The new Associated Students of Bakersfield College president, Sumeet Batth, wants every student to know that her door “is always open” and that if a student has something to say, she wants to hear it. …
She spoke during a press conference in The Rip office recently to reporters about the need to improve the “cohesive” relationship of students and the campus itself.
She outlined several ideas that the Student Senate is looking at for students to enjoy themselves, the campus and the college experience.
Batth and several executive board and senators from ASBC saw the need to bring the student body together and give first-time students an easier time of adjusting to new surroundings.
“A couple of things that we recognized was that the campus is not that cohesive,” she said. “There’s a lot of departments and things going on that no one might be aware of.”
One thing that she’s and the ASBC is trying is a “Meet Your Professor Day,” Tuesday, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Fireside Room in Campus Center.
“I’m a social science major,” said Batth. “And I don’t know all the professors in my actual department.
“I think this is a chance for like me, a student, and other students to meet their professors.”
She also says that this meet-and-greet will be a way for professors to get to know their students beyond roll call.
Batth also spoke about ASBC stickers and the services provided when students purchase it. Since losing the college bookstore, the student body’s only revenue is through the purchase of the sticker.
“You get discounts on various food services,” she said. “You get the two free football tickets to each (home) game.
“(There are) some really good discounts,” she said. “I was really impressed.”
The student body provides a free booklet of the services offered with the sticker and Batth says this year, with the advent of a free booklet describing the services offered, there are more students signing up.
“People come in asking for the booklet,” she said. “Being in college is not cheap.”
She hopes that in the future the ASBC sticker’s success will include more businesses and better services for students. Batth says she sees this as a win-win for both the students and the businesses.
“(Businesses) want students to come,” she said. “I personally like using my discount, I think students would, too.”
Batth also addressed the vacancies in the Student Senate. She said that there have been 15 applications filed for the 17 empty positions and that in the coming weeks a screening committee will interview the candidates more thoroughly and make recommendations to the executive board.
“Hopefully in a couple of weeks we’ll have some new senators,” Batth said.
Other endeavors include a computer commons and lounge for students adjacent to the cafeteria and working with the bookstore to bring an online book list for students to purchase their books online at lower prices than the bookstore.
Batth hopes that the ASBC will give students more opportunities to help them on the road to their degrees.
Her plan is, over time, to bring the students together and try to help anyone who needs assistance. Her door is always open and she says that she is the student’s “voice.”