Future of Rio Hondo’s student government in jeopardy after Associated Student President resigns

Virginia Gumming, president of the Associated Students for Rio Hondo College, officially resigned from her position Monday, August 22. Andrew Gonzalez, the student body’s vice president, has since been elevated to president. Gonzalez’s ascension has left the vice presidency and Inter Club Council chairman positions vacant. A special election will be open to all Rio Hondo students to vote and run for the VP position.   

While no official comment for Gumming’s resignation has been made by ASRHC, several prominent members have stated it was for “personal reasons.”

With Gumming’s sudden departure, Gonzalez is tasked to direct her former duties, including community outreach alongside Superintendent Teresa Dreyfuss and overseeing important student governance committees. He will also chair the meetings of the ASRHC Senate, held in the first floor of the Administration building.

Arguably, the most important roles that Gonzalez will have to act as is the voice of the student government, and the pillar that holds the three governmental branches and varies communities and task forces together.

Gonzalez is confident that he is capable of maintaining the collaboration-friendly structured student government that Gumming’s left behind. His main goal as president is to make sure that the students at large have a voice, and support any of his fellow student government members’ ideas that would leave a lasting legacy.

Gonzalez concedes that the new duties and increase in responsibility has proven to be strenuous, but can rely on the support of his fellow ASRHC members.

“I have only been President for a couple days now so it is a little difficult but my team is very supportive and I owe them all the credit for helping make the transition smoother,” said Gonzalez.

As vice president of student government, Gonzalez’s main role was being chairman for the ICC board. Aside from holding the weekly meetings between the campus’s clubs, and organizing club events, he oversaw the implementation of the new Club Rush policy. Where clubs dedicated one day to club advertisement and the next to fundraising.

Gonzalez originally planned his tenure as vice president to be the end of his political role at Rio Hondo, but welcomes the new challenges set forth. “This is a new chapter for all of us and we have a great team that will do whatever it takes to make all students be heard…my team has already begun the process of asking students what they would like to see on campus.”

While Gonzalez and his staff are positive for the future, Gumming’s exit was sorely received by members of ASRHC. In regard to Gumming, Gonzalez stated, “ …she will definitely be missed. We appreciate all her hard work and dedication to us.”

The application for VP is available on the orgsync homepage of the Student Life & Leadership Staff. While, based on previous elections, most of those running for the VP position will be ASRHC members, several of them hope that Rio Hondo students take advantage of this opportunity to get involved in campus government.

Efrain Ruiz, a court justice for ASRHC, stated that having a non ASRHC affiliated student elected for VP could “…bring fresh ideas our team. They can provide us with a new perspective…”

Yet the chances of that happening are slim.

Rio Hondo is known for having poor turnout elections, with less than two percent of the student populace voting in the 2015 ASRHC elections. Additionally, it is rare for incumbent senators to have to compete for the eighteen available seats due to low number of people running.

Despite the largely indifferent history of ASRHC-student relations, the student body has made recent efforts to spark an interest in students. They have town hall meetings that encourages student participation in campus affairs and have created a public relations position to strengthen ties with the students and clubs.