By Jordan Darling
News Editor

CSUDH President Thomas F. Parham has dominated attention on campus the past two weeks—and for good reason. The inauguration week of only the 11th permanent president in campus history is a noteworthy event. 

But there’s another president on this campus—one who actually got elected (CSU presidents are drawn from a distinguished list of applicants and go through a lengthy interview process before finally being recommended by an advisory committee to the chancellor, who makes the final decision).

It’s Christian Jackson, the president of Associated Students Inc., the student government on campus in charge of everything from advocating for the best interests of the general student body to dispersing the nearly $1.9 million (in 2017-18) in student fees it receives. Whether it’s helping to fund the campus radio station and campus clubs, sponsoring events ranging from the Spring Fling to Halloween Haunt, or serving as the voice of students to the administration and the outside world, ASI is always working on something—and Jackson is the person who oversees it all. 

The Bulletin caught up with Jackson, a junior computer science major, in his first term as ASI president, and picked his brain about goals set and achieved, what the ASI does, and why all students should care.

Bulletin: What were your goals going into the 2018-2019 school year? What are your goals for next year?

A: Increase advertising…working on campus communication [and getting] necessary information to students quickly. Adding some food options to campus. And working on Toro Hour.

Definitely see if there are any big things that need to be introduced to next year’s action plan as far as what needs to be executed and sort of worked on. Outside of that, just continue all the things we’ve continued working on this year and previous years.

What is Toro Hour, how is it beneficial?

A: An hour of nonacademic classes…There are several other campuses that do it. Northridge is one… Benefits as far as Toro Hour [are] higher student engagement, more connection to faculty members on-campus, students have had health benefits from having that stress break, that mental break, that extra hour added to their busy lives to seek some mental health services if needed.

In an interview, you did with the Bulletin last year you spoke about upholding the core values of ASI (Advocacy,Student Growth, and Leadership).How have you upheld those values and how will you continue to uphold them? 

A: Advocacy: right now we are planning to go to CHESS, California Higher Education Student Summit, which is held every year in Sacramento, [where] representatives from the 23 CSUs go. And we…lobby to Assembly members and legislators on the issues or things we see as college students and some ways that the state can support us. It is something we are currently planning on and educating the [ASI representatives] that are going so we can lobby effectively

   Student Growth: expanding the events that we put on as ASI to benefit the students. So far, the events we have put on have seen a higher attendance than the previous year so that is good.

    Leadership: expanding the student knowledge on positions we have available in ASI so that they can participate in campus leadership and hear what the students need and carry out their requests throughout their term and build the leadership necessary to advocate and lead effectively.

How have you improved the marketing? 

A: We did a marketing survey last semester [looking] at how information is received. How many students go through email, how many use Torolink or how many go by word of mouth. Which are the most effective ways that students are hearing information and asking what are things they believe need additional attention.

You meet with President Parham once a month, what do you talk about? How are the meetings beneficial? 

A: We talk about [many] things. Some of the things I’ve asked is just getting to know him as a person. Understanding the sort of visions he has for the campus. We also talk about upcoming events like the presidential investiture week that just happened…we discuss a number of things. 

What do you feel is the most important thing for students to know about ASI? What do you think would surprise them the most?

A:There is ample room for involvement in ASI whether it is running for a position or simply needing a place to voice your concerns or speak in general  about anything you want to talk about something advocated for. This is definitely the place for it. We are here to serve you as a student .

   Students would be surprised about the amount of work that goes into running ASI.

     The most important function for ASI is to advocate on behalf of students. What it means is to be involved…Whether it be from attending meetings, understanding budgets, understanding university processes, California state legislation, to running events on campus, professional and business etiquette. The amount of work that goes into making the business run…the amount of moving parts…it’s more than meets the eye from the outside.