We're number one...literally

Associated Students Inc. held last Wednesday a "More than Numbers Flashmob" photo event. The pose was in the shape of a number one, which explains my witty headline. :)

Chris Chavez, ASI president, is in the center. He said it was part of a larger campaign to mobilize students in opposing budget cuts to higher education.

"We are more than numbers!" Chavez said to the crowd. "We are Long Beach!"

Photo & reporting credit: Michael Chan Yee, Daily 49er photo editor

ASI recycling center gets help from state Assembly

A bill that could save services at the university's recycling center is headed to the governor's desk, after being approved in the California Assembly.

Lee Johnson, Associated Students Inc. recycling coordinator, wrote in an email: "ABX8 7 just passed out of the Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support. That is the bill that reinstates funding for our recycle center."

The bill passed 63-0 Thursday afternoon, said Bryan Early, policy associate for Californians Against Waste.

According to the environmental organization, the bill would retroactively refund core money for the state's recycling fund and will “temporarily stabilize the fund.” The state has heavily borrowed from the fund due to its budget crisis, putting recycling centers in a tough spot since they depend on the fund for revenue.

Lee said the governor usually has 30 days to sign or veto the bill. However, since this bill was signed in an extraordinary session, Lee didn't know if the deadline was the same.

Regardless, Early said he thinks Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will "act on this quickly," and said his organization has hope that the governor will sign the bill into law.

"We think [the governor] should sign it," Early said. "I think its vote in the Assembly speaks for itself...it's hard to imagine an excuse he would come up for not signing it."

Photo credit: Alexandria Gilner; photo is of the ASI recycling center

Welcome! Now let's get to Beach politics

University politics ~ WOW ~ how exciting!

I know, you think I'm kidding myself.

But really, the politics behind what goes on here at The Beach interests me. In reality, all of life is politics. But what makes the political machinery at our university so interesting is the money - LOTS OF IT.

Consider this, the Cal State University system has a budget of $6.7 billion, about 20 percent of that money you and I can't always see how it's spent. That's because $1.34 billion of the CSU budget is in the hands of auxiliary organizations like Associated Students Inc., the CSULB Foundation and 49er Shops Inc.

What's going on with that money? That's one of many questions this blog hopes to answer.

There's a bill before California's Assembly, SB 330, that will allow us to see how that money is spent. However, top officials from ASI are against it. You can read more about that here: Transparency bill redefines 'auxiliary'

Read that article and let me know what you think about the issue by voting in the poll to the right. Remember, it's YOUR money that they're spending...