Bakersfield College Student Senate was called to order by newly appointed Student Government Association Vice President Chris Ballard. Ballard, who had been serving in the SGA as a senator since early in the semester, was appointed to the position left vacant when former SGA Vice President Gurvijay S. Bains announced his resignation during the Nov. 6 SGA executive board meeting.
Bains stated that he was stepping down in order to devote more focus to his academic studies, and recommended to SGA President Kristi Newsom that Ballard be his replacement. “He’s one of the senators that has really stepped up to the plate,” said Bains during the meeting. “And he does show that quality of what a person in the student government really needs to be.”
Newsom stated that even without Bains’ recommendation Ballard was a natural choice. “The hard work he has put in as a senator, along with his qualifications and knowledge make him the right person for the job,” Newsom said. “He’s going to make an awesome vice president.”
Ballard, a geology and anthropology major, is looking forward to the opportunities his new position offers. “It’s a lot of responsibility, but I’m embracing it,” he said. “Hopefully, we can work more with the students and get them more involved with stuff.”
He also hopes to include the students of the Delano campus in more of the activities that the SGA takes part in. “They pay the same fees that we pay,” Ballard said. “They should get the same representation that our students here get.”
Ballard and SGA General Counsel Andrew Campas are organizing weekly visits for SGA members to the Delano Campus to meet with students, and they hope to set up a video link that will allow Delano students to attend the weekly SGA meetings electronically in the near future.
One of the SGA committees that Ballard is a member of hopes to bring what they see as much-needed renovations to the Campus Center. Account TB 150, which is funded by the student center fees paid with each student’s enrollment, has, over the years grown to a balance of over $500,000. “All that money is earmarked for renovations and operations in the student center,” Ballard said. “So our hands are pretty much tied in what we can do with it.”
Ballard and others in the SGA feel that there is a need to do something with the funds. “Our vision is that this is the students’ money,” he said. “We should spend it on things that are gong to benefit the students rather than sitting there like Scrooge with a bunch of money in the account.”
Earlier this semester, the SGA formed the Campus Renovation Committee to explore using those funds for a Campus Center renovation.
Shahzeb Shaheen, SGA chief of staff and chairperson of the committee, explained some of the visions the committee is currently exploring. “Some of the ‘big picture’ ideas we have are replacing what we call the ‘circus tent’ in the courtyard area,” Shaheen said. “And the stone tables and benches really need to be replaced.” He described ideas for new, themed landscaping, and possibly even an electronic marquee sign that could be used to give students information on upcoming events.
Shaheen also detailed some of the things they would like to see happen in the cafeteria. In addition to a lot of repair work, they are “looking to reopen the second recreation room and make it kind of a study hall,” he said. “A nice quiet area where clubs can meet, and people can study.”
Ballard would like to see the Campus Center receive a renovation in line with the traditions and history of Bakersfield College. He stated that for as old as the campus is “we should have a certain level of prestige, and I just don’t think we have it now,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to spend the money and make it happen.”