The ASMC is currently in the process of revamping the
Legislative Congress, which has been defunct for the past few
years. Student officers aim to inspire the Mills student body to
step up and take the initiative to become involved in not only the
Legislative Congress, but in student life and decision-making in
general.
“We often feel like we don’t have a voice, like decisions are
made without our consent, but we have to be active,” junior Kasey
Lindsey wrote in a letter about the ASMC. There are definitely
plenty of ideas circulating among students on campus, but the
overriding theme at the Nov. 10 ASMC meeting was that the way to
make change is to get involved, as opposed to speculating or
complaining. A Legislative Congress would bring further student
input.
“There are plenty of complainers,” said Freshwoman Dean and ASMC
Advisor Liza Kuney. “If you really want to fix something, step
up.”
In past years, there has been a Legislative Congress outlined in
the ASMC Constitution that has allowed this elected body to oversee
the ASMC budget, as well as do checks and balances. Because the job
of the Legislative Congress became unclear a few years ago, it
collapsed, according to Kuney.
Previously, the Legislative Congress would also go over proposed
budgets of individual clubs and allot each the amount of money
deemed necessary, but now each club is usually given a flat $300,
taking away the major time consuming role of the Legislative
Congress, Kuney explained.
The ASMC board, including President LeAnna Perez, Vice President
Alexis Nelson, Treasurer Gloria Espinosa, Judicial Chair Rachel
Garner and about ten other governing Mills women convened in
Suzie’s Lounge on Nov. 10, primarily to discuss the reinstatement
of the Legislative Congress.
The ASMC will post an update in the Student News Digest as to
when the open student forum will be held to refurbish the
organization of the Legislative Congress. According to the board,
this will involve changing parts of the Constitution.
“We love [students’] input,” said ASMC President LeAnna Perez.
All of the ASMC officers have office hours every week, which are
posted at the Student Union. They also encourage e-mailing at
asmc@mills.edu.
Tentatively, the positions needed to fill a Legislative Congress
would be a president from every class and five representatives from
the Mills community. According to Espinosa, there are also a couple
of positions opening up in the spring semester on the ASMC board.
Elections for next year will be held in early April, according to
Liza Kuney.
“We try to convince ourselves that we’re just too busy to make
things different here,” Lindsey said in her ASMC letter. “I feel
like more effort should be made on both sides to keep the lines of
communication open.”
