Call for ASG transparency

Luke Garrett / News Editor / The USD Vista

Senior Tyler Arden called for greater transparency from his student government this past Thursday and was met with silence from the Associated Students Government (ASG) senate.     

Arden appeared before the elected leaders during final business and aired his grievance concerning, what he called, a lack of transparency. 

Some elected student leaders nodded as he was speaking, although silence followed his statement until the Speaker of the Senate Carolina Moreno Armenta called on a senator.

During his statement, Arden voiced concerns about ASG’s lack of transparency regarding senate meetings. 

“My public statement is to call for greater transparency and posting meeting agendas and meeting times in advance just to ensure students have the opportunity to express their voice,” Arden said.

Inconsistencies in ASG meeting scheduling began on Sept. 19 when the student government canceled the first scheduled meeting “last minute” according to Public Relations Chair Danny Rodriguez. The reason for the cancellation was not given by ASG student officials. 

According to ASG bylaws, the student government must meet within the month of September. ASG did meet within the month on Sept. 26, but failed to list the first meeting on their website, which lists the first senate meeting as Oct. 3. 

An Instagram post was made on Sept. 25 announcing the first Sept. 26 senate meeting, but the post received around 530 views — less than a tenth of the student population.   

ASG senate meetings are live-streamed through their Instagram account, new to this year but it is difficult for viewers to hear, as there is only one microphone and heavy background noise. The meetings are not archived, meaning students cannot see the meetings after they occur. 

Arden also spoke to ASG’s responsibility in overseeing a yearly budget of over $1.5 million dollars.

“You are stewards of the student activity fee and especially given that the body elected to increase that,” Arden concluded.Each undergraduate student pays $121 ASG in tuition activity fee each year that pays ASG senators to delegate the $1.5 million budget. 

The current ASG budget is not published for student view, only the financial records from years past are on the ASG website.

After the meeting, ASG President Rivera declined to take an interview with The USD Vista for a second week in a row.