Meeting Minutes
Associated Students | San Diego State University

Monday, January 27, 2020 - 3:30pm
Council Chambers • Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union

I. CALL TO ORDER

A.S. President, Christian Onwuka, called the meeting to order at 3:38 PM in the Council Chambers at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union.

II. ROLL CALL

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  1. Voting Members Present: Christian Onwuka, Kyla Blaylock, George Scott, Dustin Adkins, Angelica Espinoza, Christian Holt, Sophie Chance, Cassie Weinberg, Antonio Marquez Camacho, Jessica Rentto, Brittany Santos-Derieg.
  2. Voting Members Absent: Stephanie Estrada, Lee Abed.
  3. Non-Voting Members Present: Christina Brown, Nikki Eliaschev.
  4. Non-Voting Members Absent: None.
  5. Visitors: Patty Rea, Dr. J. Luke Wood.

III. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

It was moved and seconded to approve the agenda for today’s meeting. 
WEINBERG/CHANCE                                                                                    CARRIED, (9-0-0) 

IV. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

It was moved and seconded to approve the Board of Directors meeting minutes of 12/2/19, as attached.
ESPINOZA/HOLT                                                                                           CARRIED, (9-0-0)

V. PUBLIC COMMENT

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None.

VI. UNIVERSITY REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS  

  1. Business and Financial Affairs Designee: Jessica Rentto reported on the following:
    1. Explained how Governor Newsom’s proposed state budget will affect the CSUs.
    2. The 2020 Bond Act will be up for a vote in March. Some of the money allocated would go towards the CSUs and affordable student housing.
  2. University President’s Designee: Brittany Santos-Derieg reported on the following:
    1. There were five amendments to the bill for the quantitative reasoning requirement. The new chancellor will make any actions regardless of the vote.
    2. Explained the reasoning behind the proposed merging between the divisions of Student Affairs and Diversity and Innovation.
  3. SDSU Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion: Dr. J. Luke Wood reported on the following: 
    1. Welcomed the Tribal Liaison, Jacob Alvarado. His purpose is to bridge the Native American community and SDSU.
    2. Yesenia Sanchez Garcia is the new director of Latinx Resource Center. She will be at the launch of the Latinx Resource Center on February 20th at 1:00 pm in the Chicano/a collections room in Love Library.
    3. The Native Student Resource Center will open on March 2nd at noon in the CAL building.
    4. Opening of the third ‘Mind, Body, Spirit’ space on campus is on March 5th in the third floor of Love Library. 
    5. Collecting data on climate as part of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative. Will be presenting the data April 29th at noon. 
    6. The Ethnic Studies Requirement will be in this year’s course catalog.

VII. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION

  1. General Consent Agenda (Action): It was moved and seconded to approve the general consent agenda, as attached.
    ESPINOZA/CHANCE                                                                       CARRIED, (9-0-0)
  2. General Consent Report (Information): The general consent report was reviewed, as attached.
  3. 360 Feedback and Annual Evaluation of the Executive Director (Information) Presented by Patty Rea, Associate Executive Director (Time Certain 4:15PM): Encouraged members to fill out the evaluation and reminded them that their feedback is important. 

VIII. CLOSED SESSION

Closed to Non-Members

None.

IX. BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMITTEE REPORTS  

  1. Audit Committee: None. 
  2. Facilities Board: None.
  3. Financial Affairs Committee (FAC): None.
  4. Marketing and Communications Committee: None.

X. EXECUTIVE REPORTS                                      

  1. President: Christian Onwuka reported on the following: 
    1. KCR and the Daily Aztec presented about a fee proposal at the Campus Fee Advisory Committee (CFAC) meeting last Friday.
    2. The Presidential Taskforce on Student Activities and Safety approved the draft for the Good Samaritan Policy. Well-Being and Health Promotion and the Director of Student Life & Leadership (SLL) presented at the meeting. 
    3. Finalized the student nominations at the Strategic Plan meeting, which will include seven undergraduate and three graduate students. 
    4. Kudos to Dr. J Luke Wood and Provost Ochoa for their hard work on the University Strategic Plan. 
    5. Thank you to everyone who walked in the San Diego Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and those who attended the many events in Dr. King’s honor.
    6. Met with Counseling and Psychological Services staff to discuss their plans for the additional funds. Their goals include: increasing marketing, hiring new case managers, and hiring more counselors.
  2. Executive Vice President: Kyla Blaylock reported on the following: 
    1. Planning for the Aztec Achievement Awards (AAA’s). Looking for students to be a part of the awards planning committee. 
    2. Attended a Mission Valley Steering Committee meeting this past Friday. 
    3. Freedom of Expression Committee meeting today around policies that will affect high-profile speakers who come to present on campus. The goal is to support students, not silence voices. 
    4. ‘Mix it Up’ is this Wednesday. Encouraged everyone to attend.
    5. Thanked everyone who attended the spring retreat.
    6. Hoping to finalize the A.S. inclusion statement this week at the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) meeting. Looking for students to serve on the subcommittees.
    7. The second University Diversity Institute is this Friday at 12:30pm.
  3. Vice President of External Relations: Angelica Espinoza reported on the following: 
    1. This semester's focus will be centered on national, state, and local elections.
    2. Will be ramping up Rock the Vote (RTV) and tabling almost every day until the deadline to register to vote, which is February 17th.
    3. Working with KPBS on their non-partisan voter guide.
    4. Encouraging students to vote in Montezuma Hall.
    5. Working with Rachel Gregg in regards to communicating information about the 2020 census to SDSU students. 
    6. California Higher Education Student Summit (CHESS) applications became available today. This year’s focus will be on fixing financial aid. 
    7. CSU analytics research begins in a couple of days. Will be researching inequalities with obtaining a degree in the CSUs.
    8. Working as the CSSA Undocumented Student Lead on efforts to support undocumented students across the CSU.
  4. Vice President of Financial Affairs: Dustin Adkins reported on the following:
    1. Has been working on changes and updates to the A.S. Food Pantry. 
    2. Working with Well Being and Health Promotion to launch ‘food nudging’, which will encourage students to choose healthier options.
    3. Looking at new ways to market the A.S. Food Pantry and to update old marketing and flyers. 
    4. The Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT) received funding through AB47 for rapid re-housing for students on the verge of homelessness. Hiring a coordinator for this program. 
    5. ECRT is working with the Swap Shop to provide vouchers for students who use ECRT services.
    6. Aztecs Shops sales systems now accept EBT. Piloting in one location.
    7. Will continue to work with parking services this semester and create focus groups on parking-related issues.
    8. Asked members to let recognized student organizations know that A.S. has funding available and wants students to use it. 
    9. Will be attending the California Higher Education Basic Needs Alliance 2020 Summit this week in Orange County. Interested to see any changes from the summit from two years ago.
  5. Vice President of University Affairs: George Scott reported on the following:
    1. Handed out the sample survey questions for the A.S. 2019-2020 Academic Report. Asked members to read them and provide feedback on whether they believe the questions are worded with neutral language.
    2. The draft for the A.S. 2019-2020 Academic Report will be released on February 18th.
    3. Will continue to work with the International Student Center to encourage more international student participation on campus and in A.S. 
    4. Attended the Narcan Upstander Distribution Program hosted by Well-Being and Health Promotion. 
  6. Executive Director: Christina Brown reported on the following:
    1. Kyla created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) survey for A.S. student leaders which was great to see at retreat.
    2. A.S. DEI committee has been split into two parts, A.S. employment and student volunteers. Working on gathering data for employment. 
    3. Executive officers have their 360 surveys out. Encouraged members to complete them.
    4. Stephanie Estrada is working in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Scholarship that will be given out at the 50th anniversary of EOP.
    5. Michael Wiafe and Maryana Khames have an office on the second floor of the Student Organization Center.
    6. The Graduate Student Association (GSA) presented to the Aztec Student Union Board (ASUB) about a pilot program for the Harvey Goodfriend Lounge to be marketed and used primarily as a space for graduate students. 

XI. REPORTS OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS

  1. Lee Abed, Student-At-Large: No report. 
  2. Sophie Chance, Student-At-Large:
    1. Will not be able to attend UC meetings but will be attending college council meetings individually. 
    2. Working on a textbook calculator ‘gift-back’ program for students who need to sell their textbooks. 
    3. Plans to continue to work with Career Services on internships and outside opportunities.
    4. Happy to have participated in the implicit bias training to be on a hiring committee and feels that it is very important for A.S. representatives to complete.
  3. Stephanie Estrada, Student-At-Large: No report. 
  4. Christian Holt, Student-At-Large: 
    1. Working on helping second-year students transition to off campus housing. 
    2. Working on the SDCelebration with SDC.
    3. Looking into planning a ‘Human Trafficking Awareness Day’ specific to SDSU.
  5. Antonio Marquez-Camacho, Student-At-Large:
    1. Working on the Latinx Film Festival. Looking to showcase student films and artwork that are representative of the community. 
    2. Education Without Borders (EWB) presented college readiness workshops at the Zapatista Conference. 
  6. Cassie Weinberg, Student-At-Large:
    1. Working on the ‘Mental Health Fest’ and received valuable feedback from Dr. Jen Rikard.
    2. In the process of planning for the ‘Swap Shop’.
    3. Working with Green Love and the Climate Action Committee.

XII. ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded to adjourn the meeting at 5:21 pm. 
ADKINS/ESPINOZA                                                                                                     CARRIED

APPROVED BY: Christian L. Onwuka, A.S. President   

PREPARED BY: Nikki Eliaschev, A.S. Government Secretary