Tuesday evening, the Associated Students, Inc. Board of Directors at California State University, Stanislaus voted unanimously to reinstate Warrior Day 2012, which had previously been cancelled. The original decision made by ASI to cancel the event became a heated topic amongst the student body at the university, as many students disapproved of the cancellation of the 50-year tradition.
The cancellation of the event was announced on March 27th after administrators and student government representatives disagreed on the measures being taken to avoid binge drinking amongst students and curb alcohol abuse that occurs on Warrior Day.
CSU Stanislaus administrators and ASI representatives held an open forum on April 5th at the university to discuss the cancellation of the scheduled 2012 Warrior Day. Students Amanda Punzalan and Perla Guerrero presented a petition in favor of reinstating Warrior Day during the forum.
Punzalan and Guerrero drafted a student petition to ensure that Warrior Day still occurred this year as scheduled. The student-created petition received 1,091 signatures of CSU Stanislaus students demanding the event be reinstated and continues, even if no alcohol is to be sold at the event. The number of signatures triggered ASI bi-laws requiring the ASI Board to reconsider their vote to cancel Warrior Day.
Although the ASI Board voted unanimously to reinstate the event, many changes are being made. At the meeting held on Tuesday, ASI President Mehran Khodabandeh reported that the event will not be serving alcohol and admission to the event will only be allowed to CSU Stanislaus students. Both of these measures are said to be strictly enforced.
The event is expected to have fewer sales, therefore, less of a budget. The location may be moved from the amphitheatre to another location on campus and it is unlikely there will be a big name music performer this year.
Khodabandeh also commended the students coming together and becoming involved with the changes being made and encouraged students to maintain the high levels of student advocacy for future issues of concern, such as state budget cuts that will affect the students of CSU Stanislaus.
In response to ASI’s vote to reinstate Warrior Day 2012, Dr. Suzanne Espinoza, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs, who has been much involved with the situation, stated, “The University applaud the Tuesday, April 18, decision of Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) to reinstate Warrior Day as an alcohol free festival for students. We are hopeful that binge drinking will be minimized through the removal of alcoholic beverage sales at the event, and proposed ASI activities to encourage legal, responsible pre-event alcohol consumption. Working together, we hope to preserve the tradition of Warrior Day while effectively ensuring a safe and legal program.”
The event has been rescheduled from May 11th to May 19, 2012. For more information regarding Warrior Day, please contact Associated Students, Inc. by email at asi@stan.csustan.edu, or call (209) 667-3833.
Related Articles:
Warrior Day Open Forum Brings Discussions of Reinstating Warrior Day, Reasoning for Cancellation by ASI, and ASI Vote of No Confidence for Vice President Espinoza
CSU Stanislaus Associated Students Release Video Explaining Why Warrior Day Was Cancelled
CSU Stanislaus Warrior Day Cancelled Due to Reports of Alcohol and Crime Issues
