This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of La Voz News.
As Stevens Creek Boulevard builds up with traffic, the open campus awaits students to walk in, while classrooms remain locked. While the direction towards the library remains quiet, the parking lot is filled with sounds of students starting their engine and driving away.
Despite being located in a centralized area, De Anza College often feels lacking in social engagement, leaving the campus feeling empty and disconnected.
While some efforts, such as the Guided Pathway Villages, already aim to foster student connections by grouping students within academic communities and hosting occasional events, their focus is primarily on academic support rather than broader social engagement.
Many students are growing weary of seeing the same events recycled with little or no effort to be creative or address their needs. According to a survey by La Voz News, when asked why they did not attend a De Anza Student Government event, 31% of the 16 voters said they were not interested.
I attended DASG’s Love and Connection event on Feb. 12 and noticed that attendance was sporadic, sparse and engagement was minimal. Even though there was a long line for the event, most attendees left after receiving their free boba.
In spite of its efforts to unite the community, relying on Discord posts and hand boards to advertise the event rather than a face-to-face connection made it lack of originality prevented the event from achieving its goals.
The core issue here is the lack of meaningful engagement with the student body from DASG. Even though DASG is supposed to be the voice for the students, it often seems to be more focused on serving its own interests rather than those of the students they are meant to represent.
The Programs Committee, DASG’s events assembly, rarely goes above and beyond in planning events besides changing the themes of recycled events and having a new DJ, a strong example would be their yearly dances. This outdated approach fails to reflect the diverse and evolving interests of the student population.
A more effective way to create events that genuinely reflect student interests is simple: engage with the students directly. Instead of relying on Instagram polls or only asking DASG members for event feedback on Discord, DASG should be out in the quad or walking around campus, asking students what they want to see. No more guessing games.
If DASG truly wants to represent the voices of the student body, they need to be willing to put in the work to listen. The students are here, and their opinions are ready to be heard. It’s time for DASG to step up, give them a platform to share their ideas and start doing their job by advocating for students’ wants and needs.
In addition to improving campus activities, De Anza can become more connected and socially engaging by creating more widely inclusive spaces where all students can connect and form meaningful connections outside of class. This goes beyond events and areas designated for specific majors or student groups such as HEFAS, the Pride Center and the Villages.
One idea is to transform the Fireside Room in the Hinson Campus Center into a social lounge. We could add a foosball table, a foldable ping pong table, a pool table, bean bag chairs, a free book exchange library and snacks, just to name a few.
With DASG working with over $1.3 million and the events committee requesting $18,250 for the 2025-26 fiscal year, this proposal is reasonable. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on boba to promote fleeting friendships, one can build something more enduring by having a reserved community space.
Many students leave campus as soon as their classes end, feeling that there are few opportunities for social interaction. Others may not even know where to go to meet new people. A dedicated social space for all students — regardless of major, community or affiliation — could encourage them to stay on campus longer, build relationships and create a stronger sense of community.
(Editor’s note: This article has been edited to remove the incorrect statement that 31% of La Voz poll respondents were interested in a DASG event but had other time commitments. The correct statistic is 50%, and the number of interested and disinterested respondents is not equal. The budget has also been updated to include the amount requested by the programs committee.)
