightly larger audience. They will try to host the training again next semester.

  Vice President of Finance Justin McKinley informed ASI that $800 were given to the Muslim Students Association for their event Diversity in Islam.

  Director of Community   Outreach Wendy Melendez informed ASI that the Dance Marathon was able to raise $9,300 for the Children’s Hospital. This is the most they have raised in the five years they have had this event.

  Another reporte was given by Vice President of Campus Life, Mohammed Cook. He said that the name chosen for CSUB’s new app is CSUB Mobile App.
  The beta version of the app is expected to release by the end of November.

  Men’s basketball will only be having two home games for the month of November, and community seats have already sold out. If students want to attend, they should get their tickets as early as possible.

  Nov. 7 will be the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Runner Café and Panda Express in the Student Union.