ASI Debate - Quarter vs. Semester System

Yesterday, I had the privilege of representing the CSULA Forensics Debate team in a debate hosted by A.S.I. regarding the proposal by CSULA President James Rosser to transition from a quarter system to a semester system. However, after seeing the confusion that many members of the audience displayed, I would like to clarify a few things.

In the ASI sponsored debate, the CSULA Forensics Debate team was asked by Jennifer Chemel (A.S.I. President) to perform in a debate so that the witnessing audience would have the opportunity to become informed of the pros and cons of each argument. In short, this was a debate assignment. Both the affirmative 'team' and negative 'team' were assigned a position to take -- either for or against -- and argue the issue. Neither were given the opportunity to choose which side to take. The CSULA Forensics Debate team agreed to take part in this debate for obvious reasons as well as our sense of campus pride motivated us to do this service to our University.

However, as far as our performance goes, the CSULA Forensics Debate team was never notified by Ms. Chemel that we would be asked questions from the audience. Despite the fact that I am an appointed member of ASI, during this debate, I was first and foremost a member of my debate team. We were under the false impression that a Q&A session would take place after the debate (in which, I of course would 'switch hats', so to speak and perform my duties as an Academic Senator). Furthermore, the CSULA Forensics Debate team is seeking an apology from Ms. Chemel for not having made this lack of clarification to both the team and to the students in the audience.

To sum this up, the opinions expressed at this debate are not necessarily the actual opinions of the debators themselves. As debators, we were merely either supporting or attacking the resolution we were given.

Now that this is cleared up, I also wish to address the issue of the student sentiment towards A.S.I...

A.S.I. was established on the principle of having students working on the behalf of students in both representation and outreach. As elected and appointed members of student government, we have an obligation to the constituency that we have been elected to represent and should be held accountable for our actions.

The main reason why I first became a part of A.S.I., even as early as my freshman year, was because I personally believe in the principles of true representation and accountability. In brief, what I mean by true representation is that as a representative for a constituency, one must advocate the views, needs, and concerns of those that one represents instead of the individual. Student representatives are voted in by their peers... as a result, students are the sole constituency that I have and will continue to represent.

Throughout my service in student government, I have been of the opinion that A.S.I. has a responsibility to the students we have been elected and appointed to represent. In my freshman year, I found myself advocating for the concerns and demands of the College of Business and Economics students as the College of Business and Economics Representative. This year, however, I have found myself placed in a unique situation as an Academic Senator in where I will be voting on University Policy that is presented to the Academic Senate. One of these issues will in fact be the quarter to semseter conversion proposal by CSULA President James Rosser. Im this matter, I have been asked to voice the official opinion of A.S.I. (which currently has no opinion). I, however, am disgusted by the possibility of going against the desires of my constituency. My pledge to the student body of CSULA is that, despite protests and the possibility of recieving criticism from my partners in student government, is that I will continue to do as I have always done: to voice YOUR concerns. To consider YOUR needs beyond my own.

Despite what you may be told, remember that you do have a voice. Use it! Lobby A.S.I. and demand true representation and accountability. Ask your college representatives about what they are doing to voice your concerns to the rest of A.S.I. Ask your A.S.I. President as to how you are being represented under her leadership and how A.S.I. is making an effort to reach out to the student population.

As students, we have a right to be heard and to be taken seriously. If all else fails, we do have voices of our own. Please remember that.

Carlos Lopez-Jimenez
A.S.I., Undergraduate Academic Senator
Student Action Coalition, Chair
Earth LA, President
Student Alumni Association, Public Relations