In November 2008, the Bakersfield College Delano Center held their first Student Government Association elections but were declared non-valid because of the unapproved constitution. Since the winter break, the Delano Center has been meeting with BCSGA representatives to revise the rejected constitution and plan student events.
A group of 17 volunteer students called the Delano Center Committee is currently meeting every Friday to discuss events and student needs like any other student organization. The committee involves the following students: Rovia Eublera, Dannie Genel, Roberto Ibarra, Maria Zamora, Brittney Valov, Loy Salarda, Jack Brigham, Jasirre Heredia, Sandra Ortiz, Jesus Valencia, Travis Underwood, Hector Hernandez, April Hernandez, Elizabeth Santiago, Helen Calip and Marisol Guzman.
Though this is just a temporary group, this committee is planning on being their own independent SGA in the future.
According to Mildred Lovato, vice president of student services, a branch campus is allowed to have a SGA, but the board of trustees has to allow it. “There is a formal process and a legal process,” said Lovato. “The board of trustees had to sign the formal process, but the elections were held without this.”
The BCSGA and the Delano committee did not communicate properly about the elections. As their constitution was being revised, Eublera got the word to move forward with the elections. “I did not know I needed an approval,” she said, “I thought Lyne (Mugema BCSGA president) gave me the approval for the elections. After this, the communication broke off.”
The elections did not count, but the students interested in the project volunteered their time and have been helping make executive decisions. “The Delano students were not trying to run a coup,” said Bonnie C. Suderman, dean of learning measures and IT. “The communication broke down on both ends. They both didn’t know what to do.”
But now both BCSGA and the Delano committee have been working together to hold events and keep in contact. Dannie Genel, from the Delano committee, is working close with Justin Salters from BCSGA.
“We are glad to have Dannie,” said Eublera. “She is the the official communicator for Delano and SGA.”
On the first day of school, BCSGA went to the Delano Center to help students find support. “Since the campus is much bigger, some needed help. It could have been really chaotic,” said Lovato. Since last semester the campus has been using the Robert J. Kennedy High School forum to hold more classes. “We really needed a booth there, and SGA really helped out,” said Salarda.
Some of the possible events that the Delano committee is working on are these: a Dolores Huerta visit to the campus, having the Houchin Blood Bank come to the Delano Center, having a Delano logo contest and having a Spring Fling. Dolores Huerta is planned to make a speech in the Delano Center on March 5, and the Houchin Blood Bank will be on campus on March 30.
The Valentine’s Day event fell through and has been the only one.
BC and Delano did not receive the proper funding to have the events on their campuses.
The Delano committee will submit their constitution by April and will await the board of trustees’ decision.
“We are on track. I think it’s great we are doing this,” said Salarda. “This is a way to get the whole community involved.”