Every semester, when students are paying for their classes, tuition and parking, they are asked if they would like to purchase Associated Students Benefits as well. However, many students don’t know what it means, what it’s for or what value it has.
During this semester’s Quadchella event on campus, the Associated Students revealed plans to raise the fee of the A.S.B. to $15.00 a semester.
“That is something that is in the works and it’s probably something that I’m not going to see during my time at Fullerton College,” Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee Kassandra Flores said. “We are trying to improve our benefits before we actually raise the price,”
On August 13th, students lucky enough to be the first 2000 to purchase A.S.B., got a free Associated Students-Fullerton College USB flash drive and lanyard.
Flores mentioned that new benefits they are trying to implement to students are adding pre-loaded print credits to students print accounts.
“We are moving towards more tangible things that students can use overall,” Flores said.
The fall semester offers discounts to theme parks like Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventures and Sea World.
The discounts for the theme parks come in handy for the parks with upcoming Halloween-themed mazes and attractions.
A.S.B. also helps students with saving money at movie theaters, “ For example, AMC tickets are $9.15, instead of regular prices,” said Tony Trinh, a student at FC who works in the Student Affairs, A.K.A. Student Activities Office.
When asked if purchasing A.S.B. was worth the $8.50, “Of course,“ Trinh said, “In the long run, as well as in the short run.”
Other benefits include free or discounted admission to all events sponsored by Associated Students and Inter-Club Council, free or discounted admission to all home FC Athletic events (except tournaments and playoff games), discounted admission to FC Box-Office for music, theater and art events, 10% off of clothing, food, drinks, school supplies and gifts (this excludes textbooks, fee cards, electronics, software, catalogs and schedules), 20% off of all FC cosmetology services in the Theater Department (for example, hair cuts), 5% off of total purchase of Sodexo and FC Dining Food Services.
Although these benefits are available to students that purchase the A.S.B, many students do not know the full capacity of their worth.
When asked if she thought students were aware of what the A.S.B. provides, Flores commented, “Definitely not, I believe that sometimes the A.S. Benefits is more of a charge that students look at and it’s a tangible item that they get.”
“Whether if it’s the lanyard or the planner that we have had in previous years, we are looking to change that,” Flores added.
“I’m guessing it’s for games and student events,” said FC student Roxanne Reeves, who did not know about the extent of the A.S.B. “I didn’t now about the benefits, especially in the cafeteria”
Trinh also mentioned that Student Activities is starting a campaign to promote “FC Days” on campus and possibly throughout downtown Fullerton.
The campaign’s goals for their promotion plan are to promote their social media activities on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Student Activities plans their massive promotion plan by distributing flyers to every student and department on campus, getting students to generate activity on their social media pages.
On the Student Activities web page on the Fullerton College website, a picture of a new design for Student ID cards is posted.
“That is definitely in the works,” said Flores, “ but through all of the stuff we have to go through for ID cards it will take a long time.”
This semester the benefits cost $8.50 per semester, except for summer semesters which cost $4.25.
This fall semester’s benefits are valid from August 13 – December 31, 2016.
