Student body president seeks to serve

The Associated Student Government is working toward better helping and representing its students, ASG president Malik Spence said.

Last semester, Spence ran unopposed for the presidency and, since then, has looked at how ASG can better represent students here at Palomar.

Spence wants to increase awareness of ASG.

“We’re trying to make sure people know that we’re here and that we can help them,” Spence said.

Part of this push to get more students involved includes using money earmarked as Strategic Plan Priority Funding, or SPPF money, toward student outreach and recruitment for Palomar’s student government.

One of the previous ASG boards had requested the SPPF, but that money went unused. Spence said he saw these funds as an opportunity to achieve his goals of furthering awareness of ASG by purchasing new canopies and banners rather than letting it go untouched.

“We had money sitting in our account over the last couple years,” Spence said, “One of our goals over the summer was making sure it wasn’t swept away and not used by us.”

In an email to The Telescope, Sherry Titus, the director of Student Affairs, commented on the involvement of the Office of Student affairs assistance in ASG over the summer.

“President Spence has been fantastic through the summer working on items like the banners you see in and around the Student Union, ” Sherry said.

“The OSA understands the craziness of student lives (with all that students face – classes, homework, families, jobs, transportation, (money) just to name a few) and if we can help the ASG with continuity and organization, we are happy to assist,” she added.

Over the summer Spence also attended a workshop hosted by the Community College League of California, an advocacy group for community colleges and the students who attend them.

“There are many different ways you can lead and for me it’s finding out how I can lead people to help other students,” Spence said about the experience he gained from the workshop.

ASG is also going to attend the California Community College Student Affairs Association conference in San Jose.

“For this specific conference, it’s student leadership and networking. While receiving instruction on student leadership while talking to other Student Governments so you can see what practices work for them,” Spence said.

He attributes his success in part to Palomar’s Office of Student Affairs.

“I have to thank Lindsey Kretchman and Sherry Titus in the Office of Student Affairs, it could’ve been worse if it weren’t for their help,” Spence said.

“I knew what I needed to do, just having the resources and knowing where to go for help helped me a lot with that,” he added.