This week’s Associated Students’ Government meeting focused on the topics of campus safety, the hiring process for a new dean of student life and the retirement of Marjorie Villani, the current acting dean of student life. File photo

This week’s Associated Students’ Government meeting focused on the topics of campus safety, the hiring process for a new dean of student life and the retirement of Marjorie Villani, the current acting dean of student life.  

ASG President Vanessa Emerson announced her upcoming attendance at the Board of Governors meeting next week.  She will have much more information to relay at the Oct. 10 ASG meeting, and she encouraged all students and staff to attend.

ASG Vice President Michael Weiner presented a budget report stating that $2,000 of the ASG budget has been allocated to scholarships and more than $5,000 has been paid in salaries to those serving.

Weiner also gave an update on the hiring process for a new dean of student life.  The hiring committee has been reviewing applications and will have a meeting on October 1 to schedule Skype interviews with prospective candidates.  Once the field is narrowed, on-campus interviews will be scheduled.  The committee hopes to make a final decision in the next two weeks.

Villani, acting dean of student life, will officially retire on Oct. 1.  She was commended for her support of the ASG and her willingness to delay her retirement for a month to help with some pressing issues.  She spoke briefly about her time at CSU-Pueblo and credited President Emerson and all those serving as being one of the most organized student governments she had ever been involved with.

A recap of President Lesley Di Mare’s State of the University address was given.  The main topics of discussion were the drop in enrollment and the emphasis on recruitment of new students.  Although the overall numbers showed a drop, Di Mare felt confident that the university would be able to attract and retain more students in the coming years.

Several issues of general importance were brought up during committee reports.

Two elevators in the Occhiato University Center will need to be replaced before renovation and construction on the building begins.  The elevator in the bookstore will not be replaced.

Although the final plans are not in place, all important offices such as Student Engagement and Leadership are projected to be on the main floor once renovation is complete.

There has been a problem recently in the Walking Stick apartments with residents getting locked inside their homes.  The doors require a key to exit and this has become a safety issue that will be examined.

Professors in the college of science and math have proposed that the university start a CSU-Pueblo academic YouTube channel.  This would be a place, other than Blackboard, where instructors could upload test reviews and other important information for students to access.  Issues such as recording and uploading of videos and access questions are still being explored.

The most pressing issue brought before the ASG concerned campus safety.

With several cars being vandalized using paint, rocks and eggs, the severity of the problem requires immediate attention.  Students have organized “safety walks” to patrol the parking lots and other areas but have found that the lighting is poor and there are no emergency phones installed.  Also mentioned was the lack of campus police activity in areas that should be regularly patrolled.

Sayra Bassett, director of student affairs, will be working specifically to address these problems and has made campus safety a priority.  More information will be available in the next week.

The next meeting of the ASG will be Thursday Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. in room 201 of the Occhiato University Center.   All ASG and committee meetings are open to students and staff, who may present their concerns or issues to ASG if they attend.

Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Associated Students’ government discussed the topics of campus safety, homecoming elections, childcare attendance requirements and position vacancies in their weekly meeting on Sept. 19, before confirming five new directors. File photo

Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Associated Students’ government discussed the topics of campus safety, homecoming elections, childcare attendance requirements and position vacancies in their weekly meeting on Sept. 19, before confirming five new directors. 

A freshman student, whose car was vandalized in one of the parking lots, brought the issue of campus safety before the ASG.  It was agreed that the safety of students and property is a critical issue and will be a topic of further discussion in the next meetings.

President Vanessa Emerson relayed information she gathered at the meeting of the university leadership team where the results of the latest census showed that current enrollment at CSU-Pueblo is down from last year.  President Emerson also stated that budgeting and salaries would be examined in depth by the leadership team in the near future.

The leadership team is in the process of hiring athletic coaches for the newly established swim and lacrosse teams.  These new coaches will be announced in the coming weeks.

A short discussion was held about issues regarding childcare scholarships and the requirements that must be met.  At this time, children enrolled on scholarships must remain for 16 weeks in fulfillment of their scholarship obligation.  Many parents are removing their children from the program after finals at 15 weeks and subsequently losing their place for the next semester. The childcare committee is looking into possible changes to this policy.

Homecoming elections have been postponed due to a lack of candidates running for court.  The voting will be held on Sept. 23 in hopes a larger list of candidates will be available.

Sen. Anthony Herrera volunteered to serve as a $ALT ambassador along with the previously appointed Sen. Dan Ullrich.  Herrera and Ullrich will be the contacts for students wanting more information about the programs $ALT offers.

Herrera and Sen. Antonio Reyes are working on changes to the student recreation center policy.  Herrera stated he has proposed that REV 89 be played over the speakers in the workout areas to help promote campus events and news.  Other changes to policy will be forthcoming.

There are several vacant senate seats and justice positions within the ASG which need filled.  Any student who is interested in serving on the CSU-Pueblo Associated Students’ Government, they can apply online at https://secure.colostate-pueblo.edu/asg/EmploymentApplication.asp

A senator can be elected or appointed to the position, and is responsible for representing the students of CSU-Pueblo by serving on campus committees, ASG committees, general senate meetings and reporting to the ASG speaker of the senate.

A justice serves on the student court, which acts as the highest judicial authority of the CSU-Pueblo Associated Students’ Government. The purpose is to provide judicial review and decisions for matters brought forward within their jurisdiction.

The meeting ended with the confirmation of five new directors who will work with the ASG to increase involvement on campus.  The new directors are Samantha Bohm, director of academic affairs; Jordan Boehme, director of public affairs; Sayra Bassett, director of student affairs; Leah Philips, director of internal affairs; and Chalin Fernando, director of information technology.

The new directors outlined their plans and expectations before an official vote was tallied and they were sworn into position.

The next meeting of the ASG will be Sept. 26, at 4 p.m. in room 201 of the Occhiato University Center.  It is an open meeting; all students and staff may attend.

Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Associated Students’ Government discussed homecoming, the $ALT program, the state of the university address and other topics during the weekly meeting on Sept. 12. File photo

Colorado State University-Pueblo’s Associated Students’ Government discussed homecoming, the $ALT program, the state of the university address and other topics during the weekly meeting on Sept. 12.

Hiring of the ASG director of public relations and filling of open senate seats is progressing, and all positions should be confirmed by next week.

A short discussion was led by President Vanessa Emerson about the homecoming events to be held on October 4-5.

The bonfire and pep rally on Friday evening, a tailgate before the Saturday game against Fort Lewis College, and a masquerade themed dance afterward in the student recreation center gym have already been planned.

Additional information on these events will be made available as soon as possible.

Vice President Michael Weiner discussed CSU-Pueblo’s partnership with $ALT, a program devised by American Student Assistance.

$ALT was created to give financial assistance to college students by helping them gain control of their student loan debt and educating them about responsible money management. $ALT provides a database of job opportunities to its members.

The $ALT program, which will be paid for by the university, will be made available to students at CSU-Pueblo.

A $ALT student ambassador was chosen to represent the university at stakeholder meetings and to be the point of contact for students enrolled in the program.

More information will be released once the $ALT program is completely implemented.

The senate reported that the Hasan School of Business would be evaluated for re-certification in two weeks.  It was also reported that funding for the HSB, collected through student fees and outside sources, will be divided with 60 percent going to HSB activities and 40 percent to improvements.

The president’s state of the university address is Sept. 25 at 8 a.m. and all officers and senators were encouraged to attend.  Issues that will be addressed include the strategic plan for the university and the enrollment census, which directly impacts student fees.

The next meeting for the ASG will be Sept. 19, 2013, at 4 p.m. in room 201 of the Occhiato University Center.  All students and staff are welcome to attend.

In a discourse entitled “No Matter What, You Can Succeed,” Lewis described her modest beginnings as a widowed African-American woman with no education, raising her son in a world where she was expected to fit a stereotype. File photo.

Motivational speaker Regina Lewis encouraged Colorado State University-Pueblo students that they could succeed no matter their circumstances when she addressed students on Aug. 29.

In a discourse entitled “No Matter What, You Can Succeed,” Lewis described her modest beginnings as a widowed African-American woman with no education, raising her son in a world where she was expected to fit a stereotype.

Lewis said she not only excelled and broke free of those stereotypes, but she surpassed expectations and proved that with perseverance, anything is possible.

Challenging her audience to see their future stories and be inspired by them, Lewis shared her own story of heartbreak and triumph.  After her husband’s death, she made an “action pact” with her son Charles who was only 8 years old at the time.

Lewis would set the example for her by going back to school and he would work hard towards his goal of someday becoming an astronaut.  This was not an easy feat for Lewis, who struggled with reading and other basic skills.

After being accepted at Pikes Peak Community College, however, Lewis began pursuing her education relentlessly.

Each time Lewis reached a milestone, she set the bar higher; she obtained first a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree.  Just before her son’s high school graduation, Lewis received her doctorate from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Charles, inspired by his mother’s determination, was accepted into nine prestigious institutions, including the U.S. Military Academy and the Air Force Academy.

Phi Theta Kappa Vice President of Leadership for the Colorado Region, Amber Williams explained that Lewis is a major player in her “success entourage,” a concept that Lewis stressed throughout her speech.

When Williams started school, her future was unclear. She enrolled in a speech class and realized immediately that she aspired to become a leader and motivational speaker.

Williams began to follow Lewis to speaking engagements, spending as much time as possible working with her and learning her philosophy.

“What society needs are leaders who are humble and true.  To be that kind of leader, you must first be a follower.  It’s my goal to take what I’ve learned from Dr. Lewis, fine tune those gifts and become that kind of leader,” Williams said.

Lewis’ personal experience has driven her to devote much of her time to encouraging people like Williams to reach for their goals and never let obstacles interfere.  As chair of the communications department at Pikes Peak Community College, Lewis has touched the lives of thousands of students and given many the incentives to see past their limitations.

Lewis recently established an organization called the Women’s Forum that empowers women through education and networking within the community.

For all she has accomplished, Lewis is not slowing down.  She has partnered with the Center for Creative Leadership as an executive coach and is currently working with Bridges Out of Poverty to help individuals see beyond their current situations toward a better future.

“I want them to understand that motivation is not an option.  Motivation is moved by emotion and when that feeling fades, motivation disappears.  People need to move beyond what motivates them and focus on what inspires them.  When you are inspired, you are aware of your goals and are ready to put a plan in place to achieve them.”  Lewis said, when she was asked what the most important aspect of her speech was.