The Student Senate election is underway, students can vote to fill 13 senate positions and one Executive Board position. Voting opened on Sept. 6, and ends on Sept. 8.
Students can vote through JCCC’s campus labs website for one of the four candidates for secretary, and up to 13 times for the 13 candidates for senator. Elections are held at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, and results will be available Sept. 9 in the morning.
The four candidates include Student Lounge ambassador, and chair of the Student Senate’s Public Relations Committee, Drake Devine; Student Senator Mila Garza; Epuna Gonzales; and JCCC’s Model United Nations’ President Andrew Snow.
Each candidate answered questions about their qualifications and experience to inform students before they vote. Their answers are accessed when opening the online ballot, by clicking the icon next to each candidate’s name.
The Student Senate consists of five executive officers: president, vice president, treasurer, parliamentarian and secretary, and 25 senators who each represent the whole student body. The senate allocates funds and provides support to student organizations.
The senate is divided into four committees, including the Rules and Conduct, Public Relations, Service and Fundraising, and Budget committees.
“These committees work in their areas throughout the semester to assist other clubs, market the Senate and put on service and fundraising events,” Student Senate Vice President Maria Palazuelos said.
Palazuelos shared that many of the candidates’ goals were to increase student involvement.
“I think that is a great idea,” Palazuelos said, “Especially now that we’re starting to see a post-pandemic world, I think helping students become more involved on campus would be amazing.”
Students who have missed the deadline to submit an application to run for Student Senate can still be involved by attending meetings, and can be sworn into the senate on their third meeting. The Student Senate meets on Mondays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the CoLab in OCB 100.
Henry Gamber