Student governments of all three campuses in the Ventura County Community College District were working this week to complete their boards with appointed officers to fill positions left open since last spring.

The presidents remain optimistic however, and have already made efforts to fill seats on their respective student boards.

“I think there are students out there who care,” said Gladys Rodriguez, Associated Students president at Oxnard College.

On Ventura Campus, the president, vice president, executive secretary and treasurer are elected by student election, and then those four positions (known as the executive board) appoint volunteers to the other government positions. Up until Tuesday, only half of the board had been elected. President Jeffrey Matt and Vice President Sean Casey met in a board meeting yesterday to name appointees to the remaining positions. Those appointed include: Senator I Patricia Licea, Senator II Maria Topete, Alberto Luna, Treasurer, Executive Secretary Abraham Magaña, Public Relations Officer Morgan Lorenzana, Sergeant at Arms Matthew Richman, Photographer Nikki Geluz, Entertainment Director Briana Linares, Inter-Club Council Joey Ortega, director of Equipment and Operations Romelia Richman, and CAL SACC Representative Brian Campbell. Peer Advisor is Viviana Hernandez, and David Bransky is Faculty Advisor.

At Moorpark, the entire Associated Student government is elected by campus-wide student election. Among those elected last spring were President Kasey Crispin, Vice President Kimmy Bergstrom, director of Budget and Finance Kathia Henry, director of External Affairs Max Reyes, director of Academic Affairs Sahar Sepidehdam, director of Public Relations Tanya Pulley, director of Student Services Nick Foster, and director of Student Organizations Andrew Anzalone. Several members have resigned in the past month due to scheduling conflicts, but have been quickly replaced. Katherine Broadwater was appointed to Director of Constitution and Standing Rules in place of Andrew Huard, and Sally Bergstrom was appointed as Director of Campus Events replacing Isabelle Perez.

A similar situation is happening at Oxnard, where Student Government President Rodriguez had to appoint the rest of her cabinet as she was the only student to run for an Associated Student Government (ASG) office. Rodriguez filled the rest of the ASG board with students who were active members of ASG last spring, appointing Carlos Perez as vice president, Shiela Del Rosario as secretary, Karina Almaraz as public relations officer, and Janet Almaraz as treasurer. Dennis Marletti is still serving as ASG advisor. At the current time, five student senator positions are vacant out of the total of nine. Rodriguez said she would like to reopen elections to fill those positions, but does not have the time to invest because she is still training her board officers. However, she is confident that she will get strong candidates to fill the positions. Interested students can pick up applications at the main ASG office to apply for a senator’s position.

“I am looking for students who are willing to serve the students,” said Rodriguez. “Because that’s our job, to serve the students.”