By Noe Ortega
Associate Student Union hosted its first meeting of the semester on Friday, where the board funded future projects and student rep fees.
The 14th Annual Día De Los Muertos Student Alter Exhibit Reception was funded for $1,950.
To recognize Chicanos in the arts, the Vincent Price Museum will hold the Dia De Los Muertos Art gallery for two months.
Chicano figures Saul Lopez, Lalo Guerrero and Lupe Oniveros are honored at the museum.
“Every year we’re getting bigger celebrities to come. The idea is that the students, the community, all of ELAC, is open to come,” said Angelita Rovero-Herrera, Chicano Studies adjunct professor.
The board proceeded to student rep fees, where the 39 Annual National Leadership Conference on Student Government was in talks to be funded for $16,384.
Mike Anthony Garcia, leader of the Male Leadership Club came up with a proposal that would reduce the cost of Airline tickets by switching from American Airlines to Southwest Airlines to save $3,662 on student rep fees.
“Our eventual goal is to have something like (the National Leadership Conference Student Government.) Some of the club members would like to be board members and they want to have something a little more professional here, kind of like a workshop to have unrepresented groups come hold a workshop here at ELAC,” Garcia said.
The proposal made by Garcia was motioned but got approved after the majority of the board voted in favor of the budget cut.
The vote was passed with 12 yesses and six nos’.
The board passed the second item on their agenda for student rep fees by funding $6,649 for the California Community College Student Affairs Association conference.
CCCSAA’s main goal is for networking, student and professional development, and advocating for the field of student affairs and student leadership within the California Community College region.
ASU student government members can go to San Jose to learn about their positions as well as what else is going on at Community Colleges in the California region.
ASU President Oscar Cruz appointed some new positions at the meeting. Summer French was appointed to ASU Board Secretary, Juliet Villegas as Commissioner of Vocational Studies, Manuel Miller as Senator of the Disabled Student Program Services/Facilities and Planning/Health and safety and many more.
Each new member had two minutes to introduce themselves and were asked questions by the board.
“I really like to take action in my community. In the school particularly, I want to input some of the knowledge that I gained from other student governments from my past years in high school,” said Villegas. All seven of the new members took an oath together after they were appointed to their positions. “I’m excited to take the role and be part of the active community that I have as a registered DSPS student,” said Miller.