In outgoing A.S. President Chad Charton’s office hangs a poster showing the Northridge Matadors logo made up of hundreds of tiny images of life at CSUN. The logo, which Charton expects to be projected on one of the campus buildings, is just one of his many plans as the Associated Students outgoing president to brand the university.
Sitting in his large office in the A.S. headquarters, Charton claimed that creating a culture within the student community has been his main goal since he became president in June 2005. His purpose for branding the campus is to create an identity for CSUN, so students can be proud of their university’s tradition, Charton said.
He did not find that identity when he started his term last summer because there was not a feeling of community in the campus, he said. That is why he decided to bring back “the excitement” through moments and movement, Charton said.
“This is what a university campus should feel like,” he said.
Moments, such as the Welcome Back Fair in Fall 2005, was part of Charton’s plans to re-invigorate the campus spirit.
Organizing events, interacting with students, assisting in meetings, and making decisions are just a few of the daily chores of his job, he said.
Charton’s part-time job as the president of the student government has become almost a full-time job because of all the big responsibilities he has to deal with on a daily basis.
Most of his days at the A.S. office start at 8 a.m. and sometimes continue after 5 p.m., he said.He keeps his spirit up all the time, however, and also that of his colleagues, said Juana Zamora, A.S. humanities senator I.
“He is very dedicated, hardworking and an interesting person,” said Zamora. “He is always giving quotes,” she said.
“I am a big advocate for inspiring others, and giving quotes is a way to convey messages artistically, eloquently and forcefully,” Charton said.
Charton said his drive to inspire others came from his fraternity Sigma Chi, an international men’s fraternity designed to develop leadership. The fraternity was where he learned how to improve his leadership skills and how to motivate others to create a better community for the students, he said.
Charton also had to juggle his job as the A.S. president and his other job as a financial planning adviser at an investment firm. This helps him in dealing with his responsibilities as the president of the A.S., he said.
“His business background and his experience as a student are a good mixture that allows him to run the student government,” said Kevin Mojaradi-Stenke, A.S. marketing and public relations coordinator. “Chad brings the best of both worlds to make the government work.,” he said.
During Charton’s term, there were significant changes to the structure of A.S. government: the initiation of the online elections process of the student body, reformation of the traditional court to four at-large Senate seats, and the creation of new positions in the Senate, such as the director of academics.
However, he now faces a new challenge: obtaining the university’s approval for the Northridge Matadors logo projection. The projection would appear during the evenings, on the Bayramian Hall building, he said.
Charton will end his term May 31, but he expects to continue working on the Matadors logo project with the incoming president, Adam Salgado.
“We, the A.S., are responsible for profound advancement in this university,” said Charton. “Students should know we exist, what we.”
Carla Acevedo can be reached at city@csun.edu
