Internal funds, newly available positions, and plans for the future were discussed while connections were established between the SBCC Foundation and the Associated Student Government at their Dec. 2 meeting. 

The SBCC Foundation is focused on “engaging the community, building relationships, and inviting the generosity of donors,” Chief Executive Officer of the program, Geoff Green said. 

Green opened the gateway for collaboration with the ASG regarding financial funds and available resources and extended a helping hand to the student officers should they require assistance in fulfilling financial pursuits for projects to bring to City College. 

One of the primary attributes of the non-profit organization is the SBCC Promise, which invites local high school students to attend City College, tuition-free, for up to two years. Each year more than 1,500 donors to The Foundation raise between four and eight million dollars, which contributes to the funding of the Promise. 

“The idea that everybody in a particular geography should have access to their local community college is what this is about,” Green said. 

With Green’s emphasis on the Foundation’s support for “student leadership,” he aims to be a bridge between the ASG and local organizations, and a vessel for additional support for its members. 

Updates on the student’s stipend bylaws have been created for public view, before an official vote takes place at the ASG’s next meeting on Dec. 9. These changes will be to “one: increase the amount of stipends officers can receive, and two: change it from a semester basis to a monthly basis,” Vice president of External Affairs Divya Ramesh said. 

For positions on the Executive Board, including the president, vice president of external affairs, vice president of internal affairs, student trustee, student advocate, and vice president of operations and finance, the stipends outlined in the bylaws would be amended to $15 an hour for up to ten hours a week, over the course of 16 weeks in the fall, and another 16 weeks in the spring, which would accumulate to a maximum of $800 a month. 

The remaining officers are eligible for compensation up to $15 an hour, for a maximum of five hours over the span of ten weeks in the fall, and three months in the spring, summing to a maximum of $500 a month. 

Proposals, points of focus, and plans of advocacy are in development for the ASG’s upcoming travels to the Annual Legislative Conference in Sacramento and the National Legislative Summit in Washington D.C. 

President Chernor Diallo highlighted the encompassing goal for both conferences as a “big opportunity for our students to meet leaders in their community.” 

Delegates in attendance will represent City College amongst other leaders from varying Community Colleges and be given the opportunity to converse with government officials. 

“We are going there for one reason, which is to advocate for our community colleges,” Diallo said. 

With the resignation of Joey Burns as Isla Vista Community Representative, the remaining board is in the process of opening up a new application for the position, which will be available from Dec. 6 through the deadline of Jan. 27. 

An additional position for a Wake and Schott Campus representative is in the works, as the goal to bridge a divide between the main campuses and the non-credit campuses has been illustrated as one of Diallo’s priorities. “We do plan to continue this effort to make it seem that we are viewed as one student body, not two separate ones of non-credit and credit students,” the president said. 

A free COVID-19 and Flu vaccine clinic on Dec. 7 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Office of Student Life will take place Wednesday, Dec. 7, and further progress on the prayer room, activities for the Feb. 15 home basketball game, and upcoming events will be discussed at the ASG’s next meeting Dec. 9.