AS President returns

New Associated Students President Kenyon McCarthy wants his administration to be remembered as one that kept all its promises and that made the rigors of college life easier to deal with for the student body.

McCarthy, recently elected Associated Students President, spent his summer traveling throughout the country studying other student governments and looking for new ways to make A.S. work better at SF State.

"One of our main goals is to enhance student services and to make the everyday life of the student here on campus easier," said McCarthy, who took office on the first of May. "I traveled around to look for new ways of doing things, things we might be able to put in place here at SF State."

McCarthy's first stop was New York, to represent SF State at the annual United States Student Association board of directors meeting. While in the New York area he visited some of the local universities to look at their student governments.

"I was impressed with the number of people that are involved in student government," said McCarthy who visited Queens University, Hunter University, New York University and Columbia University. "That is something I want to promote here."

McCarthy was impressed with a program at New York University called The Leadership Institute. According to McCarthy, the program's goal is to teach people how to become leaders at school and in life.

"I think a program similar to the Leadership program is necessary at SF State," McCarthy said. "SF State has a dire need for leaders to get people involved in student government and to get students concerned about issues that affect them," McCarthy said. He praised the students of the campuses he visited for being more concerned on issues such as financial aid, retention rates and affirmative action.

"I think students here are not totally aware of the issues," McCarthy said. "The key to success for us students is to mobilize and bring more awareness to the issues."

McCarthy also liked the idea of creating a newsletter about the Associated Students. "It's a way for us to bridge the communication gap with the student body," McCarthy said. "We want the student body to know what we are doing and more importantly to know that we are here, to help them."

McCarthy was once again on the road, this time to Chico and Los Angeles to attend California State Student Association meetings where the main topics of discussion were the CSU budget, voter registration and fee increases.

In early August, McCarthy traveled to Flint, Michigan for a retreat involving student leaders of color from around the country. The primary theme was preserving affirmative action and the retreat was the first nationwide meeting of student leaders to discuss the topic, according to McCarthy.

Ironically, the retreat took place the same weekend the University of California regents voted to abolish affirmative action in the UC System.

"It sure gave us more to talk about," McCarthy said.

The 15-day, cross-country trip was funded through the Associated Students' travel budget. McCarthy said that both trips were well worth the money spent.

"Sometimes we have to step out of our own environment and see how other people do things," McCarthy said. "It's important to learn from our peers. I've come back with a lot of ideas."

McCarthy appeared serious about his mission as president of A.S.

"I'm not playing around," McCarthy said. "The people elected me to do this job and I'm determined to keep my promises and do the best job I can."

[ back to Golden Gater Online September 7, 1995 ]

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