The Associated Students of Cosumnes River College serve as the voice of the student body of the campus and operates under the direction of officers elected by the student body, according to the campus website.
The Student Senate within the ASCRC, formerly known as the Associated Student Government, are advocates of the student body and represents them at the district level, Student Senate President Christina Alvarado said.
“We provide their voice,” Alvarado said. “We represent that voice when they can’t get us all in one room.”
Serving her second term, Alvarado said her main goal to start the semester is to gain more representation for the student body by filling the empty positions on the Student Senate and the Clubs and Events Board.
“We need students in order for it to work overall,” Student Associate Adviser Winnie LaNier said. “It’s an excellent way to learn project development and management for careers. You don’t always have to start at the bottom of the totem pole.”
Alongside serving as the advocates for the student body, the ASCRC also provides the entertainment and the social and cultural activities on campus to bring a balance that enriches campus life, LaNier said.
Funds for the ASCRC to put on events come from two sources, LaNier said. Money allocated from the district based on previous fall enrollment and fundraiser money gathered by the association for events and scholarships.
A third source of money comes from a student representation fee of $1 that is paid by each student not using the Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver.
Knowledge of the ASCRC and getting the word out is one challenge that Alvarado recognized.
“Honestly I’m not familiar with the student government here,” 25-year-old business major Eleazer Zambrano said. “I actually wasn’t aware we had one here.”
Alvarado added that there are limited ways to reach students as the posters around campus don’t always serve to grab attention of students walking to class. Recently they turned to social media to get the word out.
While there might be a disconnect between students and ASCRC in the knowledge of the group department, the ASCRC has tried to work around that.
In previous years, student government gave out 1,000 free planners with senate meetings and events on campus, as well as waited at various entrances in the early mornings at the start of the semester to hand out welcome bags to the students.
“Associated Students of CRC has consistently been creative in informing students of what they do,” LaNier said. “What is the disconnect? Is it that as long as they have that advocate they don’t pay attention?”