The DASB Senate will continue to pursue a proposal to pay their senators, now in the form of scholarships.

De Anza student trustee Genevieve Kolar said a realistic form of payment would provide scholarships to student senators, a method the Associated Students of Foothill College currently follows.

ASFC provides student senators a $500 scholarships a quarter. Kolar said DASB Senate members have to be active and apply for the scholarship in order to be eligible.

Past proposals to pay senators ranged from a minimum of $51,930, paying a maximum of 16 senators and 9 officers, to a maximum of $90,990 per year.

“We’re talking about economic accessibility, students being able to work fewer hours here rather than at their jobs,’ Kolar said. “With interns at the Office of Equity and VIDA, compensation is the way they are able to take part in advocacy work and help make our campus better.”

Kolar said DASB senators are accustomed to not being paid and not being recognized for the the positive influences they have on the decision making of the college.

To ensure accountability, the senate enforces a three strike policy for all student senators. If senators do not attend meetings or do required tasks such as presenting to classes, they may incur absences. Three absences leads to a dismissal.

Kolar said four people have already been removed from the senate for failing to attend meetings this quarter.

There is currently no planned source for the money to fund the scholarships. Kolar said the money won’t come from the DASB but will most likely be the same source as ASFC’s, which she currently does not know.

Negotiations over the senator stipends are still on going. The soonest date that it would be implemented is Fall 2020.

“In the meantime, we are still working on minimum wage for student employees,” Kolar said. “Maybe it will all come together.”