Earlier this week, The Signal interviewed ASI (Associated Students Inc.) candidates David Alvarado Amaya (freshman, Computer Science), Aidan Bennie (freshman, Biology), and Antonio Anaya Tapia (senior, Business).
Alvarado Amaya is running for Director of Environment, Bennie is running for Director for the College of Science, and Anaya Tapia is running for the Director for the College of Business.
The candidates shared the student rights they wanted to advocate for.
Alvarado Amaya said that he believes that “ transparency in student government is very important” and that he believes in the rights to a “safe and healthy learning environment.”
Bennie wants to advocate for more study and tutoring areas, especially since the Commons, a study and tutoring area in Naraghi, is no longer there.
Anaya Tapia also believes in transparency in student government. He said, “There should be a broad understanding of where our money is being spent and what is being used.”
The candidates also shared some of the initiatives they want to push for, should they be elected.
Alvarado Amaya so far has four ideas in mind. He wants to push for referendums that would include the availability of more options for recycling, fight for the implementation of native plant species, work toward attaining a compost service in main dining to reduce food waste and advocate for the support of alternative transportation such as bikes.
Bennie wants to push for more relationships with professors in addition to more study areas that will have the potential to help other students in the science and STEM fields. He believes this will create a better learning environment.”
Anaya Tapia wants to bring more accessable transportation to the Stockton campus. Students who attend the Turlock campus have access to the Turlock Transit. Anaya Tapia wants to allow students in Stockton to have the same accessibility to their campus as the students in Turlock do.
Anaya Tapia is running against Yu Fu (Jeff), who hopes to “improve [his] leadership and communication skills and be able to represent the voice of Business Study Body and fight for what is right.”
Anaya Tapia is also running against Christopher Thompson, who wants to bring more jobs and internships to campus for students working toward a business major and offer more scholarships those in the business program who are high-achieving. He wants to offer this as an incentive as an attempt to nurture academic success within the College of Business.
Bennie is running against Kassandra Lopez, who wishes to “push for effective projects in collaboration with our campus department and administration for the benefit of the student population and to increase inclusive community engagement.”
Bennie is also running against Karla De La Cueva, a Biology major, who wants to bring back The Commons. She wants to “have Supplement Instruction available for multiple courses in the College of Science.”
De La Cueva also wants to help “promote all available services that are on campus that specifically help students in the College of Science.”
Alvarado Amaya is running against Cynella Aghasi, a Political Science major, who wants to “encourage, as well as inform students how they can contribute to a more sustainable campus.”
Aghasi also wants to set up a compost system soe students can have a place to dispose a variety of organic materials that would otherwise end up in the trash.
For more detail on the campaign goals of these students, listen to the podcast where they answer questions on their views and initiatives they want to work on.
Don’t forget to vote in the ASI elections on April 17th and 18th from 8am-6pm at South Dining and if you’re at the Stockton Campus, from 10am-6pm.
