Application deadline now March 20.
By Katherine Garcia
kgarcia203@student.alamo.edu
Students interested in becoming the first nonvoting member of the district board may still apply by March 20 in Room 260 of Loftin Student Center or at www.alamo.edu/sac/StudentTrustee.
The district extended the deadline from Feb. 28 to give more students the opportunity to apply, said SGA President Andrew Hubbard. He said one person has applied for the position, and he knows of half a dozen people interested, he said Wednesday.
Hubbard said he expects more applications within a week because applicants may still be writing essays.
Selecting a student trustee will create an interest in student government in general, he said.
Applicants must be enrolled in at least six credit hours in the Alamo Colleges, maintain a minimum 2.5 grade-point average, prove service and commitment to the college community and submit an essay on why they want to serve.
Hubbard has plans to encourage organizations to ask members to apply such as Phi Theta Kappa, the Honors Academy and the Student Government Association.
SGA members can apply, but they may not be involved in the interview process or serve as an officer of SGA if they are chosen as the student trustee or the alternate, Hubbard said, adding that officers of other organizations can no longer serve if they are chosen as well.
After the deadline, SGAs from all the Alamo Colleges will have until March 31 to choose one applicant per college. Trustees will review the applicants in April. In addition to a student trustee, the board will approve an alternate at the May 13 regular board meeting.
Students will also be given the opportunity to vote on a potential fee increase starting 8 a.m. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. March 7.
Students have two propositions to vote on: Proposition 1 proposes an addition of a $1 study abroad scholarship fee for students to earn college credit abroad. Proposition 2 proposes the increase of the student activity fee from $1 per credit hour to $2. A student taking 12 hours would pay $24 instead of $12. The fee funds student leadership activities, entertainment and recreational sports.
Students can vote through a link provided in their ACES email and find more information on each college’s budget at http://alamo.edu/main.aspx?id=37269.
Today is trustee race deadline
Three board seats are up for re-election to six-year terms. Communication organizer Enedina Kikuyu applied in the District 4 race in the May 10 election.
District 4 trustee Marcelo Casillas said via email Feb. 21 he is “99 percent sure I will not file.” By noon Thursday, he had not. District 8 trustee Gary Beitzel’s application for re-election was received today.
District 9 trustee James Rindfuss re-filed Jan. 30, and processing engineer Felix M. Grieder filed Thursday.
The Ranger requested copies of the applications Wednesday, but board secretary Sandra Mora and public information officer Nancy Kempf said applications could not be viewed until filing closed at 5 p.m. today.
By phone Thursday, Kempf said she could not release the applications because they needed to be redacted. The Ranger called Leo Zuniga, associate vice chancellor for communications, who said the information was being withheld but did not give a reason.
After repeated requests, Ross Laughead, general counsel of district legal services, said he consulted with public relations and determined no redactions were needed. The applications were sent to The Ranger at noon Thursday. Nothing was redacted.
Kelley Shannon, executive director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, confirmed Thursday ballot applications in Texas are public.
Other candidates can file with Mora at 201 W. Sheridan, Suite B, by 5 p.m. today. For more information, call Mora at 210-485-0030.
Carlos Ferrand contributed to this story.