In one of the toughest fiscal school years in Sacramento State’s history, Associated Students, Inc. is pledging to make extensive efforts to help the university’s student body with various issues.

“Where we may have been lacking is the awareness that they (students) have of us,” said ASI President Roberto Torres.

Shawn Smith, ASI’s executive vice president, said the board is developing an integrated marketing campaign to make students aware of ASI’s role at Sac State.”

“I think the number one problem with ASI is that people just don’t understand what we do or what we are,” Smith said. “We have some good programs, but people simply don’t know about them.”

Jacob Phillips, a graduate student majoring in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, or TESOL, said, “I know they charged me a chunk of money this semester.” He said he does not have any say in how his money is spend.

Phillips said he expects ASI to focus on lobbying on issues about inefficient spending.

Cameron Mosbarger, junior English literature major, said he knows “just about nothing” about ASI, and the student government should focus on making itself known to the students. He also said his main concerns are the furloughs and that students are getting less while paying more.

Wade said ASI should focus on “finding ways to help ease the financial burden” and “involving the student body more in the outside world.”

Part of the marketing plan, Smith said, is to have the Student Relations Committee conduct more frequent surveys to find out students’ concerns and how well ASI addressed them.

“Last year, we only did it once,” Smith said. “If we don’t go out and ask specifically and actually get information, it’s kind of arbitrary.”

It’s also a way for students to hold ASI accountable, Torres and Smith said.

Torres said the strategic plan will be voted on by the board of directors sometime in late September or early October. As of now, nothing is final yet, Torres said.

In order to accomplish their strategic plan, ASI will team up with different student organizations, such as the California State Student Association, CSSA, to mobilize students.

“We cannot do this along,” Torres said. “We need all our students.”

One proposal being considered is working with the Office of Government Affairs of ASI to create a lobbying core, a group of students recruited to advocate for student-related issues.

“We’re paying more for larger class sizes, for furloughed teachers (and) for higher parking fees,” Torres said. “Our legislators have continually cut the CSU budget, and unfortunately, the answer has always been fee increases, layoffs and cuts.”

“The fight isn’t with the administration, it’s with the Capitol,” Torres said. “They (legislators) have been able to turn us away because we don’t have a presence in the Capitol.”

The board is also considering ideas such as increasing the number of students who serve on ASI and other university-wide committees, having a rallying group of students at sporting events and creating pride competitions among clubs and organizations, Torres said.

He said ASI will find ways to rely less on student fees. One proposal looks into asking local businesses for sponsorships of activities and events so that students will pay little to nothing for events and activities.

“That’s what I have promised to do during the campaign, to get ASI moving in that direction.”

“What is important throughout this year is that we remain positive,” Torres said.

Kristine Guerra can be reached at [email protected].