Issue date: 9/5/07 Section: News

ASI President Christina Romero [Click to enlarge]

Associated Students Inc. failed to finalize its 2007-08 Strategic Plan and will instead enter the school year with what it calls its "top five priorities."

ASI President Christina Romero said the current priorities may be modified and refined in weeks to come. No specific date to do so has been scheduled.

A week before ASI's annual retreat, held Aug. 20, Romero said ASI would have a finalized Strategic Plan in the form of a document by the retreat's conclusion. A week and a half later, Romero confirmed that this goal was not achieved, as ASI only discussed and collectively agreed upon five priorities, including visibility and transparency, sustainability, promotion of alumni welcoming, campus safety and collaboration with other student clubs and organizations.

"We felt really, really passionate about a whole bunch of issues, but these were priorities that everyone came (to) and agreed upon," Romero said.

Romero said she and the other board members were realistic in choosing their top five priorities.

"We worked really hard and took our time to brainstorm….We were really careful about not biting off more than we could chew," she said.

ASI Executive Vice President Miguel Cervantes said having the ASI retreat was worth it, as ASI was able to finalize a number of its focuses without having to rush into the process.

Romero said although these goals have been given special attention, they have not been confirmed. She said some of the priorities may remain on ASI's agenda, while others may not.

A priority that junior child development major Amanda Rodriguez would like addressed is a better system of getting necessary textbooks for classes.

"Sometimes I have to wait four weeks into the semester to get the textbooks," Rodriguez said. "I would definitely like to see better communication between the professors and staff members at the Hornet Bookstore…(a lot of) times they don't receive the book orders students need."

Rodriguez said she would like ASI to continue fighting against student fee raises, something last year's board of directors did.

Royce Wood, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, said he enjoyed the Multi-Cultural event held last year and would like to see more this year. He also said he wants ASI to have more of a public image on campus.

"ASI should send a letter…to students (either) once a month or once a semester (just to let them know) what they're doing," Wood said. "(This would be better than) finding out on election day and never hearing from them again. I want to see some kind of formal communication to the student body."

Cervantes said he expects the board of directors will transform its goals from general to more specific, allowing for development of the priorities.

The Strategic Plan will be open for discussion at a working board meeting next Wednesday. The meeting will be held in the University Union's Capital Room. The issues discussed there will be voted on at the board's first official meeting, which will be held in the University Union's Foothill Suite on Sept. 19.

Although the five priorities will not be validated until two weeks after school starts, Romero said ASI had a productive summer.

"We haven't just been playing in our sandbox....We've been working and we'll (continue) to work," she said.

Jacqueline Tualla can be reached at jtualla@statehornet.com.

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