 "Photo: Allyson Riggs")
What happens in Humboldt does not stay in Humboldt. Political science major Brandon Chapin realized this when students elected him president of Associated Students.
“I never realized how interconnected everything is,” Chapin said. “Not only the departments within our school, but within the CSU system. If something happens in San Diego, it will affect Humboldt somehow.”
Too often students believe they are unable to make changes when it comes to improving higher education. But, Associated Students and its members are here to prove otherwise.
In May 2009, Chapin became the student body’s spokesperson. This May he graduates and passes on his position to another student.
Chapin first heard about Associated Students in his freshman year political science class.
“Someone was making an announcement about A.S. elections,” said Chapin. “I’ve always been interested in politics, so I decided to check it out.”
He was the California State Student Association’s representative and a committee representative on the Academic Senate.
As Associated Students president, Chapin took on the responsibilities and tasks of previous presidents. He allocated fees to campus clubs and organizations and kept students informed on matters that affected them. He talked with University President Rollin Richmond and Vice President of Student Affairs Steve Butler about budgets and programs.
However, Chapin did not go about it the usual way. He met biweekly with Richmond and Butler and said the process was never combative. Butler said, unlike some past presidents who created adversarial relationships, Chapin aimed positively toward win-win situations. Chapin wanted to be viewed as a leader who would listen and make compromises that benefited all sides.
As organizer of “Meet the Decision Makers,” Chapin gave students the opportunity to ask questions and express concerns about higher education to the president, the vice president of student affairs, the chief of police and the California State Student Association president and executive director.
Last spring, he helped move summer classes from HSU to extended education. As a result, students no longer pay Associated Students and Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) fees that accompany university classes.
Chapin gives credit to the four years he took to become an Eagle Scout. As he moved up in the rankings to senior patrol leader and to junior scoutmaster, he became more in control. He said these positions increased his confidence as a leader and communicator.
For effective communication, he says to stay levelheaded and to think before reacting.
With a decrease in funds, programs and students for the 2010-11 school year, Chapin had no room for error when creating a budget plan. University clubs and organizations agreed to his proposal in five minutes. There were no arguments.
Butler said, “He’s interpersonal and verbally well spoken. He pushed for students to vote and be involved in all aspects of school governance.”
English major Louis Ropiak proves Chapin must have done something right. Ropiak said he hears more about Associated Students’ involvement with budget cuts and program elimination than he ever did back in 2005.
Despite his accomplishments, Chapin said not everything went smoothly.
He did not have enough time to carry out all the tasks he assigned himself. His plan to expand the use of the C-card to off campus businesses never happened. But, his biggest disappointment was failing to make students see and hear about Associated Students every day.
Butler pointed out the same problem. He said Chapin was overcommitted with tasks and time, but at the same time, he was more involved collegiately on the local and state level.
Chapin learned HSU cannot rely on its administration to get jobs done. Everyone throughout the system must work together.
Chapin has no intention of letting the importance of higher education go out the door with his presidency. For the next two years, he will attend CSU Sacramento to complete his master’s degree in public policy administration. He wants to work in college-level politics, administrations or legislation.
For his farewell, Chapin encourages students to participate in the decision-making process of their education. Associated Students committee positions in parking, enrollment, student affairs and all other departments are rarely more than 80 percent full. Filling those positions means more voices and a greater chance of change for students.
“Vote,” Chapin said. “Make higher education a voting issue, and tell everyone you know to do the same.”
Be the first to comment on this article!