Mesa Legend - ARCHIVES - Vol. 39, Issue 7


Volume 39, Issue 7. Today is .

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Volume 39, Issue 7
December 4, 2001

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Students to take part in
District decision-making
By Aida Teran
Mesa Legend

Students who want to gain a better understanding of how the Maricopa Community College District operates, and how local and national governments interact with them, will have that opportunity provided to them by the Public Policy Forum.

MCC Director of Student Leadership Johnice Wilkins, along with other MCCD colleges, created the Student Public Policy Forum (SPPF) to address the concern that students have had about representation at MCCD.

"It came from the request for ASDAC, (Associated Students of District Advisory Council), which is a district-wide government," Wilkins said. "Students taking interest in this program provides great opportunity to experience and understand government first hand.

"It will help the students understand better what the district has to go through."

The 16 student participants from five MCCD colleges will have a variety of opportunities for experimental learning and will be provided workshops, conferences, special speakers and interaction with policy makers.

The students asked to participate from each campus will also be encouraged to attend forums on public policy.

Another responsibility of the students will be to participate in the MCCD Financial Advisory Council. This council allows students to recommend adjustment to the budget proposals for the district. The council is now faced with a proposal to increase the current $42 per credit hour tuition rate by 10 percent for next academic year.

"We are trying to keep them (the student participants) in the know," Wilkins said. "Each student has to choose a topic that affects students and do a public forum at their college. Our (MCC’s) topic was financial aid. This was chosen by Donna Butler, the MCC representative."

Butler, both the ASMCC club commissioner and the MCC representative for SPPF, held the financial forum on Nov. 14.

Six students, along with Omar Perez, MCC financial aid tech, and Debra Devore, MCC coordinator of foundation/development operations and scholarships, participated in the panel discussion.

"The forum focused on financial aid and with each staff member giving a short speech, and at the end, the panel did a Q and A with the students," Wilkins said.

Butler will be going to Washington DC with the 15 other student participants.

"This program is taking the opportunity to have students represent their community colleges to influence politicians to free up more money for community colleges," Butler said. "I will speak to politicians in Washington DC encouraging them to support MCCD financially."

Jack Lunsford, director of government relations and external affairs, arranged the office trip to Washington and the congressional office visits for the students.

"This program will provide students with a great opportunity to be actively involved with national speakers of Congress," he said.

"Jack will ask what party they are and try to get a small amount of time with their Representative," Wilkins said. "Jack and his staff are there to do their work, but they are willing to make arrangements for us."

There is a problem that could impact this program.

"If we want to keep this up, we will have to look at funding, and that would involve talking to the deans at each college and asking the district for a little help," Wilkins said.