The Otter Student Union (OSU) Board of Directors met last Friday, the monthly meeting continuing a theme of increased engagement and growth. Marketing & design specialist Karina Ris Alvarez gave a summary of the 2023-24 Annual Report, saying “We continue to be the heartbeat of campus and we’re seeing that through more engagement.”
Student director Thomas Nigro also sees good things happening at OSU, saying “numbers are up, development is up, a lot of good changes are happening.”
The attendee list at the recent OSU Board of Directors meeting was extensive, including board members, operational staff, appointed student directors as well as campus administrators such as Reuben Rodriguez, the dean of students, and Ben Corpus, the vice president for enrollment management and student affairs.
However, one key voice was notably absent: the students themselves. Despite OSU Board meetings being advertised on MyRaft, open to the public and available through Zoom, no unaffiliated students attended besides two Lutrinae staff members covering the meeting.
The agenda was packed, and Nigro, with a wink, described it as “the most productive we’ve ever been in a meeting.” Despite the lighthearted comment, the OSU has set ambitious goals for the semester.
One key focus was campus art, with several projects in the late stages of either development or implementation. A large mural on the OSU steps depicting an otter in Alebrije style, though delayed, is making good progress, with concept art already produced and plans for the end of the semester. Other projects include a movable piece of pixel art for the newly opened E-Sports Lounge and a bronze statue of an otter to accompany the front of the OSU.
One already complete exhibition, a series of paintings celebrating CSUMB’s Hispanic heritage, was motioned for approval during the meeting. This collaboration with the Visual and Performing Arts department will appear in the Otter Student Union starting this month until the end of spring.
Another agenda item was RecRe, a service that provides automatic item rentals on college campuses. Director of the OSU Jeff Rensel described RecRe as a possible way to “add easy access and provide a little bit more of a homey feeling.” Although RecRe was only presenting, a service like theirs could help extend OSU’s effective hours by allowing students access to materials like board games and laptop chargers without the need for a staff member present.
The Otter Cross Cultural Center (OC3) also gave its agenda to the Board. Rudy Medina, director of the OC3, discussed the center’s “busiest month of the semester,” including events like sugar skull making, a tradition at CSUMB for 29 years.
With so much growth happening at CSUMB, campus affairs can seem opaque. But Board of Directors meetings provide a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions shaping student life. Meetings are held at noon on the first Friday of each month in OSU 310. All are welcome to attend. While summaries of the minutes can provide some insights, there is no substitute for attending in person.