Lack of DASB Senate candidates could lead to internal elections

Maël Lorach, Staff Reporter

Less candidates are running for the DASB Senate this year compared to years past.

This poses a potential issue for making sure that next year’s De Anza Student Body Senate is adequately representing De Anza College’s students, said Shelly Michael, DASB president.

“I’d like to have more people representing different groups and different stakeholders at De Anza,” said Michael. “The more representation that you have, the more you can look at different scenarios with an equity lens.”

The elections committee plans on increasing their efforts to recruit new candidates for the upcoming election, and encourage senators to join them in giving class presentations around De Anza.

If there are vacancies in the senate after the elections, DASB will have to hold internal elections to fill those positions. Paige Wallace, 19, political science major and chair of students’ rights and services, was previously elected in this manner.

“I think the downside is that there is less overall student input in that decision, but take that with a grain of salt because the students did elect everyone that is serving,” Wallace said.

Wallace said although an internally elected senator or chairperson would not have been elected by the students of De Anza, the internal election process would still prevent anyone unfit to hold that position from being chosen.

Abdul Rehman, 19, business major and an international student from Dubai, is running for chair of finance. He said he wants to work on the student budget to make it easier for international students to attend De Anza College.

“I was part of the student board in our high school,” he said. “When I was young, I did a fundraiser with the UN, so I believe that I have some experience to run for chair of finance.”

Grace Lim, 16, applied mathematics major, is also running for chair of finance, and is currently a senator representing the finance committee. She plans on cutting portions of the DASB budget, to make their finances more efficient.

“The finance committee basically determines how next year’s senate goes, so it’s a pretty important committee,” said Lim.