The second meeting of the ASB Student Senate this semester included the swearing in of new members and discussion of a trip to the General Assembly of California Community College Student Senates.
The meeting included Tamara Dunning being sworn in as ASB Student Senate president after official results from the special election were released by the Center for Leadership and Development. She was presented the president’s gavel by former interim president Leslie Milan Fisher.
Jorge Riley, who was elected ASB Student Senate President in last spring’s election over Dunning by a margin of 62 votes, but whose election was invalidated for reasons the administration and the ASB have not disclosed, says he is more supported by the students.
“What am I supposed to think about this,” he said. “Obviously, the administration has something to hide. I was robbed.”
“I haven’t met anyone on campus that supports Dunning as student body president. The students are not happy that I am not president,” he added.
The main issue that was brought to discussion was student advocacy during the next General Assembly. Members of the Student Senate board are planning to make a trip to Los Angeles to discuss student leadership with members of other Student Senates from around the state.
Board members who are planning on attending the trip must turn in their G.A. packets by Monday, and the meeting is open to all students.
Leslie Milan Fisher, Vice President of the Student Senate, made a point, “Our goal is to bring together students…we want to improve quality of life for constituents.”
In her last president’s message as interim president, Fisher read a statement to the senators.
“Our board is comprised of volunteers with a heart for ARC,” she said. “Our job is selfless, sometimes thankless, and is in no way to be used as an opportunity to make a name for ourselves, create drama, or behave as though we are entitled to anything more than any other student here at ARC.”
“The most important thing is to trust the process,” she added.
Jeremy Diefenbacher, President of the Clubs and Events Board, had deemed Student Club Day “a success.” He also mentioned that there will be another event for students that will have a “Geeks and Goths” theme.
Manuel Perez, Dean of Student Services, facilitated the meeting and encourages students to join more student committees. He made a note that he will “do my responsibility as much as possible to remind you that you are a student.”
“Let me remind you to be humane to one another. Be nice,” he added.
Dean Perez also said there need to be changes in the bylaws as it relates to elections.
“The administration, in our review every year of how elections go, there are areas that we have identified in your own governing documents that could stand for some strengthening,” he said. “Not that it was wrong. It could stand for strengthening.”
“The meeting went exceptional,” Fisher said at its conclusion. “We were congealing as a team and it was a smooth transition.”
