With a strong belief in the value of student clubs and a desire to increase communication between the student body and the administration, Michele Roberts is ready to be your new ASMC president.
Roberts narrowly edged out her opponent, Rachel Kau-Taylor, by two votes in the recent student government election. After a year coordinating campus clubs as the ASMC Organizational Chair, Roberts said she is prepared to take on the presidency.
“I want to fine-tune ASMC and make it work better for students,” said Roberts. “I want ASMC to do a good job of letting people know what’s happening and getting them the tools to be active.”
A resumer English major and member of the class of 2003, Roberts is especially dedicated to campus clubs.
“Clubs are really important because Mills is a diverse place and students don’t have the same wants and needs, politically and socially,” said Roberts. “We have over 30 clubs: the queer club, the Christian club, etc. They teach us to be politically and socially involved.”
Her own experience creating a Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) college chapter at Mills has been positive. Over the last two school years, FMLA has initiated a “Love your body” campaign during Valentine’s Day and cosponsored the Queer Prom.
Roberts also believes that clubs play an important role in retention. “Like everyone, I’m definitely interested in retention and getting students to Mills,” said Roberts. “One of the ways to do this is through clubs, and ASMC’s job for clubs is to fund them and make sure they have all the things they need to do well.”
Roberts said she would like more student participation, so she can successfully oversee clubs.
“Student fees fund all clubs and ASMC events, and I want more student input as to where that money should go,” Roberts said. “I think they should know where it’s going and if they want to distribute it differently.”
Mills students and staff are eager to work with Roberts. “Michele has been a terrific Organizational Coordinator,” said Liza Kuney, ASMC advisor and assistant dean of students. “She’s a good communicator. She’s very organized. She’s very approachable. She has her mind on the people she’s representing.”
Junior Sara Ross agreed. “I’m really excited to have Michele as the ASMC president because she’s really in tune with what people are looking for as far as a student body president,” said Ross, who has known Roberts since her first semester at Mills two years ago. “She has good ideas and she is always willing to listen other people’s ideas. I think she’ll be an awesome representative of Mills as a whole.”
