Tell us about yourself. Include your age, major and year in school.
Hollah, my name is Michael Gongora, I’m 18 and a freshmen here at CSUB. i am currently undeclared, but plan on declaring my major in mathematics once I finish my general education.
Why are you running for this position?
I’m simply running for this position because I want to see a drastic change on the campus here at CSUB. I want to see more student involvement, more opportunities to get involved and also to be there for the students to help pave the way for their ideas to flourish.
What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position?
I believe I am the most qualified candidate for this position because I am not bias towards any issues. Why I believe this is because I currently have no ties to any part of the ASI Board here at CSUB. With me having no ties to anyone already on this board, I can make promising decisions and actions that will not be swayed by drama related cliques that already pre-exist on the ASI Board.
Describe for us your platform and vision for your position.
My platform for this position has a basis of three key major points on what I want to see changed here on the CSUB campus. I want to see more Roadrunner pride on this campus and how I believe we can establish this pride is by creating more opportunities to get involved and engaged within the CSUB campus. With this changed of more pride and involvement, I believe we can make a huge change on this campus that will keep the students wanting to stay on campus more often is with better food options. The food options we currently have on this campus are very bland and unhealthy and are not very inviting for this community. With more opportunities to get involved on this campus, which would help create the drive for more campus pride, and better food options, I believe we can create the campus atmosphere we all believe we truly need.
Last year, roughly 25% of the student body voted in the ASI election. What will you do to gather feedback and perspectives from students who don’t vote?
Why I believe the student body is not voting is because we don’t ever have enough advertisement here on the CSUB campus. Advertisement is a huge thing needed on any school campus, because it gets people informed on what is actually happening on campus. This lack of advertisement happens for all of our events here on campus, but mainly with ASI events. I have never seen advertisement for any events happening for the ASI Board. Is it because they don’t do anything? Or is it strategy within the ASI to keep only those they seem fit to run ASI on the board? I truly believe with more advertisement outcomes at ASI Board voting and other events with flourish.
How will you differentiate yourself from your predecessor?
How I plan on differentiate myself from my predecessors is by actually merging myself into the crowd of students rather than sitting in the ASI offices at all times. I want to be seen as a normal person rather than an individual who sees myself as far superior because I’m a part of the ASI Board, because who am I to not be engaged in the community that helped elect me.
Of the student fee money that is paid to ASI, how do you think that fee money should be used?
Every year our students at CSUB pay a fee of $121 in their tuition that goes towards our ASI board every year. CSUB currently enrolls 8,520 students, that’s $1,030,920 that goes into our ASI Board fund every year. That is a lot of money that ASI obtains, but yet the only project I have seen done in this current year is the addition of some of the water bottle fillers located in some of the water fountains located on campus. If I were to get elected I would like to use this excess money in many more beneficial activities and projects that will help the growth and look of CSUB.
Students sometimes raise concerns about what they believe is a dead campus life. What plans do you have to help improve student life on campus?
Helping campus life is a major deal for me. CSUB having such a dead campus is a major reason on why I am trying to run for ASI, because I want to make this campus a more involved one. Events that I would see as beneficial to our campus life would more events that’s gave out information about their careers or routes they can take and also just ones that display information of events happening on campus. A major event I hope to plan to start on our campus is tutoring nights for midterms and finals, where those in need of help can get extra help with problems they have in courses with comfort of having others around with the same problems. A way I believe with increase campus life is by asking and polling students enrolled on what events they would like to see happening on our campus.
During your potential time in office, you may have disagreements with some of your peers. How effectively do you feel you are at working with people who disagree with or dislike you?
Growing up I have always had struggles with people that disagree or dislike me because I tend to tell it how it is. I don’t like sugar coating information to people because I hate it when people sugar coat information to me. Telling the truth may always be right to do, but can also get you in trouble as well. With my experience of these events in my life I believe I have the capability and have the wisdom to simply sit down and talk things out in a mature manner so that conflicts do not erupt.
Why should we vote for you?
You should vote for me because I believe, as cliché as it may sound, that I am the candidate that is truly there for the people. Although this will be my first time a part of the ASI Board at CSUB, I believe me not having any ties to any of the ASI members and cliques that are formed within the ASI board, that I will be able to execute the work that needs to be done without and biases from the residing ASI board member cliques.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
My favorite movie is probably Legally Blonde. I have always identified with the character, Elle Woods, in the movie because I believe I am never truly taken serious, because I am often seen as the party kid, but what I’m capable of will blow your mind, and also because it’s hilarious.
What are your plans after graduation?
UMMMM. I HAVE NOT A CLUE WHAT I AM DOING AFTER GRADUATION. HELP ME.
