Last fall, less than five percent of students voted for the students who would represent them as a whole.
The Associated Student Body Government (ASBG) is a staff of 17. This semester there are nine. The entire student population depends on those nine students to make decisions and serve them to their best ability.
“When something comes up and students get upset and don’t understand why tuition was raised…It’s because they don’t go to meetings or get involved,” said Marlon Stewart the VP of flea market affairs.”
Current ASBG members suffer by picking up the slack from unfilled positions. This poses a problem for ASBG members because the staff already has the responsibilities of a student, along with their time consuming roles in student government, all while maintaining a personal life.
“Were elected by students, for students,” said ASBG president Patrice Burke. “It’s about finding that balance and working out their priorities.”
The remaining eight positions will linger until fall. According to the ASBG constitution, the staff is unable to run another election until then.
When elections do occur, it is vital that students participate.
“This is a community college,” said ASBG’s Treasurer Katie Isabel. “It takes everyone to run it.”
An area of growth for ASBG falls in the hands of the advisor. Last year, Solyn Laney served as the interim advisor of student activities. Laney was temporary, but he also served a longer term than other advisors who weren’t provisional. This semester is the first for current advisor Asia Butler where high hopes remain.
ASBG president Patrice Burke compared this situation to a football team. If a football team had a different coach every year, they wouldn’t be as powerful. This concept applies to what ASBG faces.
“We must get away from the traditional standard and seek which way we need to go,” said Gwendolyn Primous the student representative for the board of trustees.
The solution though, lies in the hands of the student population. If they continue to not care for facilities on campus designed on their behalf, the future of Delta students could be in turmoil.
