The Associated Students of Fullerton College recently wrapped up its spring elections. On the ballot were two referendums that would add extra tuition fees for students. The final results of students elected into the A.S. have been finalized and signed off by the student body.
In the 2019 Associated Students spring election, Fullerton College students were able to vote for a vice president of student senate, vice president of finance, four student trustees, two student senators and passed the two fee referendums on the ballot.
An official winner for the president of student senate position, has been declared to be Selena Cruz.
One of Cruz’s main goals is to prioritize the majority of student voices so that they may be heard in order to make real changes and have solutions to our concerns as students. “We are in this together,” Cruz said.
Harut Kejejyan was elected to vice president of the senate as the only name on the ballot as a write-in candidate.
Laura Sanchez won the position for vice president of finance uncontested.
Student trustees elected included Annika Thompson, Chloe Reyes, Sophia Dickerson and Vodrick Anderson.
Student senators elected were Rebeca Oropeza and Miriam Arteaga.
Other than the students elected, a big concern was over the two referendums that could add more to students fees in the coming year. Both the Student Representation Fee [SRF] and the Orange County Transportation Authority [OCTA] bus fee are projected to pass.
The OCTA bus pass program will give students access to all the OCTA bus networks within Orange County and the express route that goes to Los Angeles. The program will be available for students to participate in beginning with the fall 2019 semester.
Starting with the fall 2020 semester the fee will be mandatory and automatically charged to every student enrolled in classes. The price for full-time students will be $5.75 and $5 for part-time students.
The SRF will charge $2 per student, regardless of units enrolled. The $2 will be split between two organizations. One dollar will go to fund local advocacy for student body organizations. The funds will be used when the organizations present positions before local city, county, and district governments.
The second dollar goes towards establishing and supporting the operations of a statewide community college student organization that will have representatives to advocate before the state Legislature.
Students can request to opt-out of the $2 fee. According to California Education Code 76060.5 section I, students can submit a written refusal to pay due to religious, political, financial or moral reasons.
The ballot remained blank for the position of vice president of activities and vice president of records when the voting window ended. There were 33 spots available for the position of student senator but only two ran for that position.
The elected spring A.S candidates and two referendums will go into action this Fall 2019.
