Plenty of positions are open in the Associated Students of Ventura College (ASVC) cabinet for the next school year.
General elections will be held from April 20 through April 22, but applications to run for office must be submitted by March.
Kea Kanamu, ASVC President, is working to move back the application and election deadlines. “We would like to televise our candidates on our local TV station for the college called ‘Pirate Talk’ on public access in Ventura,” said Kanamu.
>There are a total of eight positions to be filled for the upcoming school year: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Director of External Affairs, two executive positions and Senator. A peer advisor seat is also available for someone who knows the system. According to Kanamu, this position might be elected or will continue to be appointed.
Joining ASVC allows students to gain leadership and organizational skills, said Joey Ortega, ASVC Historian. Ortega has been with ASVC for two years he has previously served as Vice President and helped through Peer Advising.
“Through ASVC students can have a voice,” said Ortega, a 24-year-old business management major. “Students have the power to make change on campus through voting. We also go to conferences outside of VC for the community colleges in California.”
In the past year ASVC has done a lot for the students and campus, such as donating $20,000 for the six-week summer session classes, said Ortega. Student Government is an important part of the campus, according to Ortega, allowing students to make the necessary changes for the college.
Kanamu spends about 15 hours a week completing all the requirements necessary to run an efficient student government. According to Kanamu, most of his fellow representatives spend about three to six hours a week working in meetings and during office hours.
“Student Government is a wonderful experience,” he said. “You get to travel, meet a lot of people and know how the system works in California to make changes.”
Many students have shown interest in joining ASVC, but some are concerned about balancing work and school. Time management is important for students, but with a full work load and school schedule it’s hard for students to join ASVC, said Ortega.
Kanamu encourages students to stop by the ASVC office and fill out an application.
“It’s important to be involved in the college,” said Kanamu. “I feel like I am giving back to the college after they have given me so much. It’s the least we can do.”
For more information and application deadlines contact the ASVC office at (805) 654-6449.
