Student awareness, outreach and involvement are the three things that ASCC Senate Vice-President Enrique Rodriguez wants to see from all the students on campus.
Conferences, task force and reaching the students on campus where the main agenda items that ASCC Senate had to discuss for the Wednesday, Nov. 9 ASCC Senate agenda.
Funding conferences and creating the Tittle IX Task Force are some of the things that student government is doing to reach students and make them aware that ASCC is there to help students.
Rodriguez said, “Initiatives are being passed and there needs to be more student involvement, student awareness, and student outreach, […] student government is promoting that ‘There is money out there for clubs and students, whatever you need it for, whatever your academic endeavors are going to be.’
“The money is out there all you need to do is sign some forms and do a couple fundraising events […] the more we start passing stuff the more students are going to be able to see [that funding is available].”
Rodriguez has personal experience writing legislation asking ASCC for funds.
His Falcon Kids legislation took six presentations before ASCC approved its funding.
He said, “I can imagine students who are freshman how intimidating [asking for funds having, senators prying at you and denying you and restricting you could be.”
However he also said, “[Asking for funds] is an open discussion, it’s transparent, it’s welcoming to students.”
The Leadership Conference was a discussion item in the meeting’s agenda. Senators were reminded to sign up for the three-day conference which includes meals, hotel stay, activities, prizes and workshops with the leadership theme all for a $50 nonrefundable fee.
The leadership workshop has a budget for 80 student participants and seats are available on first come first serve basis for all students with a valid ID and semester sticker.
ASCC President Saul Lopez, who attended the conference last year, said the conference was a fun bonding experience that lets goers make friends.
“It’s very social, […] it’s about getting to know each other and finding leadership qualities, we have guest speakers […] it’s a bonding experience and it could be for the whole student body,” he said.
Senate approved giving $11,000 in funds for 12 students to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival held at Mesa Community College.
Senator Issac Simons-Araya who presented the legislation to senate did not have time for a comment.
During the meeting senate approved the implementation of a Title IX Task Force. The task force would listen to students who want to report a Title IX infraction or concern without filling an official complain with campus police or the Title IX Coordinator Raphael Valyncia.
Lopez said, “A lot of times students here when they go through Title IX or they go through student grievance they hear the words formal complaint and sometimes that scares them, they’re like ‘wow I don’t want to do that.’”
Rodriguez agreed the Title IX Task Force was needed, saying, “I believe Title IX the awareness is needed, just to have Title IX [task force] being out there is perfect I love that it passed.”
