Campus Reports: San Marcos

California State University, San Marcos and Associated Students Incorporated spent 2005-2007 finalizing previous board initiatives and also accomplished many initiatives as well.

Key Accomplishments

Student Centers: CSU San Marcos saw the opening of two centers on campus—the ASI-run Women’s Center and the university-run Cross-Cultural Center, both of which have proven to be very successful and well utilized by the campus community. Additionally, ASI has put into motion plans to open an LGTBIQ Center during the spring of next year. The multi-year struggle for the University-Hour (U-Hour) initiative has become institutionalized to occur on Tuesday and Thursday. The advent of U-Hour has altered the commuter campus mentality in ways that were well above expectations.

Civic Engagement: CSU San Marcos has seen a rebirth of an old tradition. Early in the life of CSU San Marcos, the Luiseno Band elders gifted the university with an academic spiritual guide. This gift was the word “Tukwut” (meaning Cougar in the Luiseno’s native language). In 2006-2007, ASI started a campaign that has resulted in recognition of this gift on campus. Consequently, a prominent courtyard on campus was renamed Tukwut Courtyard and blessed by the Luiseno Band.

Internal Structure: Over the course of the last year, ASI has undergone a corporate structural overhaul. This reworking of the student government has included the creation of the Governmental Relations and Marketing Divisions. Both of these divisions have taken ASI to the next step in student advocacy and outreach.