Greetings! My name is Andy Navarro and as your ASCC President for the 2012-2013 school year, I would like to welcome you to our humble yet amazing school. What is ASCC, you ask? Let me break it down.
ASCC stands for the Associated Students of Citrus College. I am the leader of the Student Government on campus. The ASCC Executive Board’s job to make sure that YOUR voice is heard in the decision-making processes that affect the students. Professors and other school employees are represented by unions as well and, let me tell you, their representatives are fierce in their efforts to ensure their constituents are given their fair piece of the proverbial pie. As your head representative, I want to assure you that my board and I will have the same level of passion, when advocating for your benefits. We will be knowledgeable, assertive, and, most of all, diligent in our duties as the voices of you, the student body.
That being said, all of our efforts to bring more classes, services, and enjoyable activities to you will be fruitless if we don’t get feedback and support from the most vital part of the college population: you. If we lose sight that students are the heart and entire purpose of our school, we will keep having to make concessions, making our college experience less memorable and contributive to our educational and professional futures. The time to voice your opinion is NOW.
The administration is doing a phenomenal job to help us adapt during these dire financial times but they cannot do anything if the student body is apathetic toward the changes the state is imposing on us. Talk to us, let us know what you want changed at Citrus. Much more importantly, get involved. Join a club. Come to our board meetings. Meet your administrators. Develop rapport with your teachers. Get informed as to what legislation affects your educational process. Write your local legislator a letter and let him/her know how the cuts have affected you personally. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities to join us in lobbying against further cuts to our schools. The most effective way to influence the legislative process is to put a face to the voices they hear.
I strongly encourage you all to vote in this November’s election. This ballot will include Governor Brown’s Tax Initiative, Proposition 30, and it is the only initiative that gives community colleges more money so we can add more classes and provide more educational options for community college students. I strongly encourage you all to take the time and research Prop. 30 and encourage everyone you know that is of legal voting age to register to vote and show support for the election, when polls open. The California community college system is the largest of its kind in the world and it has produced countless success stories of students who have achieved their dreams and became assets to our society and economy.
