Associated Students Elections Candidate Statements

The Cypress College Associated Students will be holding General Elections Tuesday, May 9 through Thursday, May 11. Students will have the opportunity to vote on AS Council candidates for the 2017-18 academic year. The elections booth will be located behind the Student Center and will be open 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. each day. In order to vote, students will need a student ID card with current semester AS sticker, or current semester class schedule printout and a photo ID. Below are statements, as provided by the candidates.


President

Tasmia Alam

1. WHY DO YOU THINK YOU ARE THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON RUNNING FOR THIS OFFICE?

I consider myself most qualified for this position because:

  • Served the AS Council for two years.
  • Previously held positions as Appointed Activities Coordinator and Elected Senator
  • Currently holding the position of the Executive Vice President.
  • Initiated an attendance policy within the council.
  • Successfully implemented new recruitment methods.
  • Gained firsthand experience by working alongside with the current President.
  • Possess strong leadership skills such as committed work ethic and integrity.

2. WHAT WILL BE YOUR MAIN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IF YOU ARE ELECTED TO OFFICE?

My goals for this office are:

  • Improve the college experience of students by encouraging their involvement.
  • Bring more structure and strictness within the council thus gaining more efficiency.
  • Encourage the student body to participate for resolutions presented during the General Assembly (A three-day conference organized by SSCCC).

3. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT AREAS DOES A.S. NEED TO FOCUS MORE ATTENTION ON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO, IF ELECTED, TO IMPROVE THESE SITUATIONS?

I believe A.S needs to focus more on promoting themselves, so there are more occasions where more of us students get represented.
If elected, I will:

  • Recruit more council members.
  • Advertise through social media.
  • Represent student needs.
  • Engage the student body.

Ultimately, I’m confident that any of the duties that are assigned to me will get my undivided attention and the effort needed to accomplish it and this opportunity would extend my abilities as a leader and be part of a team whose mission and vision matches mine.

Maria Isabel Alvarez

1.    Why do you think you are the most qualified person running for this position?

I, Maria Isabel Alvarez, strongly believe I am the most qualified person running for President because I obtain 2 full years of student government. I’m taking nineteen units and successfully managing my position as Vice President of Campus Activities. I worked my way up from being only a committee member, to an activities coordinator to now upholding the position of Vice President of Campus Activities.  I organize all events on campus and outreach events as in welcome back, club rush, sex day, and finals fuel. I have had the pleasure with creating relationships with students, club members, faculty, personal, and classified. I have attended events and networked with many of the departments such as the career planning center, the humanities department, and the communications office. I hope to utilize all my knowledge, resources, and connections to do an amazing job as president. I am familiar with this institution and I am ready to begin making change for the betterment of our campus, our community, and our future. My strength is definitely student interaction with education. I am well rounded organized and a heck of a multi tasker. I am also a business major who will be innovative and get things done in an outstanding matter. I am determined to excel all expectations and be a memorable president. To do that, I want to continue to provide my

2.    What will be your main goals and objectives if you are elected to office?

If elected as president, I plan to enrich student life on campus, as my main goal. I currently sit on the food committee on campus and am aware of student’s needs. I will strive to get our food pantry that was established this year to be mentioned in all classes. The food pantry provides opportunities to students with hunger to get a free hot meal and clothing. I yearn to make students life here at Cypress College delightful and a highlight life experience. I believe making the recourses more upfront and easy to find will increase usage alike the private free tutors we have on campus that no one seems to know about. If elected shining light on these resources will be one of my main goals along with many others like creating a networking event where students can network with other students with the same major and make a longtime partners and connections.

3.    In your opinion, what areas does A.S. need to focus more attention on and what will you do, if elected, to improve these situations?

Confidence must be restored in student government where students feel they can come to the council and express their needs. I value student’s opinions, ideas, and concerns when making ANY decision. I also have an open ear and honor minority groups in a way that is fair and just for all groups and all the students as a whole to feel heard.


Executive Vice President

Robert Mounce

1.    Why do you think you are the most qualified person running for this position?

I feel the most qualified for this position because of my ability to work with people. Being a Vice President I would assist the President, so that the full responsibility would not just fall on the president, but I as well, so that the president has some of the stress off of he or she. I also think that I am the most qualified, because of my ability to work with people not just in Associated Students, but in the student body as a whole too.

2.    What will be your main goals and objectives if you are elected to office?

Some of my main goals would be first involving the student body more, so that they feel welcome into the college. As well as having Associated Students grow in members, so we have a bigger volunteer number as well as more opinions on certain subjects that come into the council. My last goal I would like to improve on is having more bonding events other than just retreat.

3.    In your opinion, what areas does A.S. need to focus more attention on and what will you do, if elected, to improve these situations?

In my opinion I think that the student body should be a focus of what AS is about. I think I would encourage Associated Students to put more events on to reach out to students before hand as well as communicate with VP of Public Relations to help advertise the events and make it look pleasing to go to.


Vice President of External Affairs

Aaron Hutching

Some of many things that qualify me as best suited for this candidacy are my joyful attitudes and vibrant characteristics. My deep and caring passion for this community and student advocacy are essential attributes for a great delegate! I have demonstrated outstanding involvement in A.S. in so much of everything we do because this is where fate has landed me. Providing the best of service, fairness, kindness, and positivity have been my objectives as a student leader; and carrying out these same goals are imbedded into me for this upcoming term.

As your V.P. of External Affairs I intend on making the best in every situation, and to do all in my power to advocate policy change for problems that arise as I have previously done so.

In my opinion what A.S. needs to improve on is outreaching to the entire student body, as I believe many people have experienced or identified issues or concerns that are in our jurisdiction to change and make better, just many may not be aware of all that we can do. There is a lot that can be done! Vote for me to help all of you!


Vice President of Public Relations

Kathryn Olimberio

Associated Students has affected my life in such a way that I cannot help but feel grateful. Student government has given me the chance to continuously impact my college and feel a part of something bigger than myself. As the current VP of PR, I hope to continue my duties next academic year so that I can continue to be involved with my college community.

I believe I am currently the most qualified for this position because I have many of the desirable skills required for the job. I excel at graphic design as well as drawing. I also am able to work well under pressure and meet deadlines. I also have experience holding the position and am able to balance the time commitment with my studies considerably well. Due to my work experience at the campus bookstore, I have strong communications skills as well as strong work ethic and am able to work with a wide variety of people in order to complete tasks.

If I am elected, my main goal in this position is to encourage more students to join and increase awareness of our Associated Students. While in office I hope that my time will be used to efficiently recruit more people so that we will have a wide variety of students who can accurately represent our student population. Aside from increasing awareness, I hope to establish a strong connection with faculty and staff so we can collaborate on announcing events to the student population. The more we connections we make, the wider our scope of influence reaches.  Though A.S. runs considerably well at its current state, I believe A.S. needs to focus mainly on recruitment and encouraging commitment. The problem is that A.S. students are not held accountable when they are violating bylaws or failing to adhere to deadlines. It is also especially important for elected members to lead by example so that others may follow. As a student government, it is our job to act professionally. Our actions affect our events and activities. As an elected member I will actively encourage people to stick with their commitments and hold themselves accountable for their actions. If we are lacking in volunteers, I will always be quick to step in and assist in the hopes that others will follow my example. Aside from resolving commitment issues, it is also important that we are consistently recruiting new members. New members are the future of A.S. When the current elected members graduate, there must be people to take their place. As an elected member I will devote time and energy toward recruiting individuals who can fulfill these leadership roles. If all of our elected members were to recruit even one person, it would help significantly. My focus is not only on the present but on the future. It is my personal goal to nurture the current council, so that Associated Students will continue to impact and affect lives just as it did mine.


Executive Secretary

Monica Santana

I believe I am the most qualified person for this position, because I have a full academic year of experience as the A.S Executive Secretary. I know how to be an organized and efficient Secretary, with the proper time management skills to get the job done. I also have previous A.S council experience, so I am fully ready, devoted, and prepared for the 2017-2018 council.

My main goals and objectives if elected to office, are to be an even better Secretary than I was this past year. I will make sure to have the minutes done quickly without the mistake of having them a little late, (which was due to lack of proper knowledge of the position). I hope to achieve this goal by becoming more organized, and balance out my school work/jobs/ and A.S work a lot better.

A.S needs to focus on having a stricter executive board. That way we are all present, at all the meetings, at all times. This will lead to better council communication and better teamwork. If I am elected, I will make sure to remind everyone the importance of attending every business/general meeting to set a good example to future executive board/and or council members.


Student Trustee

Daniel Sebastian

  1. I am most qualified for the position of Student Trustee, because I’ve had previous experience in A.S government. Also because of the opportunity to be in a leadership position previously as the Vice president of Fiscal Affairs. Having these necessary qualifications means that I already know how to interact with both faculty and students, which will allow me to do the best possible job.
  2. My main goals will be to properly and effectively run the positon of Student Trustee by increasing the communication between the Cypress College student government and the Board of Trustee committee, mainly so that by the end of the year our bonds with the faculty working at the board will be heavily enforced. Another one of my goals will be to work with our students here at Cypress to find issues that need to be heard and resolved.
  3. I believe our AS government needs to improve on the way we show our presence here on campus and the effect we can have to make a change. I will try to inspire as many students as I can so that they will aware of our student advocacy & government, so that they can also be a part of making a change in our schools.
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