What do you want to change this semester?
One of my main goals is to see an increase in voter turnout for the school elections. Our goal is 3,500 students and I think that we can definitely meet it. It’s important that students know how things like the campus quality fee affect them, since they are paying for it. So what I really want to change is getting people involved and educating them on issues so that they can make a difference.
Do you have any plans to improve the campus?
Generally speaking, the way to improve campus is to work on increasing awareness about all the student resources that we have here. For instance, the career center is a great place for internships and many students are not aware of it.
The orientation sessions are really helpful in showing all the ways students can get involved with the school. It’s not just A.S. or the administration that wants to improve the campus it’s every single student, that’s why raising awareness on different issues is so important. Asking why there’s a problem can sometimes lead to a solution.
How are you reaching out to CSUN students?
Outreach is not just something A.S. struggles with, the entire university struggles with reaching out because there are so many students and departments. I think classroom presentations are a good way to reach people.
The mass e-mail that we plan to send out is also a good way, although it takes a couple of weeks to get through all the paperwork. Promoting events and getting people involved directly is the best way to reach out.
What are you planning for the U.S. presidential elections in November?
We are planning on having events a couple of weeks before the election. Bringing the political parties to come speak on campus so that students can become engaged and have accurate information.
An idea we have is to create a wall where students can come and draw or write on about how they feel about political issues. For the student elections we have debates planned for the senate candidates and students will be able to go and see them debate the issues, which is a great way to get people involved.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
I think one of my strengths is that I am a quiet person who observes a lot. It makes people think of me as approachable. I enjoy working with others and like meeting new people so I think it helps that people find me approachable and friendly. Something I’ve been working on is trying to better articulate what I think, just improving my communication skills so that I am better able to get my views across.
Do you have any advice or tips to give to incoming freshmen?
To know that there are a lot of resources here on campus available to them and that being aware of the issues on campus is the way to improve things. Getting involved is the best way to not only know the general issues but the specifics.
What do you think is the most important part of your job?
The most important part of my job is to be the voice of the students, especially in the Senate, where I have a vote. I can speak on behalf of the clubs and organizations and students and advocate for them. I have access to the administration and it’s my job to relay the information on behalf of Senate and the students.
