Student government urges campus to pass student representation fee

Student government officers have once again proposed a Student Representation Fee and might plan to place it on the May 25 ballot.

The $1 optional fee, a ballot proposal that failed in December 2009, would allocate funding for better representation of students at higher government levels and bring in an estimated revenue of $22,320, ASCC president Karlyn Bradley said.

The proposal garnered 106 yes votes and 97 no votes in the December 2009 election, but did not receive the two-thirds majority required by student government law.

The $1 fee would fund expenses incurred by students who attend events such as the annual "March in March" in Sacramento. Student government officers will be attending this year, but the Associated Students of Citrus College executive board members have said they cannot afford to bring any other students along.

The ASCC Executive Board voted to spend an amount no more than $3,000 on a flight to attend the "March in March."

"[Last year] many students did not want to go," said student trustee Karine Ponce said.
"If our students were to vote and go to meetings, it would change the way Sacramento looks at us," Board of Trustees member Sue Keith said. "It helps them to understand who our students are and what concerns them."

"I absolutely support the Student Representation Fee on our campus," said student activities supervisor Adrienne Thompson. "It will generate income that is solely directed to providing advocacy and lobbying for students at the campus, local, state and even federal levels.

On some campuses, such as Sacramento City College and Santiago Canyon College, the fee is already mandatory. Barstow and Rio Hondo community colleges allow students to refuse payment of the fee on religious, political or moral grounds.

"It is like the price of a taco," said ASCC Senator Tamara Dubini. "It's really a big difference when you're counting the number of students it is going to help."

 "During these times of massive budget cuts, I find it sad that the Associated Students don't have the money to provide buses to the 'March in March' for our student body," Thompson said.

Some worry that the ASCC isn't visible enough to students.

"I want students that we're representing to be able to sit in front of us," Bradley said. "There's a lot more that goes on that students don't know about."

Students are welcome to attend student government's weekly board meetings, but they rarely do.

Bradley hopes to organize a Town Hall meeting where students will express concerns to ASCC members, and ASCC members will be able to address them.

"I want students that we're representing to know why we're here and what we're doing," Bradley said.

ASCC meetings are scheduled for every Tuesday from 1:20 to 2:30 p.m. in the Campus Center Executive Board Room. The meetings are open to the public and students are encouraged to attend.