American River College’s Associated Student Body unanimously passed a resolution in support of implementing mandatory equity training for student employees. The board also voted unanimously to pass a resolution in support of ARC hosting regular Hold Space events during its April 29 meeting.

The board heard from Jennifer LaFlam, the interim dean of planning, research, and technology at ARC, who wanted to get the board’s input on analysing the student campus climate survey.

“The survey has questions about student experiences and perceptions at ARC related to different categories including academics, support services, feelings of safety and feelings of inclusion,” LaFlam said.

According to LaFlam, the purpose of the survey is for ARC to make an assessment of student experiences. The ARC research office will have the results at the end of the semester which will help ARC answer certain questions or meet particular needs. 

ASB Legislative Analyst Angie Verlarde-Burch said that the results would be helpful for them to give direction towards the kinds of things that the board should be focused on next semester.

Verlarde-Burch introduced the resolution in support of implementing mandatory equity training for student employees.

“We have a diverse group of students on campus and a lot of our student help employees are employed in places where they are interacting with other students and assisting them with their needs across campus,” Verlarde-Burch said.

Verarde-Burch added that the implementation of mandatory equity training such as bystander intervention, anti-racism training and gender inclusivity training will help in creating a welcoming environment at ARC. 

Next, Verlarde-Burch introduced the next resolution in support of ARC regularly hosting Hold Space events. 

Hold Space events are where students come together to discuss their experiences in a safe, respectful and supportive environment. ARC hosted these events in the aftermath of certain incidents such as when ARC President Melanie Dixon received racist threats earlier this year. 

Verlarde-Burch says that students present at these holding spaces expressed ongoing fears, difficulty in locating community spaces and desires to find a sense of community at ARC.

“If it were to be resolved ARC will implement regularly scheduled confidential holding space events to promote a sense of safety, healing and community for ARC’s marginalised populations,” Verlarde-Burch said.

Verlarde-Burch added that if the resolution were to be further resolved ARC would hold these events no less than once each month during the fall and spring semesters through the end of the 2022-2023 academic year. These events would also happen at least once during each summer session.

. For more information about ASB and future meetings, visit the ASB student government website.