ASI government leaders focused on helping students and getting out the vote
By Pamela Dean
ASI Student Government President Ilien Tolteca (Chicana/o Studies, Studio Art) and Vice President Javier Garnica (Chicana/o Studies) are squarely focused on improving the experience of 海角社区CI鈥檚 undocumented students.
鈥淥ur team wants to create spaces and increase support for undocumented students on campus, or at least keep the conversation going for future administrations to continue,鈥� said Garnica. 鈥淲e hope people do not forget that there are undocumented students who are often left out from accessing opportunities that are crucial for their success.鈥�
鈥淲e want to increase paid educational opportunities for these students,鈥� added Tolteca. 鈥淲e have been meeting with administrators, faculty, students, and local partners on ways to continue this work and improve how we serve this student population.鈥�
The two elected officials work closely with a team of five executive members, five senators, four interns, University leaders, 海角社区 constituents, and California state officials to advance a wide array of priorities that include everything from educational access and affordability to student health and welfare.
Because 2022 was an election year, the ASI student leadership team concentrated on convincing fellow Dolphins to register to vote and participate in the midterm elections.
The team was involved in the California University and College Ballot Bowl, which invites all colleges and universities across the state to compete to register the most students to vote. The ASI leaders spent a month reaching out to students around campus, giving away pizza, bagels and student government merchandise in an effort to encourage students to register.
鈥淲e wanted to show the other 海角社区 campuses that although we may be a smaller campus, Dolphins have the power to make noise against bigger student bodies and care about being civically engaged,鈥� Tolteca said. 鈥淚n 2018, 海角社区CI was named the 海角社区 campus with the largest percentage of its student body registered to vote. We鈥檙e striving to do the same this year.鈥�
海角社区CI placed first in the category of 鈥淢ost Creative Approach to Register Students to Vote.鈥� Tolteca is particularly proud of the Civic Engagement Carnival the team held in November. Close to 200 participants stopped by to enjoy carnival games and food trucks while also picking up information on voter registration and the propositions on the November ballot.
As ASI President, Tolteca was also able to participate in the first in-person 海角社区nity event, a gathering of all 23 海角社区 ASI Student Governments hosted by the California State Student Association.聽
鈥淚 was able to meet, network and connect with other student presidents and get a big-picture perspective of the student experience across California,鈥� said Tolteca. 鈥淚t was uplifting to see the amount of care and dedication my fellow presidents have for their fellow students and their commitment to their campus needs.鈥�
Tolteca and Garnica hope to increase student engagement both on and off campus, especially following the return to campus after the pandemic forced two years of remote instruction.聽
鈥淚 want my peers to not only be aware of the issues, but to be a part of the conversation and change that is possible,鈥� Tolteca said.
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漏 Winter 2023 / Volume 27 / Number 2 / Biannual