Students - Exercise Your Right to Vote

By Rich Haldi, EvCC Vice President for Student Services

As the College’s Vice President for Student Services, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with the Associated Students Student Senate for the last eight years in helping the Senate set goals for the year. This interactive process involves about one hour of three consecutive Senate meetings and between sessions the student senators are asked to talk with their student associates to gather input/feedback from the students whom they represent. 

The input/feedback from students helps the student senators to prioritize the goals and develop a work plan to accomplish them. This goal setting process has identified many of the primary concerns of students about improving student life, services and programs, and other amenities to enhance the physical and material comforts and conveniences for students and the campus community as well. The goals are shared with the College’s executive level leadership and over the years, significant progress has been made on many of them such as:

• The remodel of the Multipurpose Room (Parks Central),

• Improvements to the student financial aid processes,

• Enhanced campus and parking lot security,

• Increased student study/gathering spaces in new campus buildings and in a few of the older ones,

• Additional student computer labs,

• Improved recycling program and

• Improved student tutoring services.

On May 29, 30, and 31, you will have the opportunity to VOTE in a STUDENT ELECTION to determine whether or not future students should pay an additional fee of $5 per credit up to 10 credits to pay for many of the improvements identified over the years but have yet been able to be accomplished. There is now an opportunity to pursue some of these projects because Providence Hospital is purchasing the College’s ten acres where our current athletic playfield and Fitness and Sports Center are located. This has allowed us to present a package of student campus improvements that address many of the past and present Student Senate priorities. Some of these improvements include an enlarged food services area, an addition to Parks for additional student and student services space, additional student study and gathering spaces, increased parking and a “pay when you use it” parking lot, a Kinko’s type center, and a new Student Fitness and Athletic Center.  

The College, with some of the funding coming from Providence Hospital’s purchase of the College’s ten acres, is providing 60 percent of the funds needed for the 12 projects in the package. The remaining 40 percent of the approximately $25 million needed to fund the proposed projects will be generated by the additional $5 per credit up to 10 credits.  

So, exercise your right to vote and help in making decisions for the future of your college.  

For more information, check-out the Thursday information tables by the Student Activities Office, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and the website www.everettcc.edu/campusenhancement.