De Anza College Student Trustee Elora Zhu, computer science major, resigned on Wednesday’s De Anza Student Government senate meeting on Feb. 11 in the Student Council Chambers.
Zhu was absent from the meeting. In a written statement, Zhu wrote she stepped down over “ongoing personal circumstances and my current situation.”
“I’m not able to fully commit to the responsibility that this role requires at this time,” Zhu wrote. “I believe it is in the best interest of the organization to allow for a smooth transition.”
Zhu’s vacancy leaves DASG and the college at large unrepresented at the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees.
“I’d like to thank Elora for all the time that she spent within the organization,” DASG President Jayven Huang, 19, computer science major, said.
Office of College Life Faculty Director Hyon Chu Yi-Baker said the senate could replace Zhu in a few different ways.
“With elections just around the corner, we can have the new student trustee start in spring,” Yi-Baker said. “We could appoint somebody, because there are a couple (board) meetings in March.”
After gauging the senate’s opinions, DASG Chair of Administration, James Nguyen, 19, electrical engineering major, who read out Zhu’s statement at the meeting, said he would “figure it out myself,” proposing a future senate appointment.
“Allow someone to be representing her for at least this year as a temporary replacement,” Nguyen said. “We will figure it out during either administration or the Senate. We’ll present that as a business item.”
DASG Secretary Amy Huang cut the incoming discussion short, reminding senators to not violate the Brown Act, a part of the state government code governing transparency in public meetings.
“This is not an agenda item,” Amy Huang said. “You can’t make any decisions or appointments (not on the agenda).”
Student government elections start in two weeks, on Monday, Feb. 23. As of Monday, Feb. 9, DASG listed seven students as trustee candidates, including Zhu herself.
