Student Senate for California Community Colleges

The Student Senate for California Community Colleges (abbreviated SSCCC) is an advocacy group

Advocacy group

Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...

that protects the rights and interests of people who are enrolled in public community colleges in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. The SSCCC has opposed decreases in public funding

Funding

Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...

for education and it has opposed increases in student fees.

Profile

The Student Senate for California Community Colleges is a nonprofit association. Its membership includes community college student body associations and its meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act

Brown Act

The Ralph M. Brown Act, was an act of the California State Legislature, authored by Assemblymember Ralph M. Brown and passed in 1953, that guaranteed the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies....

. The SSCCC is funded, in part, by moneys collected pursuant to a law that permits the establishment of a student representation fee.

The SSCCC's constitution

Constitution

A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...

provides that the SSCCC will "serve as the voice of the students in matters of statewide concern and before the Board of Governors, Consultation Council and all statewide boards, committees, and ad hoc groups". The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges has recognized the SSCCC as "the representative of community college-associated student organizations before the Board of Governors and the Chancellor's Office". That recognition empowers the SSCCC to nominate students to be appointed to the Board of Governors.

The name "California Community Colleges" is the property of the State of California. That name cannot be used by an organization without the permission of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. By recognizing the SSCCC as "the representative of community college-associated student organizations before the Board of Governors and the Chancellor's Office", the Board has tacitly approved the SSCCC's use of the name "California Community Colleges".

Organizational Structure

The primary governing document of the SSCCC is titled Student Senate for California Community Colleges CONSTITUTION. The SSCCC's constitution provides for Delegates, Regional Senators, a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Communications Officer, and an Advisor.

Delegates

Delegates meet twice in each academic year; once during the Fall semester and once during the Spring semester. A meeting of the Delegates is called a General Assembly. Each Delegate is entitled to cast one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the Delegates. A General Assembly may amend the SSCCC's constitution, it may adopt resolutions, and it may adopt policies that guide and regulate the functioning of committees and other subordinate bodies.

Each community college student body association, and each "organization composed entirely of students attending the colleges of" a community college district, and each "student political organization that is affiliated with the official youth division of any political party that is on the ballot of the State of California" is entitled to have "one voting delegate at a general assembly" of the SSCCC. These delegates, by the operation of California Corporations Code Section 18015(b), constitute the membership of the SSCCC. Most of the student body associations that belong to the SSCCC are organized as "unincorporated associations". Several of the student body associations are organized as corporations, including Associated Students of Grossmont College, Inc., Associated Students of Barstow College, Associated Students of Sierra College, and Associated Students College of Marin.

Regional Senators

The Delegates have organized ten regional subdivisions of the SSCCC. Region I (one) is located in the very north of the state and Region X (ten) is in the very south of the state. Each region has a constitution that provides for the election of Regional Senators and other regional officers. Regional meetings are usually held on a monthly basis. The SSCCC's constitution authorizes each region to conduct business on behalf of the SSCCC.

Each region annually elects 3 Regional Senators. The SSCCC's constitution provides that each Regional Senator shall meet the statutory eligibility requirements that apply to the officers of community college student body associations. Those requirements are set forth in California Education Code Section 76061.

Student Senate Council

The 30 Regional Senators (3 from each of the 10 regions) are required to hold at least 10 "Student Senate Council" meetings during each academic year. The Student Senate Council implements policies that have been adopted by the General Assembly, and it may adopt bylaws that govern the conduct of elections, the collection and expenditure of money, and "other necessary business of the Student Senate Council".

Executive Officers

The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Communications Officer are the "Executive Officers" of the SSCCC. They are elected annually by and from among the Regional Senators during a meeting of the Student Senate Council. The Executive Officers are the members of a standing committee

Standing Committee

In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...

named the "Executive Committee".

Advisor

The Advisor is selected in accordance with Article VI of the SSCCC's constitution. The Advisor provides "guidance, support and continuity to the SSCCC at the state level". The Advisor may or may not be a community college student.

Constituency

The SSCCC's constitution provides that all community college students are the SSCCC's constituency. These students are not eligible to vote in SSCCC elections but many of them are eligible to vote in the election of community college student body association officers, and some of these officers may in turn become Delegates and Regional Senators and Executive Officers of the SSCCC.

Prior to and during a General Assembly, community college students can submit resolutions for consideration by the Delegates. On the final day of a General Assembly, proposed resolutions are debated and then adopted or rejected. Any student in attendance can participate in debate but only the Delegates may cast votes.

The right to participate

Chapter 1238 of the Statutes of 1987 enacted amendments to California Education Code Section 76060. Those amendments imposed on community college student body associations the duty to "encourage students to participate in the governance of the college". In the following year, the involvement of students in college governance was expanded by Chapter 973 of the Statutes of 1988. That chapter enacted California Education Code Section 70901. That section required the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to adopt "Minimum standards governing procedures established by governing boards of community college districts to ensure faculty, staff, and students the right to participate effectively in district and college governance, and the opportunity to express their opinions at the campus level and to ensure that these opinions are given every reasonable consideration…" In accordance with that requirement, the Board of Governors adopted Section 51023.7 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. That regulation provides, in part, that the governing board of a community college district "shall recognize each associated student organization or its equivalent within the district as provided by Education Code Section 76060, as the representative body of the students to offer opinions and to make recommendations to the administration of a college and to the governing board of a district with regard to district and college policies and procedures that have or will have a significant effect on students".

By these enactments and others, community college students have the right and opportunity to participate in the governance of community colleges and community college districts. Their participation in college and district governance processes prepares them to become Delegates, Regional Senators, and Executive Officers of the SSCCC, and then members of the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Consultation Council.

History

The SSCCC was established in May 2006. It was preceded by several similar organizations: the California Junior College Association; the California Community College Student Government Association; the Community College Student Lobby; and the California Student Association of Community Colleges. After the dissolution of the California Student Association of Community Colleges (CalSACC), its remaining assets were donated to the SSCCC. The sum of $57,150.53 was transferred to the SSCCC on June 3, 2008.

Past Presidents

2010–2011: Alex Pader

2009–2010: Reid Milburn

2008–2009: Richael Young

2007–2008: Sarah Fernandez

2006–2007:

External links

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