on October 30th 2018, from pexels.com
As we are reaching the home stretch of the Spring Semester the elections for Student Body Government for Fall 2025 are also nearing. The polls will open on April 29 at 6 a.m. and will stay open until 4 p.m. May 1. Voting will be available via BC Connect and all current students will receive a reminder through email.
All those elected will join the student senate and work together to continue to uphold the senate’s mission which is to “represent student needs effectively, keep students informed of student related issues, and promote cultural, social, and leadership opportunities for all students.”
The student senate is also responsible for working alongside Butte Faculty and administrators to advocate for all things that directly affect students. Which includes things such as student services, campus policies, fundings, events, and more.
Positions up for elections are student body President, Vice President, Student Trustee, and Business Affairs. With the President being responsible for directing and overseeing the BCAS board (Butte College Associated Students). As well as upholding the “mission, values, and goals” of the Board.
Currently, we have two candidates for student body President: Guadalupe Ocampo and Jimi Quintana. Ocampo has had leadership background in both FFA and JSA and says that she is running for this position because she believes in “strong leadership, community engagement, and making a real impact on our campus.” She wants to do this by, “creating new opportunities for student growth and ensuring that all voices are heard.”
Jimi Quintana, our other candidate, describes himself as a “family man” with “a tough work ethic.” He’s stated that he has, “earned valuable leadership skills and experienced the cultural diversity that we, as students, experience in our daily lives” and that he is, “not afraid to stand up for our rights as students.”
As for the other positions, the Vice President will assist the president in their responsibilities, in addition to helping the student senate advisor with the student advocacy program to “ensure that student voices are heard on campus-wide decision-making committees.”
For Vice President we also have two candidates. Paul Johnson and Liam Eller. Johnson has stated that his goals as vice president would be to “improve the campus so that students get the best time here at Butte College so they can achieve their educational goals.” Saying that he believes students should be equally represented.
Our other candidate for Vice President, Liam Eller, has some past experience as he’s served as both a Student Senator and as Student Trustee. He says that he wants to, “continue building a campus community where all students have a voice.” Saying that he is, “ready to listen, lead, and advocate for you-because when we stand together, we create real change.”
Then there’s the Student Trustee who will act as a liaison between the student body and the district’s Board of Trustees. Right now, we have just one candidate for Student Trustee, Jared Smith who is currently the Senator for enrollment and student voice on both the Curriculum Committee and the Academic Senate.
Jared Smith says that he wants to help bridge the information gap and help empower students by making sure students know what resources are available to them. He says, “I don’t simply speak for students; I actively seek out your perspectives. The best solutions come when we collaborate. my commitment to you isn’t just about representation but results.”
Last, but not least, there is the Business Affairs position, which will oversee the general BCAS budget as well as the grant programs that provide funding for clubs, campus department projects, events, and travel. Similarly to the Student Trustee position, we only have one candidate for Business Affairs, which is Maya Ruiz. She is currently the ICC representative for the Native American Club and is a member of the SACNAS Club. She is running for this position as she would like to get more involved in making changes that will benefit students. Saying that she wants to, “make sure the money is getting properly budgeted in ways that benefit and support each student.”
As of right now, all those running for positions are in charge of campaigning for themselves. However, recently, the Butte College Student Life Instagram has posted a voting guide, for all those interested in looking at each candidate’s full statement make sure to check it out. On Friday, May 2 the results will be posted in Main Campus’ Student Life office as well as online on their webpage.