Bakersfield College Republicans is a club that has been around in the past at BC, but hasn’t been active for some years.
Kaitlin Hulsy, a student working toward her teaching credentials, felt the need to reinstate the club this semester to gain conservative representation on campus.
Hulsy described the liberal presence at BC that consists of clubs like MEChA and Campus Democrats and said that Bakersfield College Republicans would create a needed balance on campus.
“There’s a tendency to have a heavier liberal sway [on college campuses],” Hulsy said. Creating a Republicans club would give students an alternative.
They have been holding meetings at Rusty’s Pizza on Friday’s at 2 p.m. off Bernard Street and Union Avenue.
According to Hulsy, their meetings allow people of any political party to sit in, discuss politics and see what the club is about.
To join, she explained, students need to be Republican, Libertarian or undecided. “We have a set of ideals that’s represented by the Kern County and California Republican Party.”
Hulsy stated, “We want this club to get students involved, to get them excited. It’s a fun club, a great way to meet people and a great way to network.”
Along with holding meetings that involve political debate, club members attended the California College Republican Conference in Sacramento April 30 through May 1.
Hulsy spoke of goals the club will try to accomplish, “There’s going to be a lot of charity work. We’re actually organizing a bake sale with half of the proceeds going toward the Red Cross relief in Japan.” The other half will go toward funding the club.
The bake sale will have cookies from Cookie Couture and is expected to go on sometime during the first week of May.
The club currently has five board members and a faculty adviser, BC communication instructor Dustin Dodgin. They have set a goal to expand to 35 to 40 members by the end of this semester, according to Joshua Foster, club chairman.
Student Government Association President Lisa English attended a meeting and approved their board. The Bakersfield College Republicans was recognized as a club on April 29.
The main purpose of the club is to get people involved in politics because, Foster explained, “Lack of political involvement is a major plague in America.”