Question: When you’re approached by the petition tables on campus, do you feel like you’re given enough clear information to understand what you’re signing?
Ezra Santoso, Mechanical Engineering, Second Year
“You definitely don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. Although you see the title, and it’s like, for example, let’s say ‘Put a meal on a kid’s table.’ You’re like, ‘Oh, for sure I’m going to do that, let me sign.” And then, it’s like, ‘Wait, okay, sign one more for me. Okay, right here, one more for me.”
John Andal, Neuroscience, Second Year
“I think it’s just like very one-sided. They give us what they want us to think about, not like both sides of the story.”
Anthony Padilla, Computer Science BS+MS, Fifth Year
“Me personally, I feel like I’ve always just been hesitant to even take what they’re saying as the truth. I feel like whenever they try to tell you something, in my personal experience, they’ve been kind of misleading me … I feel like there’s always some kind of ulterior motive and the fact that they kind of give out snacks … to get you to sign something.”
Question: How do you usually respond when the petition tables approach you and what stands out to you about how they approach you and present their issues?
Diego Valenzuela Santana, Education, First Year
“I used to sign the petitions, but recently, not anymore … They put you in a situation where you’re kind of forced to sign or you feel bad … I think some of them are [predatory]. A few that I’ve witnessed … they just ask and they don’t really pressure you, but a few definitely do pressure, a lot.”
Travis Brook, Environmental Engineering, First Year
“I feel like I did use to sign them and do all that. But then over time, I just saw more and more of them pop up. I feel like it’s a common thing to see once you sign up for those things, and you just start getting more things on your phone … and it feels very predatory.”
Eric A. Contreras-Perez, Mechanical Engineering, First Year
“Usually, they kind of just … call me out as like a friend. I didn’t really have a problem with it, it’s that sometimes I am going to class … it does make me feel bad and also it kind of does annoy me a little.”
Question: Do you think UCR administration is doing enough to regulate petition tables on campus or should there be more oversight?
Anthony Arias, Biology, First Year
“I think there should be more oversight … I just find it really annoying how it feels very predatory when I could be walking to class and whatnot and somebody is like, ‘Hey, can you sign my petition?’ I always have to lie and tell them ‘Oh, I’m not old enough. I’m not 18 yet.’”
Breanna-Gomez Quintero, Pre-business, First Year
“I think more oversight cause I feel like whenever they go up to you … it’s kind of a little aggressive, like [the petitioners] want you to go sign and they want you to say yes … If your first response is ‘no,’ they should just take it [as an answer] and go on with their day.”
Kevin Massey, Business Finance, Fourth Year
“I don’t think they actually have a say in it, mainly because this is a free public campus. If we were a private university, then you know, they would have full control and say. But because this is an open campus, I feel like it’s really difficult for them to have control on that … What are they supposed to do? Spray people down with water?”
