Prisha Singh
Position: Vice President of Academic Affairs
Slogan: PAVE the Future. Lead the Change.
Instagram:
Candidate Statement:
Hi everyone!
My name is Prisha Singh, and I am currently running for the Vice President of Academic Affairs to advocate for students and to make sure students’ perspectives are taken into consideration in academic decisions that directly affect them and their experience during their time here at Sacramento State.
I previously transferred from American River College and during my time there I was able to get involved with higher student leadership. I served as a Senator within the Student Senate, and in this role, I represented student perspectives. I was also able to participate in hiring committees as a student representative and helped organize and plan campus events that strengthened student engagement and community. These experiences taught me the importance of transparency, collaboration, and ensuring that student voices are included in institutional decisions.
After transferring to Sac State, I have continued to be involved on campus. As treasurer for both the Crochet Club and Hearts of Voices for Children, I’ve learned how to manage budgets, support planning events, and help our organizations create welcoming communities for students.
Now, in the role of Vice President of Academic Affairs, I will work to strengthen communication between students, faculty, and administration while advocating for policies and resources that support student success. My goal is to help create an academic environment where students feel heard, supported, and empowered throughout their time at Sac State.
I am committed to turning student perspectives into meaningful action. Vote on April 22 or April 23 and join me in shaping the future of academics at Sac State.
Thank you,
Prisha Singh
Jonathan Poston
Position: Vice President of Academic Affairs
Slogan: Change Starts Now!
Instagram:
Candidate Statement:
Hello Hornets, My name is Jonathan Poston, and I am running to serve as your next Vice President of Academic Affairs because I believe the time you spend here should be empowering and built for your success.
I currently serve as the Director of Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies, where I’ve had the opportunity to gain firsthand insight into how our student government operates and how decisions impacting our academics are made. Serving on the board has helped my understanding of the responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities within ASI, and it has prepared me to take on this leadership role focused specifically on academic affairs.
As students, we face real challenges from navigating, advising and accessing academic resources. Our university should not only educate us, but actively support and invest in our futures.
Through my involvement in campus organizations, I have worked to build communities centered around professional development and meaningful student engagement. These experiences have cemented my commitment to collaboration, accountability, and ensuring that student voices are showing meaningful results.
If elected, I will work to strengthen academic support systems, improve communication between students and administration, and expand pre-professional opportunities. I am committed to promoting greater transparency in academic decision-making and ensuring that students are informed and involved in the policies that shape their education.
My goal is to help create a campus culture where every student feels supported, heard, and fully prepared to succeed beyond the classroom. I am ready to build on my experience, and step into this role with 2 students in mind, and deliver meaningful progress for our academic community. I would be honored to earn your vote.
— Jonathan Poston
Sara Besaiso
Position: Vice President of Academic Affairs
Slogan: Buzz Up Your Voice!
Instagram:
Candidate Statement:
Hello Hornets! My name is Sara Besaiso, I am an international student studying biological sciences and I am running to be your next Vice President of Academic Affairs. I’m running as a fellow student who understands the challenges we face navigating our academic system today.
Many of us chose Sac State for its affordability and academic success. However, over time this focus has shifted away from some of its core values. In my two years here, I’ve seen the same challenges across majors: impacted classes, difficulty enrolling in required courses, and rising academic costs that defeat the purpose of Sac State’s affordability.
These struggles affect students across departments, and many are unaware of their academic rights or the ability to appeal certain policies. One of my priorities is to increase awareness of grade appeals and academic rights so students understand the options available to them.
As Vice President of Academic Affairs, I would not only fight for policy change, I would also try to advocate for structural shifts to meet your needs. First I will work towards opening more summer and winter courses that satisfy GE and major requirements, work with departments to increase sections for high demand classes and support policies that prioritize enrollment for students approaching graduation. In addition, reforming existing courses in order to make them count towards multiple requirements to create more flexible graduation paths. While graduation is still ahead for me, many of my peers have shared concerns about the $145 graduation application fee. Which is why I will work to explore programs to help students cover these graduation related costs.
Real change requires us to be informed, involved and united. Together we can reform our academic system from within. I ask for your support to ensure Sac State continues to prioritize student success, accessibility and fairness.
Omar Azizi
Position: Vice President of Academic Affairs
Slogan: Classes Over Stadium
Instagram:
Candidate Statement:
I know the feeling of refreshing the class registration page at midnight, watching the last open seat disappear. I know what it’s like to email professors begging for an add code and hear nothing back. My name is Omar, and I’m done pretending these problems are acceptable.
Sac State is enrolling record numbers of students while cutting class sections. Hundreds of students fight over a handful of seats every semester. Transfer students arrive on campus only to find the classes they need don’t exist. Faculty are being laid off.
And while all of this is happening, we’re funding new sports facilities and mandatory housing programs nobody asked for. Students deserve straight answers and real action, not committees, not statements, not another year of the same promises.
As your VP of Academic Affairs, I will fight to increase class availability, push for transparent enrollment policies, make the grade appeal process actually accessible, reduce financial barriers blocking students from scholarships and graduation, and ensure the Board of Directors hears what is really happening in our classrooms, not a sanitized version of it.
I’m not a politician. I’m a student who is tired of being an afterthought.
If you’re tired of being an afterthought too — vote Omar for VPAA.
Baynes Acosta JR
Position: Vice President of Academic Affairs
Slogan: All in for Academics
Instagram:
Candidate Statement:
Hello Hornets, I am pleased to announce my candidacy for Vice President of Academic Affairs. As a FirstGeneration, Low-Income Student, I have seen many of our Sac State students, especially first-generation students, transfer students, student-parents are juggling rigorous coursework alongside working part-time or full-time, family responsibilities, and navigating increasing financial pressures. Rising tuition cost, housing cost, and the cost of attendance force students to take on additional jobs, subsequently impacting their academic performances and sometimes even delay their graduation date. These challenges are further intensified by shifts in state and federal policies that affect financial aid and college affordability. Thus our academic policies must respond with the same urgency, as we students feel the impact immediately when these policies shift, especially our students in vulnerable populations. As Vice President of Academic Affairs, I will advocate for intentional, and student-centered policies that recognize the financial realities students face.
Recent administrative decisions have shown the impact of policies being enacted without sufficient student input or clear communication, burdening students academically and financially. If elected, I will commit to prioritize advocating for sustained investment in higher education to protect affordability and expand access for all Sac State Students. I am committed to addressing these challenges with actionable plans. I will actively address course bottlenecks by actively working with the Faculty Senate to advocate for expanded course sections in-high demand classes. I will work with academic departments and advising centers to expand proactive outreach to guide students through degree planning, and academic policies to reduce uncertainty and prevent unnecessary delays in graduation to strengthen our enrollment, retention, and graduation rates and to better support our students in fulfilling the Four Year Promise at Sacramento State. I will ensure student voices and concerns are prioritized and included.
All in for Academics!
Vote Baynes Acosta Jr for VPAA on April 22-23!
