In order to celebrate Constitution Day, Associated Students Inc. invited Sacramento State students to a student forum at noon Monday in the Hinde Auditorium of the University Union.

Current ASI President Angel Barajas said after the forum that since University Enterprises, Inc. designated him as the student representative to the university’s board of trustees, the campus group has matched a $5,500 ASI grant toward Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Barajas also promoted the benefits of on-campus student organization.

“These organizations lead to internships,” Barajas said.

In a “casual, very informal” setting, Eric Guerra, a former ASI president, organized the event to discuss issues that are relevant with today’s students.

The forum was promoted in a flier as a discussion period with answers to questions that new students to the university might have. However, the hour-long forum was spent explaining the benefits of joining organizations and being more involved with the diverse population in the college community.

A graduate student majoring in public policy and public administration, Guerra told the scenario of a person at a school dance waiting for the perfect chance to ask the boy or girl across the room to dance, and the dance eventually ends before the person could get the nerve to ask for a dance. The point of his story to the students was to take risks, in school and in life.

During the first half-hour of the forum, the main concern from students was the parking situation. Guerra said, “The construction of Parking Structure III by the Hornet Stadium is going slow, due to the geology of the area, especially with the levees (bordering the east side of the campus).”

During the forum, other student leaders came to speak to the students. One of the speakers was Nick Lozito, editor in chief of The State Hornet.

Lozito gave a quick briefing of President Alexander Gonzalez’s “Destination 2010,” a plan he said that aims to bring an end to Sac State’s status as a “commuter campus.”

He also told how students could make a difference on campus, particularly by demanding that the university replace its equivalent of a “high school gym” with an actual arena, which will be included in the yet-to-be-built Recreation Wellness Events Center.

Barajas addressed the parking situation as well. He wants to work with the University Transportation and Parking Services to make Parking Structure III for students only, imitating Parking Structure II.

Finally, Olgalilia Ramirez, the director of governmental affairs of ASI, encouraged students who have yet registered to vote to sign up. She explained that since the age bracket of 18-24 year olds were the least likely to vote in an election, that college students are more likely to be taken advantaged of in propositions.

Six other student leaders of organizations spoke to the full auditorium and promoted their groups. Bonnie Sugiyama, the director of education of ASI, summed up the message of the entire event when she said, “50 percent of what you learn on campus is not through books, but out in the real world.”

Students were then allowed to get up and speak with the student leaders to get information about their particular organizations.

ASI also passed out copies of “The U.S. Constitution: What it says, What it means” as a way to celebrate the history of the 218-year anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

Jamie Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]