Sustainability, legacy and budget cuts were the key issues brought up at this year’s De Anza Associated Student Body Open House, held on Sept. 24th inside the Student Council Chambers..

The goals for this upcoming school year are largely based around the budget cuts and the current situation of life here on campus.

Budget cuts have impaired many students from getting the financial assistance they need. The DASB is looking to work to stop that from growing worse, to make it better for those first year students just coming in, as well as for those students who are veterans here on campus.

DASB President Marlo Custodio laid out his list of top priorities for this upcoming year. “One major objective concerns Campus Sustainability and the efforts to make De Anza a more GREEN campus.” Said Custodio. The addition of alternative power to buildings has been a topic of debate. Amongst the topics being discussed is the utilization of wind energy, via windmills on campus buildings.

Working to make the budget more adapt to the budget cuts being placed, especially on those programs such as EOPS (which took a 60% budget cut alone). Major events being brought to campus, Pow Wows (which have been absent in recent years, and are slated for a return to campus around the Thanksgiving holiday) and engaging the student body in knowledge and awareness about the DASB. By getting students to be more active in what transpires behind the scenes when it comes to their education and activities on campus.

Many goals were stated at the Open House, but underlying all of them was one key issue: giving students the ammunition for change. The DASB wants to leave a legacy that will enable future generations to succeed, while ensuring that the obstacles and barriers faced by students now, will be averted in the future.