The forums for Associated Student Body (ASB) candidates, of which all eight ran unopposed, were held on April 5 and 6 in the Student Center.
Each of the candidates shared with students how they would serve ARC students as members of ASB.
Valencia Scott, who is running for Senate President, shared with ARC students which issues she feels are most important.
One of the issues Scott discussed was the right of free speech, which has become more of an issue on campus due to the recent visit of an anti-abortion group.
“I think it’s important to acknowledge and allow the practice of free speech,” Scott said. “Mental health, hunger and homelessness are probably the three biggest issues on this campus.”
Scott also took the time to address the new smoking ban.
“ASB is a representative mechanism for smokers and non-smokers, so it’s important that we create a space for people to smoke on campus,” Scott said.
Senate vice presidential candidate Alejandra Hillbert said that there can be more done to increase student participation in ASB and campus activities.
“We would like to create flyers or announcements so that everyone has accessibility to ASB,” Hillbert said. “I think there’s a lot of opportunities and activities on campus, but they aren’t very visible to students.”
More Police on Campus
A resolution urging Los Rios Police Department to add more police on campus caused a passionate discussion about preventing mass shootings on campus at last Thursday’s (April 7) American River College Associated Student Body Student Senate meeting.
Senate urged the LRPD station to place a minimum of at least one officer within the library, Davies Hall and the Student Center during the hours of operation for each respective building.
CAEB President Justin Nicholson disagreed with the resolution’s viability.
“This just seems like something we cannot achieve,” Nicholson said.
Phan explained that this is just the way to tell the administration what the students want, not how to do it.
“We’re just simply urging Los Rios,” Phan said. “They can decide to ignore it completely or they can decide to implement it in their own version.”
Parliamentarian Lorenzo Cuesta clarified what passing this resolution would achieve.
“You as a Senate are speaking for the students, you’re not here to tell administration how to do anything,” Cuesta said. “You are taking a stance right now, saying we feel there is some danger you can prevent.”
New Senator, two resign
The American River College Associated Student Body Student Senate added Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society member Kevin Jenco to the board, but lost Sen. Kylie Marx and Sen. Zach Perry at the April 1 meeting.
Jenco, organizer of the Phi Theta Kappa fundraiser banquet, has regularly been attending Senate meetings since February and now wants to use the rest of his time here at ARC to help the Student Senate.
“I do believe I can make some sort of difference on campus,” Jenco said. “Whether it’s small or large I’d like to do everything I can.”
Marx, who resigned from her CAEB director of activities position on Tuesday, said she had to withdraw from the semester for personal reasons and therefore had to resign from Student Senate.
Perry, appointed less than a month ago, had to resign due to his moving back to Indiana, according to Student Senate President David Hylton II.
