ASCC commissioner and Model UN Director of Public and External Affairs Jessica Germata waited patiently for her turn to present senate with an update on the clubs use of senate funds at the Wednesday Sept. 30 ASCC Senate meeting.
Germata’s wait extended as Pro Tempore Joseph Fierro made a motion to switch the action item agenda item 7A, the Model UN’s presentation, with item 7D a discussion item, which was to be presented by ASCC Vice President Ivan Oyarzabal.
For all who attended the meeting agenda item 7C, also a discussion item presented by Commissioner Rodriguez, was a quick update on the Falcon Kids initiative and the need for volunteer mentors for elementary school students.
Once Germata stood in front of ASCC Senate, she began by dispelling the notion that the Model UN Club was there to request funds.
Contrary to what was stated on the agenda she was presenting an update on how already acquired funds were going to be spent.
The Model UN Club opted to participate in two local conferences instead of one out of state conference.
She also made ASCC Senate aware of the fact the club continues to look for sponsors and that in the past it has returned funds to ASCC.
Transparency was the adjective use to describe the Cerritos College Model United Nation’s presentation to the ASCC Senate.
Student Trustee Victor Villalobos said, “It was great on their part to be able to come to senate and be able to say we want to use the money this way instead of the way we said before… to benefit more students and to give them more experience, that’s a great idea.”
Villalobos considered the model UN Club to be transparent.
ASCC President Eduardo De La Rosa considered Germata’s presentation to be a role model to follow.
He said, “The first presentation by MUN [Model United Nations] was also very important. It helps promote and send a message of transparency not just within its own club, but to other clubs. It really highlights what [ASCC] Senate is looking for and the kinds of questions that the senate does.”
Although Germata kept her presentation short and concise for senate, she has a lot to say about the Model United Nations, she said, “We are a club that without going to conferences there’s no real reason to be a club and our club surprisingly [doesn’t] go to as many conferences.”
“Most major Model United Nations go to six conferences a year and we only go to four and that’s just because of funding. We have to make sure we’re getting sponsorship, fundraising, we’re very grateful for anything ASCC can give us … the funding that they give us allows us to go to conferences and network.”
She goes on to say that the “Next conference is OCMUN on Oct. 16 through 18 in Santa Ana.”
