The San Diego State Facilities Board submitted new name proposals for the rooms in the Aztec Student Union building on Wednesday. The original names, Tlitic and Chiciltic, which mean “black” and “red,” and Tenochtitlan, which is the name of the capitol of the Aztec Empire, were changed to simpler words in order to make pronunciation easier for students at the recommendation of the signage company. They were replaced with Tehuanco, which means “our place,” Metztli, which means “moon” and Aztlan, which was a room name previously used in Aztec Center.
Washington Navarette, of the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, protested the changes, and said it was disrespectful to the Aztec culture to change the names for student convenience. Supporters of the change said it is more disrespectful to keep complicated names students will just shorten on their own. the council voted to send the names back to The Facilities Board for further deliberation.
Associated Students President Cody Barbo encouraged Navarette and any others interested to attend the next few Facilities Board meetings. The board meets every other Monday at 10 a.m. in Aztec Mesa 107. Two name changes were approved by the council: Warrior Room was changed to Spirit Room and Distance Learning to Diversity Suite.
Finances
The Finance Board finished allocating funds for the 2012-2013 school year. A.S. will vote on the budget at its last meeting of the semester. Once approved, it will be combined with the Campanile Foundation, SDSU Research Foundation and Aztec Shops budgets and sent to President Elliot Hirshman to be signed.
The Asian Pacific Student Alliance and the Association of Chicana Activists successfully appealed their budget allocations on Monday. APSA received an additional $136, and AChA received an additional $180.
A.S. Vice President of External Affairs Krista Parker confirmed the upcoming budget forum with Hirshman will not be solely a presentation, as many students are concerned. There will be a 15-minute presentation, and then a Q-and-A forum. Students can send questions ahead of time to be answered in the presentation or can ask during the forum. Video of the forum will be uploaded to the Budget Central website for those who cannot attend.
California State University Chancellor Charles Reed announced last week that Cal Grants will not be cut for the 2012-2013 school year for graduate students.
A.S. Vice President of University Affairs Mina Azim confirmed a café will be built in the library this fall. The Library Advisory Committee is attempting to allow meal plan acceptance at the café.
Restructuring
At Friday’s restructuring meeting, the Marketing and Communications Department was taken off University Affairs Board and placed within the Board of Directors because MarComm takes part in internal and external affairs. The Awards Committee was taken off of Cultural Arts & Special Events and placed within Judicial Affairs Council to increase accountability and transparency.
Discussions regarding the Honors Program and Graduate Student Association continued. If honors students have special representation in A.S., it will be through the Honors Program, not the Honors Council. Both still have a chance to keep their seat on A.S., but nothing is official until the entire A.S. council votes on the restructuring.
—Compiled by Staff Writer Amy Williams
