ASCC held senate elections this fall semester for the running candidates that are competing for a seat as senator.

Senate elections were held last Wednesday and Thursday, and with only 37 seats available for senators this semester, applications for senate have piled up from students interested in the title.

Candidates who are not elected to Senate have the option to join the Homecoming Committee and the Awards Committee.

Candidates will be placed on a slate of seven students, each group making posters, flyers and attending weekly meetings.

In order for these students to qualify for the position of senator, they must have a 2.5 GPA and enrolled in a minimum of 5 units.

Senate candidate, Melinda Allen, a liberal studies major, knows the duties in becoming a senate member must come with an open mind for the students.

“I think you need to have an open personality, good judgement and be objective, because mostly you’re voting on issues that affect the student body. You need to have that mental state of knowing what’s going to affect them and that you’re the voice for them,” Allen said.

Elected senators will go on to represent the student body, which consists of taking responsibilities for school events and activities.

Regarding issues brought upon from the student cabinet, the senators take part in a legislative vote on certain propositions that meet the benefits of the students.  

Raquel Ramirez, a math major who is also a running candidate, felt a strong motivation for her candidacy, mainly because of the persistent association with Cerritos College.

“The next day I had sent my [senate] application in, I was getting sponsored by the Student Veterans Club, so that’s how I got into it. I just knew that I really want to be involved, I figured this is definitely one way I could.” Ramirez said.

Cerritos college students voted for there candidates and the votes where gathered up and assigned 37 seats to the brand new senators.

As a new elected senator, Javier Morales, undecided major, wants to take more action in his position to improve the school by listening more to the students. “I’m mostly going to be here for the students because I’m also a student, and now I actually have a chance to act and make a difference,” Morales said.

Chief of Justice of the ASCC, Pitrika Hirani, hotel and restaurant management major, who worked with the elected senators throughout the campaign, notices a lot of potential within the new senators. “I think they’re all going to do really well; they’re all really passionate about it. They worked really hard, so whatever they do, they’re going to try their best.”