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Thursday, August 29, 2024
Volume 163 No. 4 SERVING SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
ISRAEL ARCHIE | SPARTAN DAILY
SJSU Student Affairs Vice President Mari Fuentes-Martin with directors from Associated Student discuss agenda items including the Time, Place and Manner Policy.
SJSU president, AS talk agenda By Israel Archie STAFF WRITER
San José State student government organization, Associated Students (A.S) hosted its first in-person board meeting of the semester on Wednesday. The board covered 14 different items which ranged from housekeeping duties to petitions for cultural expression. Much of the housekeeping included things such as removing and appointing different board members to different committees because of scheduling. In the board meeting, there was a motion to add extra time to the meeting and A.S. directors were still not able to address everything on the agenda. “We had a lengthy agenda so we
had to table board reports,” A.S. Director of Communications Geoffrey Agustin said. The board was also greeted by SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson who went into detail about the new initiatives centered around the newly instated Time, Place and Manner policy on campus. This was preceded by a report from Student Affairs Vice President, Mari FuentesMartin, who covered the oversight of things such as student involvement and student conduct. Fuentes-Martin also offered more insight in regards to the Time, Place and Manner policy as she spoke before the board, explaining more of what this policy entails. This policy reserves the right
for students and staff to exercise their right to protest as long as it doesn’t endanger anyone else or disrupt university events, according to (the California State University Time, Place and Manner Policy document). The boardmembers were later introduced to a presentation delivered by Alan Gouig, who serves as the president of the Filipino Alumni Network. The SJSU alumnus talked about the plans for the construction of a mural on campus highlighting Filipino farmworkers. Leonardo Plazola, A.S. Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities, discussed his resolution concerning the federal recognition of the Muwekma-Ohlone Tribe. Plazola said his fellow
colleagues to support this cause as the Muwekma-Ohlone people fight to get federally recognized once more. The aerospace engineering senior’s efforts were well received by the board of directors. While this was the first board meeting of the year for everyone, it was also the first ever in-person board meeting for A.S. Vice President, Chima Nwokolo. Nwokolo was elected as vice president in April allowing him to serve in his first term at Associated Students. Nwokolo, a political science senior, presided over the entire meeting from calling the meeting to order and adjourning the meeting. “I was very excited,” Nwokolo said. “I will admit we had a lot of
items on the agenda.” In the board meeting, there was a motion to add extra time to the meeting and A.S. directors were still not able to address everything on the agenda. “We had a lengthy agenda so we had to table board reports,” A.S. Director of Communications Geoffrey Agustin said. Nonetheless, the computer engineering junior said that it was a very productive meeting. The first meeting of the semester wrapped up and posted on their website, students can go back and look further into what was discussed.
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SJSU’s Gambarin to work with CSU By Sofia Hill STAFF WRITER
Katelyn Gambarin, the director of Legislative Affairs for Associated Students, has been involved in student government at San José State since her first semester of college, and since then she has been making a difference. In her position, Gambarin, along with the A.S. president, will support and uphold the wants and needs of San Jose State University students by collaborating with local government offices and officials, according to Associated Students SJSU. Gambarin was also recently been elected as vice chair of the Cal State Student Association, with candidates spanning from different CSUs. According to the Cal State Student Association website, CSSA is an organization led by California State University students to ameliorate the lives and experiences of every student attending the CSUs by representing students and attesting to their needs. Associated Students (A.S.) and the Cal State
Student Association are intertwined to best support students across all the 23 CSU campuses, according to the CSSA website. Associated Students SJSU President, Ariana Lacson, said that Gambarin served as vice chair for the A.S. board of directors prior to her new position as vice chair for the Cal State Student Association. “She’s familiar with how being a vice chair works so that was optimal for her new position.”, Gambarin has continuously held a position in Associated Students since joining from the Fall semester of 2022 to now, the Fall semester of 2024. Now starting her third year at SJSU, she has held four different positions in total in A.S., including the position of student at large, ethics officer, director of internal affairs, and currently, the director of legislative affairs. “I’ve been a part of Associated Students since my very first year, and I have absolutely fallen in love with it,” Gambarin said. “I feel like I’ve really grown as a person and as a leader in this space.” Leonardo Plazola, A.S.
ISRAEL ARCHIE | SPARTAN DAILY
Katelyn Gambarin (left) votes with her fellow Associated Student members at the first meeting of the semester.
director of Student rights and Responsibilities said, “She has a wealth of experience and knowledge.” “(Gambarin) is such a valuable member of our board and I cannot imagine it without her,” Plazola said. Gambarin interned for California 25th District Assemblymember Ash Kalra, giving her experi-
ence in local government and legislation. Kalra represents eastern San José and a majority of Downtown San José, including the part that holds our San José State campus. “I think that internship really affirmed my desire to stay in government or work in government,” she said. “I don’t know in what capacity I would want to
do that, but I do know that doing this kind of work is very rewarding.” Gambarin stressed the importance of students being involved in their community and staying informed. “The legislation that’s passed that affects this area affects you,” she said. “It’s just really about showing students that you have a
say in what happens in this area. You have the ability to voice who you think is going to make change that will benefit you and your future.”
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