Associated Students (A.S.) repealed a referendum designed to cut senators’ term limits in half yesterday, as well as discussing other important issues.
Some of these issues included a new precedent for organization funding and the future of a five-year strategic plan.
The referendum would allow CSUN students to vote on a measure that would reduce appointed senators’ term limits to the semester in which they were appointed, although they could be reappointed every semester without any restrictions.
‘We voted it out; we didn’t want it the way it is,’ said Upper Division I Senator Austin Ysais. ‘It’s not so clear. If we are making it so hard for senators to come in we should make it hard for them to go out.’
According to A.S. Vice President Nicole Umali there should be clear rules on how senator appointments are being approved and that this referendum would be too unclear and would not address the issue at hand.
‘We wanted to have this referendum in for these upcoming elections, but now we will have to push it back for next semester until we all have come to an agreement,’ said Umali.
Additionally, the five-year strategic plan presented by Umali and other senators seeks to expand and create more campus spirit, A.S. visibility, advocacy, outreach and sustainability.
‘With the past administrations there has been no continuity. Nothing gets done, we want to transcend time,’ said Umali. ‘There are always recurring issues but every administration drops the previous agenda and focuses on their goals. All have been good ideas but none of them ever get finished.’
A.S. also discussed setting a key precedent on how much should be allocated to clubs and organizations.
With $12,800 being granted to various clubs and organizations from the unassigned contingency account, senators debated whether or not they should grant students money in the amounts they requested for various events versus being ‘fiscally responsible’ and ‘spreading enough money’ for the rest of the semester, said Umali.
In all accounts about $84,000 is left for students, clubs and organizations for the 10 weeks left in the semester.
During the discussion on whether to allocate $2,500 to CSUN Greens for Earth Day, Richard Morgan, senator of Upper Division seat 2, wanted to lower the amount to $1,000 because he felt the original amount was too high.
‘I don’t see why we are paying for outside performers when we have talented students in our department who would be more than glad to do it. We need to start investing in ourselves before we pay for outside people,’ said Morgan.
On the other hand Sam Scruggs, director of finance said, ‘We are not event planners. We can stipulate to the organizations about the money they use but we don’t change around their event program.’
The final amount given to CSUN Greens was settled at the original amount they asked for.
The issue of fiscal responsibility arose again after more money was asked for by the Public Art Club (PAC) on top of the $1,100 that they originally requested. Erin Garrovillas, senator of Arts, Media and Communication II wanted to add another $400 to the tab making the grand total $1,500.
‘They have really big goals and they want to work with the community,’ said Garrovillas.
The argument against this increase was made by Luis Carbajo, senator of Engineering and CSI, who said, ‘If we grant this new organization $1,500 then other new organizations will start asking for $1,500, unlike the $500 we normally give them.’
Ultimately, the vote for the increase of money allocated to the PAC was reduced back to the original amount and was approved.
Students Services Center/ Educational Opportunity Program (SSC/EOP) saw an increase in allocated funds for more study session tutors available to all students.
‘If we can afford to give the CSUN Greens $1,500 for entertainment purposes then we can afford to give SSC/EOP another $1,500 for educational purposes,’ said Morgan.
