ByRaven TysonAssistant City Editor

Do you know what the job of the Associated Students’ vicepresident of external affairs entails?

Most people don’t, but four students are fighting to earn thattitle.

The role of the A.S. vice president of external affairs is tolobby legislation for the betterment of students, to promote studentrights and to bring issues of higher education back to the A.S.Council. The position also comes with a seat on the UniversitySenate.

Ron Gochez, Jeffrey Obayashi, Marivic Tolentino and Juan Zubiateare competing, each bringing their own set of qualifications.

Gochez, a Chicana/o Studies and social science junior, iscurrently the chair of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan.Gochez is also a previous A.S. Council member. Obayashi, a politicalscience junior, currently represents the College of Arts and Letterson council. Tolentino, a marketing junior, represents the College ofBusiness and is chairwoman of the A.S. Activities Policy Board.Zubiate, a marketing and political science junior, has never been onA.S., but was active in student body at Southwestern College. He alsoworks in the A.S. Business Affairs Office.

Why should voters choose you?

Gochez: If they want a powerful voice that will be loud and clearto represent them, they should vote for me. I don’t have a hiddenpersonal agenda. I simply want to deal with the issues that myopponents will probably shy away from. I will get things done by anymeans necessary. I, unlike my opponents, have already been organizingaround issues that affect our students, university and community foryears.

Obayashi: Voters should choose me because I have two years ofexperience in A.S., have been the vice chairperson of the ExternalAffairs Board and have interacted with many different students.

Tolentino: When I think of myself as one of the four candidatesrunning for this position, I think of someone who will trulyrepresent all student organizations, who will build bridges among allstudent organizations. I would be the advocate for the greaterpopulation, for everyone on this campus.

Zubiate: I have the experience. I’ve had positions such as this atmy junior college and I’ve proved myself to the college I attended. Iwork for the A.S. I made the decision to work for them, instead ofjoining, because I felt it was more important to learn theorganization as a whole. I think I have enough A.S. experience fromthe college I attended.

What are your goals as vice president ofexternal affairs?

Gochez: I want to make sure that San Diego State is wellrepresented both on and off campus by an experienced vice presidentof external affairs that has a powerful voice. I’d also like to bringthe university and the San Diego community closer together.

Obayashi: Some of my goals are to make sure that the students’voices are heard on all levels of legislature and that the students’interests are represented accurately. Another goal is to inform morestudents, and enable them to make decisions and advocate issues thatthey feel are important.

Tolentino: My goals would be to really address the issues thataffect the students of San Diego State. I also think of bridging thegap between the administration and the students.

Zubiate: Honestly, to represent as a whole. One of my things, Ifeel like a lot of times people take this position have their ownhidden agenda behind it and then come from their own groups and thereis a sense of biasness to it. I come to serve the school as a whole,no matter who you are. My goals are also to increase studentactivities. I think the position entitles that to bring informationto the students.

Students on campus either don’t know aboutlegislation that could affect them, or don’t care, how would you workto get more students involved?

Gochez: Let students know how it affects them personally and howit affects society in general. I’m not a politician so I won’t be allballed up in my office downstairs in the “Aztec” Center. I willalways be where the students are because that’s the only way for themto find out what’s going on.

Obayashi: I would get more students involved by going to classesand making announcements or writing articles in The Daily Aztec tolet students know the issues and the opportunities to get involved.

Tolentino: Anything, by any means necessary — holding forums andmaking sure the A.S. executive officers are there to answer all ofthe questions of the students. Also, writing editorials for The DailyAztec, and using KCR radio on campus. I want to just go out there andinform the population and as a commuter school that’s really hard andyou need to be really creative in your resources in doing so.

Zubiate: I’ve seen how forums work; if you have an effective forumit brings certain interest. When you direct issues at them that willaffect them, their heads will turn. Also, having a coalition oncampus among student organizations to help spread information.

– See the rest of this interview online atwww.thedailyaztec.com.

What are your strengths andweaknesses?

Gochez: I’m extremely experienced at a local, regional, nationaland international level in public speaking, organizing, studentgovernance, chairing organizations, etc. I am very politicallyconscious and when I speak and I am always heard. I’m a relentlessworker who doesn’t understand the concept of quitting. A weakness isthat sometimes I try to do too much at the same time.

Obayashi: My strengths are that I have a great knowledge of what Iwould do if I was elected. My weakness is I am not a good publicspeaker, and I don’t make preparations before I speak.

Tolentino: Being the vocal speaker I am, I have to represent thisuniversity at a university and state level and being able to do thatyou really need to have confidence in your public speaking skills. Ihave also worked with the External Affairs Board for the past year. Ithink there is a lot of growing for me to do as far as my weakness. Ineed to be able to grow into this position and learn the specificsare, and that’s what all four of us need to do.

Zubiate: I get along very well with people. I am a very hardworker, at times I tend to do too much. That would be my weakness.

What legislation would you push for thebetterment of students?

Gochez: There is a lot going on right now behind the scenes atSDSU that can potentially be detrimental. The localization of SDSU,the termination of admittance during the Spring semester andExecutive Order 665, remedial education, are a few of the issues thatI have been working on and plan to continue working on.

Obayashi: Legislation I would push first is better funding for theCalifornia State University and San Diego State because it is betterto have a big pie so that students and the university receive biggerpieces, and there is less fight over who gets bigger pieces as with asmaller pie.

Tolentino: Actually, a couple of weeks ago we went to theCalifornia Higher Education Student Summit and we were lobbyinglegislators on the higher education bond, also the higher educationbudget. Those are things I would really be pushing for. I believe theCSU system is built as a school for the people and without that bondwe would really lack in that CSU statement.

Zubiate: Issues that I think affect students right now are theEPT/ELM test. Those things are terrible. I think the timeline iswrong, it should offer more time. Student retention would be a bigone to push for — for more ways to help the students once they arealready here and stay within the campus. There’s no point of thestudent coming here if they’re not going to be able to make it.