Santa Rosa Junior College’s Student Government Assembly members discussed expectations for a new college president, reviewed their experiences at the Student Senate for California Community Colleges conference and agreed to waive fees for a barber attending Club Day, at their Oct. 31 meeting.
NEW COLLEGE PRESIDENT
SGA members are looking for SRJC’s new president to be “culturally competent” and embody the school’s values.
The group consulted with Robert Griffin, director of Professional Personnel Leasing, regarding expectations for candidates looking to take the place of retiring President Dr. Frank Chong after 11 years as SRJC’s president.
“I would really appreciate a leader who’s dedicated to their work, optimistic and has a very open mind for different circumstances,” said Vice President of Student Life Melissa Ramirez. “I want someone who’s a good role model.”
SGA members are looking to see how candidates interact with students and demonstrate a student-centered approach in their work. They plan to evaluate suitability after examining past work, and looking at student relations and assistance with underprivileged groups.
“SRJC brings voices to minority groups that haven’t had a chance to be heard before,” Ramirez said. “It’s the place to be nurtured, and share your voice and get involved. We don’t want a president who brings it back 100 years.”
Members also discussed issues that they felt were most important for a president to address, such as helping SRJC to become a “student-ready college”: solve accreditation issues, continue the transition to in-person classes and ensure students and staff feel safe on campus.
“They need to take the lead from students and hear what we have to say,” said Matti Cottrell, executive vice president of legislation. “They need to be prepared to take action on those issues.”
SSCCC ANALYSIS
SGA members who attended the recent Student Senate for California Community Colleges conference in San Diego shared their experiences and key takeaways at this week’s meeting.
Attendees were able to gauge where SRJC’s student life and resources stood compared to other California community colleges throughout several discussion and training sessions.
“One of the ways I think we’re ahead is in conversations around basic needs,” Coordinator Zach Miranda said. “We sprung into action early on in the pandemic and immediately started doing basic food distributions.”
The conference allowed SGA members to see how student communities have returned and evolved post-pandemic. While some colleges were quick to return to normal, others were still in early stages of their reopening process.
“It was encouraging,” Miranda said. “It’s reaffirming to know that we’re normal.”
BARBER FEE WAIVE
SGA agreed to waive any fees for HD Barber Studio, which will be offering free haircuts to students during SRJC’s Club Day Nov. 16.
