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news
Candidates speak
their minds
By Phil Witte
On-line Forty-Niner
Students will have
a chance to prove they are not as apathetic as society as
a whole with this year's Associated Students Inc. elections,
held today, Tuesday and Wednesday at seven polling spots throughout
Cal State Long Beach.
This year's election has the biggest field in years with 58
people running in all offices, said Assistant Dean of Students
Stuart Farber.
Given the paltry turnout at recent elections, the A.S.I. is
seeking ways to boost the numbers, said Mike Johnson, A.S.I.
elections commissioner.
"Our target is to get 20 percent of the students to vote,
compared to the 10 percent we had last year," he said.
To facilitate this, a seventh polling place will be added,
to be located on Friendship Walk at the Bell Tower.
This will join the regular spots at the University Bookstore,
the University Library, the west turnaround, the walkway in
front of the College of Business Building, Lot 11 by the Engineering
Building, and a split spot at the dorms - outside Parkside
Dining Halls today and Tuesday and outside the Residence Hall
on Wednesday.
"We're also pushing the candidates to get out and talk
to people, rather than just relying on their posters,"
Johnson said. "We're also encouraging poll workers to
go out and grab people if things are slow."
The field for president has six candidates: Danny Vivian,
Thomas Patterson, Michael Muto, Jeremy Harris, Oron Maher
and Sal Ayon.
Sal Ayon is a former A.S.I. treasurer and did not provide
any information to the On-line Forty-Niner.
Jeremy Harris is a senior criminal justice major and is currently
a senator from the College of Health and Human Services.
He has been involved in campus activities for three years
and said he wants to continue to serve A.S.I. and the campus
as a whole.
"A lot of people view A.S.I. as a clique on the third
floor of the University Student Union," Harris said during
a candidate's forum last Wednesday. "I want to change
that and get all students involved."
He cited parking as a major campaign issue, offering valet
parking as a possible solution to the campus logjam, and also
ensuring more money makes it to student organizations.
Oron Maher is a senior, double majoring in public relations
and management and operations management and has been a member
of the A.S.I media board for two years.
"We have a big problem with our image as a commuter campus,"
Maher said. "We need to create more programs on campus
so people don't just come to class and then leave."
His campaign objectives include strengthening campus media,
developing Beach Pride, and strengthening the school's relationship
with the city of Long Beach.
Michael Muto is a junior political science major who presents
himself as the outsider candidate, bringing in no previous
A.S.I. experience.
"You need to put a regular guy in office," he said.
"I'm up here in a sweatshirt and these guys are in suits.
I'm like you and I'll vote like you."
Thomas Patterson is a senior history major who has not held
A.S.I. office, but has spent the past few years fighting for
better wages and benefits for employees of 49er Shops.
"I was urged to run because it seems like the best way
to get my message across," he said.
Patterson wants to have suggestion boxes and an e-mail address
to allow students direct access to their representatives.
Danny Vivian is a senior business major is currently A.S.I.
vice president and has served as treasurer and senator in
previous semesters.
"I want an Academic Advising Center that gives
the necessary peer advising to students," Vivian said.
"I also want to fight against any increase in student
fees."
His objectives include continuing to lobby to keep tuition
down, getting more campus housing built and finding solutions
to the parking problem.
Profiles of vice presidential and treasurer candidates will
appear in Tuesday's On-line Forty-Niner.
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Harris
Maher
Muto
Patterson
Vivian
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