Taylor Bolanos
LV Life Editor
Politically charged discussion about campus issues regarding tuition, student involvement and communication between students and administration heated up Associated Students of La Verne’s candidate forum Wednesday in the Campus Center Ballroom.
President and vice president candidate team sophomore international business major Ryan Gray and sophomore business administration major Jessica Faber are running against junior business administration major Alexis Coria and junior kinesiology major Alaia Azarcon.
Gray and Faber said they will be the voice for student needs, and they declared the need for weekly addresses to the student body, updates on ASULV’s work and monthly student forums.
“We shouldn’t take a month or semester to hear you,” Gray said.
The team also pledged improved communication between the different colleges and groups on campus.
Coria and Azarcon formulated their platform around their values, “community, communication and connection.”
To increase the La Verne values of inclusivity and diversity on-campus, Coria and Azarcon hope to broaden the dialogue between the various groups on campus and expand the alert system for a safer environment.
“We have to bring forth the values of education and networking,” Coria said.
For Coria, bringing changes to La Verne depends on focusing on why students go to college in the first place.
Azarcon pointed out the importance of student involvement and advocacy and, if elected, pledges to dedicate each month to a new type of advocacy.
“The whole point of college is becoming culturally aware,” Azarcon said. “Diminish the ignorance; make this school as diverse as it used to be.”
Tuition was a hot topic between the candidates. The candidates participated in last year’s Tuition Talks and focused the discussion on the involvement.
“It was basically a call to action for the first time in a long time,” Coria said. “Because of that fight, we have more meetings with the provost.”
Although the student body may be against tuition hikes, the candidates explained that slight raises are necessary for the University to stay open.
“Our job is to make sure (tuition) does not impact you to where you cannot come back,” Gray said.
Communication between ASULV and administration will only increase next year as the candidates understand the importance of transparency.
“Giving everyone an education about what is happening is something we want to do,” Coria said.
Potential senators-at-large and senators for the colleges of the 2016-2017 school year introduced their ideas and stated their general campaign platform.
Senator candidates hope to increase the communication between ASULV, students and administration as well as refocus funding to clubs, increase advocacy and strengthen the voice of the student body.
Candidates included junior political science majors, Mariela Martinez and Jason Fuentes, sophomore liberal studies major Rachel Klodell, freshman public relations major Joshua Bay, junior psychology major Jarrett Mason, sophomore business administration major Rachel Stewart, freshman business administration major Elmeera Nosrati, freshman political science major Ryan Hoffman, freshman criminology major Bailey Boschi, sophomore political science and speech communication major Joanna Mrsich, and freshman business administration major Andrew Im.
Voting takes place Monday through Wednesday in front of the Campus Center.
Taylor Bolanos can be reached at taylor.bolanos@laverne.edu.
