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Volume 41, Issue 5
October 28, 2003
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October
28, 2003
Red Mtn. considers own student government
Jamar
Younger
Contributing Writer
"extended campus expanding available programs"
“Dividing the
government would mean dividing the school.”
Kristen Weston
ASMCC secretary
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MCC at Red Mountain has grown steadily over the last couple of years,
which has opened discussions of a separate student government for that
campus.
Due to the increase in student clubs and the amount of activities taking
place on the campus, there is a growing concern whether one government
will meet the needs of both campuses.
Since the beginning of the semester, MCC Red Mountain has played host
to a number of events.
The campus has held a blood drive and a community vendor’s fair.
It will also have its own Fall Bash, as well as an open house sponsored
by Student Life/Activities.
The amount of student clubs has also increased at Red Mountain, from three
to six.
Those clubs include Campus Crusade for Christ, the Arizona Outdoors Club
and Phi Theta Kappa (International Honor Society for Community Colleges).
The Arizona Outdoors Club is the only club that does not have an affiliation
with the main campus.
However, most of the other clubs at the Red Mountain Campus have expressed
interest in separating and creating their own identities.
If any changes were to be made with these clubs, the student government,
also known as the ASMCC (Associated Students of MCC), would play a major
role in the decision-making process, because the government is responsible
for assisting and regulating student clubs, and many of the club leaders
are also members of the student government.
The discussions for a separate student government for Red Mountain are
still in the proposal stage, according to Greg Reents, director of student
leadership for MCC.
Reents said ASMCC members want to collect more information from the student
body so they can make the right choice.
He also said the deans and the administration are all interested in the
development of the Red Mountain campus and the idea of a student government
is a “continuation of a vision for Red Mountain.”
While most faculty and students support the development of the Red Mountain
Campus, some people believe that creating a separate government would
be not a good idea.
“We’re one college with two campuses,” said Kristen
Weston, secretary of the ASMCC. “Dividing the government would mean
dividing the school.”
Weston also attends classes at the Red Mountain campus.
Currently, the Student Life/Activities centers at both campuses work together
to promote events at both sites.
Also, most of the clubs that exist on both campuses are affiliated with
each other.
Reents acknowledged that questions will continue to arise as faculty and
student leaders continue to discuss possibilities.
Even though the discussions about a separate student government are in
the preliminary stages, those who are involved with the Red Mountain campus
see plenty of other opportunities for the campus to grow.
Red Mountain already offers many of the same services as the main campus.
In addition to student clubs and the Student Life/Activity Center, the
campus also has a free computer lab, a library, and a fitness center.
It also has free legal services available to students. Allison Whiting,
who is the program adviser for MCC, has a vision for the Student Life/Activity
center at Red Mountain.
“We want to be the place where students come to for things other
than enrollment,” Whiting said.
Whiting envisions the Student Life/Activity center being the “hub
of activity” for the campus.
As a result, Student Life/Activities wants to build a larger student center
with more lounge spaces. The department also intends to implement new
programs at the campus, such as the Career Re-entry and the Service Learning
programs, as well as enhancing the services that already exist.
In addition to increasing the amount of activity on the campus, the Student
Life/Activities center wants to increase campus presence in the surrounding
community.
Reents wants the Red Mountain campus to expand into the community and
help promote the businesses in the area.
He also wants to build partnerships with these businesses and he feels
that this could open up opportunities for student internships. He feels
that this is vital to the success of the student and the college.
“We feel that in order to retain students, we need to increase their
involvement outside of the classroom,” he stated.
Reents said he wants to give students the opportunity to apply their academic
skills to the world of work.
Overall, the Student Life/Activities center wants to meet the needs of
the students on both campuses and appreciates student feedback. Back to Top
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