Meeting Minutes
Associated Students | San Diego State University
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 - 3:30pm
Council Chambers, Student Union
I. CALL TO ORDER
A.S. Vice President of University Affairs, Nadia Gallarzo, called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
- Voting Members Present: Nadia Gallarzo, Kareen Holstrom, Milan Rawls, Aliza Siddiqui, Celina Ramirez, Caroline Walton, Kate Bylsma, Jack Dubos, Sabrina Esteban, Quentin Hansen, Grace Muldoon, Nicholas Camacho, Sabrina Esteban, Jake Camacho, Ari Cohen, Tatum Vittitoe (left at 4:33 p.m.), Eric Krog, Everett Richards, Erin Rushing, Alex McMurray, Marco Loza, Noah Stuart, Karen Sawouq, Peter Athey, Myah Moreno, Cesar Ramirez, Elena Zarnecki, Leo Formighieri Pereira
- Voting Members Absent: Jesus Guzman, Mila Valdivia, Jackson Patterson, John Ferris, Andy Lopez, Abby McLachlan
- Non-Voting Members Present: Christina Brown, Araya Williams, Dr. Taharka Ade (left at 4:01 p.m.)
- Non-Voting Members Absent: Christine Molina
- Guests: Ricardo Lara, Janice Dils, Julia Juarez
III. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
It was moved and seconded to approve the agenda for October 15, 2025.
MCMURRAY/WALTON CARRIED (27-0-0)
IV. APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES
It was moved and seconded to approve the previous minutes.
LOPEZ/PETER CARRIED (27-0-0)
V. PUBLIC COMMENT:
None.
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VI. PRESENTATIONS AND UNIVERSITY REPORTS
- University Senate Designee:
Holstrom presented a report on the Academic Partnership Agreement. The resolution regarding the referendum was deferred to the November Senate meeting to allow for further clarification and refinement. - Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity Designee: No report
- A.S. Leadership Experience and Advocacy & Activism Presentation - Commissioner Ricardo Lara, Insurance Commissioner and 1997-98 A.S. Executive Vice President (Time Certain 3:30 p.m.)
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who served as the 1997–98 A.S. Executive Vice President, gave a presentation highlighting his experiences in student leadership, the importance of advocacy and activism in shaping public policy, and how his time in Associated Students influenced his career in public service.
VII. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION
- Appointment of ASUC Member to ASJAC Vacancy Ad-Hoc Committee (Action)
It was moved and seconded to approve Peter Athey as primary and Noah Stuart as secondary for Appointment of ASUC Member to ASJAC Vacancy Ad-Hoc Committee.
LOPEZ/COHEN CARRIED (27-0-0) - General Consent Agenda (Action)
It was moved and seconded to approve the General Consent Agenda.
RICHARDS/VITTITOE CARRIED (27-0-0) - General Consent Report (Information)
The General Consent Report was reviewed.
VIII. INTRODUCTION OF NEW LEGISLATIVE MATTERS:
None.
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IX. REPORTS OF UNIVERSITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
- Karen Sawouq, ASBOD Student-At-Large:
Work is currently underway on the SWANA Survey, which is in the process of being approved. Additionally, efforts are being made to advance various initiatives within the Center, including the development of a charge letter and a framework outlining the next action steps for future students who will continue this work after the current team graduates. - Marco Loza, ASBOD Student-At-Large:
The IRA fee feedback has been reviewed, with strong pros and cons presented before the vote took place. Follow-up outreach is being conducted with the students who shared their feedback to gather additional context.
Planning is also underway for the Fowler College of Business Graduate Mixer, which is currently in development as details regarding the event’s structure and format are being finalized. - Noah Stuart, ASBOD Student-At-Large:
Working on the SWANA resource center as it is in progress for great success in the next coming weeks. - College of Arts and Letters:
A photoshoot and networking event with the Dean will be held in the Council Chambers, featuring donuts and refreshments. Additionally, plans are underway for an upcoming Executive Retreat to support leadership development and team collaboration. - College of Business:
Our RSOs have experienced record attendance this semester. Specifically, DSP currently has 52 members, and Women in Business has grown to nearly 2,000 members. - College of Education:
The career fair held on October 10th was highly successful, featuring 10 employers. Attendance increased significantly compared to last year, rising from 45% to 100% this year. - College of Engineering:
The Pumpkin Drop will take place at the Student Union, and all students are welcome to participate as part of Spirit Week. Additionally, a Halloween Social Event will be held, providing an opportunity for networking in an open and festive environment. Special thanks to the executive team for their support in organizing these events. - College of Health and Human Services:
Efforts are underway to contact professors to reconnect with students. RSOs have been performing exceptionally well, and one of the clubs recently had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. for an event. Additionally, a 5K Breast Cancer Walk will take place this Sunday at Snapdragon; all are encouraged to participate and show support. - College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts:
A Transfer Student Event will be held next Thursday at Adam Humanities to provide networking opportunities. The team also coordinated with MarComm to create a promotional video, including directions on how to access the patio to celebrate the event. - College of Sciences:
Committee service opportunities are upcoming, and students can get involved with the Student Success Fee and RSOs. There is also excitement surrounding the launch of the 24/7 Library initiative. Last week, a retreat was held, which went very well and provided valuable planning and team-building opportunities. - Graduate Student Association:
The GSA has reached a record 20 voting members, despite the work previously being managed by only one individual. The Student Travel Fund has been increased to $30,000 to support student research and travel opportunities.
Efforts are underway to encourage more student enrollment and participation in presenting research. Additionally, the bylaws are outdated and will be revised, drawing inspiration from other effective governance models. - Undeclared College Council: None.
X. UNIVERSITY SENATE COMMITTEE REPORTS -
None.
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XI. CAREER ADVANTAGE REPORTS/UPDATES -
None.
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XII. EXECUTIVE REPORTS AND A.S. ADVISOR REPORT
- Nadia Gallarzo, Vice President of University Affairs:
The SDSU Library will officially return to 24/7 service, following advocacy efforts supported by the Academic Affairs Committee, which sent letters on behalf of students. Last week, elections were held in the University Affairs Board in collaboration with Academic Affairs. Tomorrow, Aliza will be giving a presentation, which is open to all interested participants. - Kareen Holstrom, President:
Emails have been sent regarding the 24/7 Library initiative. We would like to extend our appreciation to the college presidents who submitted letters of support on behalf of the students. Additionally, please note that the Academic Partnership Academic matter is being forwarded to the University Senate for consideration. - Milan Rawls, Executive Vice President:
There were two presentations from the ARC Expansion. The Student Bill of Rights will address this topic as updates are made. Tomorrow, the Thursdays Together group will be meeting; they are also coordinating with the Thursdays Together team, so please be sure to maintain communication with them.
Please continue to encourage those who are interested in getting involved, particularly with A.S. One-on-one meetings with CLC members are also taking place.Homecoming Kickoff will be held this coming Monday. Additionally, Athletics is hosting an event tonight featuring a pep rally with cheer performances and remarks from the basketball coaches. - Kareen spoke on behalf of Abby McLachlan, Vice President of External Relations, who was not present at the meeting:
Advocacy initiatives from the External Relations Board continue to move forward. The lighting letter has been implemented, and work on the campus lighting improvements is currently underway. A resolution related to housing is also in progress.
Rock the Vote is making a strong outreach effort, and ballots have been distributed to all registered voters. Please help spread this information to students and encourage everyone to participate in the upcoming election. - Aliza Siddiqui, Vice President of Financial Affairs:
Sign-ups are now open for Aztec Rock Hunger, Pie Day, and the Dunk Tank event, taking place on November 5th from 12:00–4:00 p.m. Participation will count toward volunteer hours.Tomorrow, a presentation will be given at the Academic Affairs Committee regarding the college councils’ budget increase. Additionally, the IRA fee discussion went well, with strong pro and con statements presented. - Christina Brown, Executive Director:
We were proud to welcome Ricardo back to speak to our Council. His presence added valuable credibility and insight into the importance of advocacy, both for our students and for ourselves, as it demonstrates how such efforts can lead to the development of strong, influential leaders like Ricardo.
XIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Kareen: MarComm will have an exclusive temporary tattoo promotion for the game this Friday. Kareen, who is also a member of a sorority, shared that their chapter will be hosting a philanthropy event from 8:00 p.m. to midnight in support of Girls on the Run, which benefits local elementary school students. Tickets are $5, and the event will feature a DJ.
- Karen: Karen is involved with SDsU Rotaract, a professional development and community service club. The organization currently has applications open for students interested in building new skill sets and getting involved. More information is available on their Instagram page.
- Jake: Announced a multicultural potluck event taking place this Friday.
XIV. ADJOURNMENT
It was moved and seconded to adjourn at 5:18 p.m.
RICHARDS/RAWLS CARRIED (26-0-0)
