Breakfast or the lack thereof, was a topic several housing students brought up during CSU Bakersfield’s Associated Student’s Inc. second meeting of the fall 2020 semester.  

During public comments, housing students Diego Leon and Sergio Brito, among others, expressed their concern over the limited breakfast options offered on campus due to the campus’s Starbucks location recent closing. With the Runner Café only open for lunch and dinner, Leon asked, “Would Aramark be open to forming partnerships with the Starbucks near campus or nearby restaurants that have a more diverse hours of operation?” 

Owen Smith, Director of Food Service for Aramark at CSUB, said the current distance education model has drastically reduced the number of diners on campus to approximately 30-35 people at any given meal period in the cafeteria.  

Smith said students do have the option of purchasing from a selection of breakfast options the day before and storing them in their rooms.  

Smith also welcomed students to contact him if they have dietary guidelines that the current offerings do not meet or if students simply want to request new menu items. ASI executive director, Ilaria Pesco, commented that ASI will be organizing a meeting with Aramark and housing students. 

Director of athletics, Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried, noted CSUB joined the Big West Conference on July 1. Siegfried said the Big West established a new committee, Big West Undivided, which will work on social justice issues. 

Siegfried said he and Vanessa Austin, women’s basketball student athlete, will be members of this committee. Siegfried also said fall sports such as soccer, volleyball, and cross country have been postponed until the spring for now with no word on winter or spring sports. 

CSUB President, Lynnette Zelezny, shared her experience taking part in a national forum of university presidents together with United States Vice President Mike Pence to discuss the effects of COVID-19 on colleges.  

According to Zelezny the federal government wanted to get the word out that, “crowds equal infection” and she encouraged everyone to wear masks and social distance during the Labor Day holiday. 

ASI welcomed the new dean of the School of Social Sciences & Education James Rodriguez.  

Rodriguez said he is happy and excited to be a part of the CSUB family. He will be hosting a conversation on Sept. 10 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in order to meet and talk with as many people as he can. In order to participate, students must email Patty Padilla, [email protected].  

CSUB Campus Programming coordinator Afaf Aldhulay gave the Campus Programming Report and asked for feedback on last week’s T-Pain event along with Welcome Week events.  

Aldhulay announced CSUB Programming will be cohosting a Netflix watch party with the Kegley Institute of Ethics on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. They will be watching the film 13th with a Zoom discussion following. 

Jim Drnek, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, gave the Student Affairs Report highlighting the Guaranteed 4.0 Zoom session next week, which has already reached the maximum number of sign-ups.  

Drnek said he wanted students to know that Maria Palaiologou is the campus ombudsperson for students. Palaiologou serves as a liason for students who have issues or complaints with the campus. Drnek also said student affairs is working with Kern Homeshare to research affordable housing for students. 

Executive director, Ilaria Pesco, updated the members on an issue raised in last week’s meeting of professors not responding to student emails. Pesco said the issue has been taken to the Provost.