Santa Monica College Police Chief Johnnie Adams asked the Associated Students board of directors for $20,000 of the $28,000 price for another year's subscription to the security app, LiveSafe, at their Monday meeting on May 7. The school's administration has already provided the remaining $8,000.

Tensions were high as board members and students alike expressed their opinions on the controversial decision made at last Monday's board meeting on April 30. Students used the public comments section to express unhappiness at the decision.

Following SMC students' reactions towards the Associated Students board's decision to vote against funding agenda item 6.3, the proposed $8,917.19 for catering SMC's graduation reception, A.S. President Jennifer Chen reached out to The Corsair to voice her disapproval over what occurred during the board meeting last Monday, April 23.

The Cayton Center Lounge was packed with students on Monday, April 23, when the Associated Students Board of Directors met for their weekly board meeting. Most items on the agenda passed; however, a request for catering for this year’s Graduation Reception was denied in a vote of 6 to 5.

Members of the Santa Monica College Associated Students board were joking amongst themselves and the atmosphere was jovial as the board met in their Cayton Center conference room after classes resumed after spring break.

This is a response to Francisco Munoz’s Op-ed, “Associated Students? More like Isolated Students.”

As a preface, let me make it clear that I thought it was a well-written and thoughtful article, but I feel compelled to respond to (and elaborate on) a couple of points that I find to be particularly important. For the sake of clear organization, I will copy and paste three central paragraphs from Mr. Munoz’s article before I write my response to them. Let us examine the following passage:

After two weeks of furious campaigning, fraught with controversy and scandal, the 2018 Associated Students election has come to an end. The slate "Step Forward" performed excellently, winning seven of the eight seats in which they ran a candidate, most of which were contested.

As elections begin, confusion, apathy, and lack of knowledge appear to bring low voter turnout this semester.  When a reporter asked on Monday, April 3, the first day of elections week, what efforts the Associated Students (A.S.) board had made to promote and educate students about…

Two days into the Associated Students election, Santa Monica College’s election committee gathered in the Cayton Center’s conference room. Three violations were discussed, one of which resulted in one A.S. candidate being reported to the campus disciplinarian for allegations of a threat. 

Approximately 100 students and Santa Monica College staff members gathered on the college’s quad this Tuesday, April 3 on the main campus to listen to what candidates running for SMC's student government, the Associated Students (A.S.) Board of Directors, had to say.

Full Video of the 2018 Associated Students candidate forum, hosted by The Corsair, on the main campus quad on March 3. 

Last week, the A.S. election committee made an informal deviation to the rules, allowing candidates to distribute campaign materials without an official stamp. But because the committee did not inform all the candidates of this change, some of those running for election face a disadvantage.

“Proud to be?… “ is a common saying when you are surrounded by Santa Monica College’s school spirit. We hear things like number one in transfer to UC’s, a world class education and endless opportunities. A vibrant global community that attracts over 3,000 international students from more than 110 countries. With modern buildings, SMC almost seems to be a Utopian learning environment.

National conference taught A.S. how to advocate for community college issues.

March 16 is the last day for SMC students to submit candidate paperwork.

Sandoval will take the position that was left vacant after the previous vice president, Edgar Gonzalez, resigned in February. 

On the second floor of the Cayton Center, Associated Student members convened on Feb. 26, 2018 to talk budget and student resources amidst the recent resignation of AS Vice President Edgar Gonzalez.