The A.S. Board Pushes Onward Without Vice President

Associated Student President Jennifer Chen discusses some of the ideas put forward by Santa Monica College students during the public comments forum with members of the A.S Board of Directors during the A.S Board of Directors meeting in the Cayton Center Lounge on the Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica Calif., on Monday February 26, 2018. The agenda consisted of a public forum, guest speakers, Consent Action Items (under $1000) and Major action items (over $1000). (Corsair Photo: Matthew Martin)

The Santa Monica Associated Students Board of Directors listen to Santa Monica College Student Edwin Cruz discuss Major Action Item 7.2 who is seeking approval for funding ($3000) a “math therapy sessions” during the Associated Students Board of Directors meeting in the Cayton Center Lounge on the Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica Calif., on Monday February 26, 2018. Major action 7.2 is a proposed workshop for students to talk about math in a personal way and deal with the psychological problems associated with math and provide practical problem solving methods for students. The Board approved this expenditure by unanimous decision. (Corsair Photo: Matthew Martin)

Director of Activities Saori Gurung (center-left), Director of Student Advocacy Santiago Guerrero (center-right) discuss with Santa Monica College Student Edwin Cruz about his proposed Major Action Item 7.2 which would seek approval for funding ($3000) a “math therapy workshop” during the Associated Students Board of Directors meeting in the Cayton Center Lounge on the Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica Calif., on Monday February 26, 2018. Major action 7.2 is a proposed workshop for students to talk about math in a personal way and deal with the psychological problems associated with math and provide practical problem solving methods for students. The Board approved this expenditure by unanimous decision.(Corsair Photo: Matthew Martin)

Associated Student President Jennifer Chen (left) and Associate Students Secretary Ryan Ang (right) are found listening while another ordinance is being discussed amongst the A.S Board of Directors during the Associated Students Board of Directors meeting in the Cayton Center Lounge on the Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica Calif., on Monday February 26, 2018. The agendas for the meeting consisted of a public forum, guest speakers, Consent Action Items (under $1000) and Major action items (over $1000). (Corsair Photo: Matthew Martin)

Associated Student Director of Sustainability Alexa Benavente argues whether major action item 7.3, a “Super Saturday,” would be worth the expense ($4,761.18) during the Associated Students Board of Directors meeting in the Cayton Center Lounge on the Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica Calif., on Monday February 26, 2018. The Super Saturday ordinance is an attempt to get funding for an event that was described as a panel that would bring students and faculty together spreading awareness about the special student programs on campus. However, Benavente raised her concern that Santa Monica College is “going to AS for funds for programs that the school should instead be paying for.” However, the Board approved this expenditure by unanimous decision. (Corsair Photo: Matthew Martin)

Cassandra Santiago-Amzallag, a student representative for the Bond Oversight Committee, gives a report on current or upcoming construction on or around the Santa Monica College campuses, ensuring that students are aware of all details of such constructions during the Associated Students Board of Directors meeting in the Cayton Center Lounge on the Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica Calif., on Monday February 26, 2018. (Corsair Photo: Matthew Martin)

Associated Student Body President Jennifer Chen bangs the gavel to adjourn the A.S Board of Directors meeting at precisely 4:22pm during the Associated Students Board of Directors meeting in the Cayton Center Lounge on the Santa Monica College main campus in Santa Monica Calif., on Monday February 26, 2018. The A.S meeting covered a public forum, guest speakers, Consent Action Items (under $1000) and Major action items (over $1000). (Corsair Photo: Matthew Martin)

The atmosphere was lethargic, as A.S. President Jennifer Chen called to order the second weekly budgetary meeting of the board of directors. After a short period for public comments and concerns, one of which a student raised his concerns about student parking being over capacity, the board quickly moved to a substantial list of action items.

First on the docket were small requests for funds relating to campus clubs. The Japanese Student Associations procured $500 for a traditional Taiko drum performance on March 8. Additionally, a March 9 Club Summit and March 29 Club Awareness Day received $970 and $1,000 respectively from the ICC. All measures passed unanimously.

After the AS board took care of these routine matters, the time came to debate the major action items; larger expenditures that required a more in depth examination from the board. One of them was made on behalf of the AS board to send four board members to Washington DC to attend the American Student Association of Community Colleges' (ASACC) National Student Advocacy Conference from March 16 18. This conference seeks to educate and provide resources to student participants in relation to issues most community college students face. A total of $8,763.30 was requested in order to pay for airfare, transportation, accommodations, and food, which turned out to be the largest request made during this meeting. Funds were approved to send President Chen, Student Advocacy Head Santiago Guerrero, ICC Chair Kyanna Shajari, and Student Trustee Chase Matthews.

After these funds were approved, instructor Edwin Cruz proposed a "math therapy" program to help Santa Monica College students with math problems by facing said problems in a holistic manner, by focusing more on the psychological hangups that many students experience related to mathematics.

These sessions would be held weekly during the activity period in a to-be-determined location, and would be divided into two parts, a 20-30 minute conversation about the conceptual issues that students are having with their math classes, and a 20-30 minute workshop in which Cruz, along with students who have already completed the calculus cycle, will provide practical solutions to students' specific problems. After a brief period of questioning, the board unanimously approved $3,000 in Student Success funds to purchase textbooks, supplies, and food for the 14 prospective sessions of the workshop.

The meeting came to a close as the student directors and oversight committee made their reports, raising various boilerplate issues associated with running A.S. and setting potential future agenda items that they will discuss in later meetings. The meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.