Disclaimer: the Oak Leaf staff removed a plethora of spelling errors, grammar errors and non-existent words, at least half of which were caught by Word. The candidates wrote their biographies. The Oak Leaf is not endorsing any candidates below, and encourages the student body to make their own informed decisions.
Voting for student government candidates and on SRJC constitutional amendments will begin Monday the 23 and continue through Thursday the 27 Students can vote online through the My Cubby section of the student portal or one of four stations on the Santa Rosa campus and one on the Petaluma campus. Information on the upcoming elections and the changes that are up for vote can be found in the Student Affairs tab of the For Students dropdown menu at santarosa.edu.
William Oertel
The VP of Organizations is a liaison between SRJC’s clubs and the AS Senate, so familiarity with the school’s clubs is crucial. I’ve served in the Inter-Club Council for two years, and am currently the Council’s vice-chair. I’ve also served as an officer in the World Cultures and Languages Club, and for the past year have been the president of the Skeptics Club, organizing joint meetings between the Skeptics Club and Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Working with these clubs has taught me the difficulties and value of organizing people with differing backgrounds and ideas and I will use that knowledge to best serve SRJC’s clubs and students.
SRJC doesn’t exist for the teachers or the administration. It exists for the students. The Student’s slate will ensure that the students are put first in all matters. A vote for The Students is a vote for the students!
Please visit us at: https://www.facebook.com/SRJCtheStudents
Victor Romos
My name is Victor Romos this is my second semester at the SRJC and I’m running for VP of Programs.
At Santa Rosa High School, I was president for the Interact Club. I was co-president for the Gay-Straight Alliance where I had previously served as the secretary and treasurer. I was an Officer at the chapter and sectional level, competitor at the regional and state level, and national delegate representative for the Future Farmers of America. At SRJC, I am the ICC Representative for Agriculture Ambassadors, treasurer and vice president elect for Rotaract and vice president of Finances of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
With my experience and knowledge about the Associated Students Programs I’ve gained from being a Student Ambassador, I believe that I will serve Santa Rosa Junior College wonderfully as the Vice President of Programs. I am dedicated to promoting and establishing student leadership, personal growth and educational success. Vote United 4 Students.
Sonia Padilla
Statistics say that only about a third of the student body will graduate and even fewer transfer to a university. With Sonoma State so close by, this percentage is embarrassing. My hope is that we can get more students involved in school activities, even if just to vote during elections. Exercise your freedom, vote for your best candidate and just be heard. As a Biochemistry transfer major, I’m also very interesting in linguistics and communication. I promise to do my very best to not only get students more involved, but to also make the campus a more pleasant atmosphere to study in and raise the stats in our favor.
Robert O’Brien
I am in my second year at the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Petaluma Campus, working towards a Radiologic Technology A.S. Degree, with the goal of transferring to CSU Northridge to obtain my bachelor’s in radiological science. My determination to succeed and active nature are well demonstrated by two part-time jobs, my volunteer work at two Petaluma health care facilities and involvement in two student-based clubs. My strong involvement in the Petaluma Campus helped me build quality relationships with fellow students, instructors, staff and administrators. This networking gives me knowledge and connections vital to fulfilling the duties of Associated Students Vice President of the Petaluma Campus. My commitment to providing equal representation of the Petaluma SRJC students at Associated Students Senate has brought me together with the United-4-Students team; to fighting for equity, accountability, sustainability and diversity. United, we will keep the student voice and campus activities alive!
Omar Paz
I have always believed in the idea of growth and change through determination in order to overcome adversity but in today’s day and age there are too many issues left unaddressed. The future I see for this school is one with policies of transparency, school-wide cooperation, diversity and an unwavering determination for constant improvement. With these principles in mind, I believe that I am suited to be a voice of mediation between students and faculty, creating changes that will make our community college accurately reflect the ideas and necessities of the student body at large.
Michelle Dowling
I am a political science and global studies major, with a goal of transferring to UC Berkeley to study peace and conflict studies or society and environment. I have served as the A.S. VP of Advocacy for the past year and a half. We need a Student Trustee that is active in the community, knowledgeable and determined to influence the decision-making process as the only student who is able to sit on the Board of Trustees that oversees the entire District. United 4 Students stand in solidarity on issues such as sustainability, equal access, diversity, social justice and accountability of our officials and administrators.
Please vote for me for Student Trustee! I have the experience, knowledge, communication skills, optimism and work ethic to successfully advocate for students! Vote for all of the United 4 Students candidates and vote YES on the proposed changes/amendments to our Associated Students constitution!
Makela O’Connell
Students need a representative who will be their advocate and create all-inclusive events to promote equity on campus. As Vice President of Santa Rosa campus I will do just that. I will strive to make all the voices of the students heard and see that student concerns are given their deserved attention. I come from a strong background of service and leadership. I am a founding co-president of the Rotaract Club of Santa Rosa Junior College. I have spent a year as a student representative on the Associated Students Programs Committee so I have witnessed firsthand what happens behind the scenes of Associated Students. I want to focus on greater community involvement, more multicultural events, working with Inter-Club Council for more club events and increasing transfer and internship resources. Like my slate, I will work hard to promote equity, accountability, sustainability and diversity on campus. Vote United 4 Students!
Josh Pinaula
The value of industrialized, standardized education is decreasing in value while the costs are increasing. This is problematic since education is the key to social change. People being left uninformed prompts inaction.
As V.P. of Santa Rosa Campus I will do my best to improve access to information. I aim to reinstate the Doyle Scholarship and ensure transparency about the school’s budgets and policies. The fact that the scholarship was taken away from the students was a breech of the scholarship trustees’ duties and the fact that there is no specific date for its return is unacceptable. I intend to continue the talks I’ve had with Exchange Bank and the SRJC President to resolve this.
I have managerial experience and I am the co-founder and organizer of the DanceOcalypse. I’ll be an accurate representation of the student body.
I’m endorsed by the previous Vice President of Santa Rosa Campus.
Joseph Glossop
During my first semester at SRJC, I was intrigued when a member of the student senate came to my class and talked about their experiences with student government. Since then, I have wanted to become a fundamental part of student senate. After a year and a half, I feel that through my involvement with clubs such as Rotaract and the Engineering Club, I have been able to connect with both the school and local community. As an SRJC Student I value consistency, team effort and hard work. I received leadership training this March at a Rotary District 5130 assembly and I’m also Microsoft certified in Power Point. As VP of Membership and Marketing I plan on diversifying Associated Students Program benefits, providing more information to the student body about student government and how they can get involved, as well as fulfilling all other provisions of the elected office.
Jessica Jones
As your current President I have worked tirelessly to build a strong foundation for my student leaders. Under my leadership we have created countless advocacy forums and events, written resolutions and taken action on both statewide and local issues and created a district-wide Alternative Transportation Survey. I have experience with clubs and the student government. In 2009 I co-founded an award winning club, “Students for Sustainable Communities” and have been involved with student government since 2010, as V.P of Santa Rosa Campus, V.P of Programs and for the year of 2011-2012 as your President. With my knowledge and experience of the district governance system, my work in advocacy, my relationships with public leaders, various non-profits and neighborhood alliances — I am empowered and ready to lead for a second term. Vote United 4 Students, and help us work with our administration to create transparency, equity, accountability and sustainability for our district.

Robert Edmonds
I am a parent, partner, entrepreneur, author, artist, accountability activist and a full-time English major. I’m working towards a law degree which I will obtain in six years to strengthen my ability to act up. I know first-hand that substantive change is a result of grass-roots action, not passive indifference. That is why I work so hard. For 10 years I’ve been actively fighting for social justice and equity in our local community and in this beautifully diverse world to which we all connect. I enter into student electoral politics because current, catastrophic, social and budget priorities demand that SRJC students speak with an engaged voice! I will apply my street level experience to engaging students in working for change. I proudly represent United 4 Students, a diverse team deeply committed to working with you for equity, accountability, sustainability and diversity. Robert Edmonds – United 4 Students
Derek Bacon
1. Name: Derek Bacon
2. Candidate for Office of: Executive Vice President
3. Age: 19
4. City of Residence: Santa Rosa
5. Academic emphasis: Development Sociology/ Pre-Law
6. Academic and/or personal goals:
Contrary to my high school G.P.A, I’ve maintained highest honors in college and will be transferring to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. After I finish my undergraduate studies, I’m going to pursue a joint degree in both law and business (JD/MBA). I feel accomplishing both will put me in the perfect position to work in the Executive Branch of the United States Federal Government
7. Previous and current experience in student leadership positions:
I was nominated “family leader” in my first semester of boarding school, I have held positions as Senator and President Pro Tempore in the student senate at Sacramento City college, and have just recently traveled to the Philippines where I became heavily involved in early education. I will also soon charter Santa Rosa Junior College’s first ever, Amnesty International Club advocating for human rights.
8. Hometown/Place of Origin: Sacramento, California
Anson O’Rourke
Right now about 300 classes are being cut from the Santa Rosa Junior College. Fees will rise by $10 a unit this summer. The Student Trustee who sits on the Board of Trustees must have a rapport with students, and understand the difficulties they face in order to best represent their interests. I’m not claiming to be the silver bullet to the challenges facing students, but I have an understanding of them, and a track record of representing student interests. I currently serve as Chairman of Inter-Club Council, and regularly meet with student groups on campus to listen to their concerns. I represented students on the hiring committee for the Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. On the state wide level, I am the school’s voting delegate in the Student Senate For California Community Colleges. As Student Trustee, I will continue to be your voice. Please visit: https://www.facebook.com/SRJCtheStudents

Voting for student government candidates and on SRJC constitutional amendments will begin Monday the 23rd and continue through Thursday the 27th. Students can vote online through the My Cubby section of the student portal or one of four stations on the Santa Rosa campus and one on the Petaluma campus. Information on the upcoming elections and the changes that are up for vote can be found in the Student Affairs tab of the For Students dropdown menu at santarosa.edu.