Being a former member of Associated Students of DVC, and participant in many ASDVC elections, I would admit having members of the Election committee serve as poll workers can be a bit worrisome. On the other the hand, they can also enforce election guidelines to keep all candidates honest. More on this later.

The Student Life Office is within its right to ‘hire and train’ anyone they deem fit to serve as a poll worker, but the common practice has always been to hire or reassign a classified staff member or student worker (from the student life building) to work the polls. Nowhere in the election code does it state they need to be independent. This now becomes a policy issue that would need to be addressed for next year’s elections.

This is where it becomes a bit more complex. Thus reducing the number of voting members the election committee, and this could have a significant effect in any ruling from said committee. Something to think about.

As for the ASDVC adviser Demetria Lawrence — I first met her and dealt with her during my election for student trustee, she served as Los Medanos College’s Associated Students of LMC advisor and was helpful and professional. But during my time as the student trustee, I heard nothing but good things about her from students, management, and people working at the district office. That is not to say, that all things work well with our advisors. We have differences of ideas, and they are here to help us even if it means they force us to rethink some issues. That is not to say, they are above any code of conduct or ethics.

Further, the will (i.e. the vote) of the students should be honored, and if changes need to be made then they should be enacted at the policy level. This should not be the reason why one person or persons, should lose an election. Unless their actions are so egregious that it violates and/or threatens the integrity of the election process itself, but anything short of that cheapens the earnest efforts of all, and creates issues of credibility, and the hostility associated begets forth wedge issues for next year’s governing body, and this hurts everyone. 

Lastly, trust me, I know how hard we all work during an election, and how passionate we become over it. The time we spent campaigning, interacting with the student body, engaging with their ideas, and those late nights getting our message just right is important to all of us. Whether we win or lose it was awesome to have been part of the election process. I have lost many ASDVC elections, but my willingness to grow from them, allowed me to become more determined to lead and humble enough to follow. God speed to all.

Sincerely,

Francisco Hinojosa

 

Current DVC Student

Former Contra Costa Community College Student District Trustee

Former Chair of the Student Trustee Advisory Committee

Former California Community College Trustee

Former California Community College Board of Trustees

Former Measure A board member Contra Costa Community College

Former Redevelopment Agent for the City of Antioch-representing the Contra Costa Community College District

Former District Governance Council member

Former Diablo Valley College -College Council Vice Chair

Former Faculty Curriculum Committee Voting member

Former ASDVC President-elect

Former ASDVC Executive

Former Inter-Club Council President

Former Board member of ASDVC