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WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018 | VOL LXXI ISSUE 15 tccclarion.com f/ccclarion T@ccclarion
Presidential candidates face off
Presidental candidate Fernando Flores
BY EMILY CRISTLER-HERMOSILLO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EHERMOSILLO@CCCLARION.COM
The position of student body president is contested this semester by two applicants that have both represented the Latinos Unidos Student Association, but have different leadership methods. The final day to cast a vote is May 23. The two contestants running for president are Ian Rodrigues, vice president of the Associated Students of Citrus College, and Fernando Flores, an Associate Students of Citrus College senator. Flores said there are pros and cons for either of them being elected. “I would say he (Rodrigues) is more on the conservative side,” Flores said. “I am more on the experimental side, maybe just because I’m young blood, I’ve never had any detriment from overspending yet.” When describing his opponent, Rodrigues said Flores “makes Bernie Sanders look conservative.” Rodrigues describes himself as “the legitimate man of the people” because he said he makes an effort to listen to people with different
views than his own and visits many clubs. Flores is an art major who has served one term in student government. Rodrigues has been involved in student government for four semesters. Rodrigues said Flores may be ready to be president next year, but as of now he thinks Flores does not have enough experience. He offered Flores his support if he accepted the position of treasurer instead of president. Rodrigues said he told Flores, “Let’s focus on the things we agree on... What did he do? He went and ran against me... he wants to go fisticuffs with me.” Flores said he was not originally going to run for president but changed his mind when another student decided not to run for president. “Ian (Rodrigues) offered me the position of treasurer with no contingencies,” Flores said in an email. “The first time he offered I was not considering the run for president. The second time he offered, I declined. It was not until Philippe Schicker decided to drop from the run that I decided to give it a shot.”
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Photo by Emily Cristler-Hermosillo Clarion
Presidental candidate Ian Rodrigues
I would say he (Rodrigues) is more on the conservative side. I am more on the experimental side, maybe just because I’m young blood. I’ve never had any detriment from overspending yet.” -FERNANDO FLORES
ASCC presidential candidate
As ICC president, Rodrigues said he thinks he did a “50/50 job” and would have liked to do more. “You can’t please everybody,” Rodrigues said. Rodrigues said he doesn’t like it, but to ensure the success of certain events like the annual powwow, other events sometimes need to be cut. “That’s the reality of it,” Rodrigues said. One such event that had to be cut was a conference for Hispanic and Latino leaders in Buena Park that would have taken place this semester, but the cost of about $2,500 compromised other events like the
powwow. Rodrigues said it was a unanimous board decision to cut the event. “As a Hispanic that killed me,” Rodrigues said. Despite their differences, both candidates represented LUSA. to the ICC. The Indigenous Student Association chose to support Flores for his involvement and support of clubs and their activities. Business major Rita Rivera said that the Indigenous Students Association chose to support Flores because “he’s been very supportive of all clubs since he’s been here.” Isabella Reyes, ISA president and child development and behavioral science major, said that Rodrigues was initially against the powwow because of its cost of $3,000. At their fundraising craft fair May 16, ISA handed out slips of paper that read “Vote May 22nd and 23rd! Fernando Flores for president, as well as Makayla Pedroza for vice president and Ruben Availa for liaison.” Availa said that he did not know Rodrigues well enough to speak to his character, but knows Flores from
a class they took together. Availa described Flores as “kind and passionate.” When asked if he would accept a position other than president, Rodrigues said, “If I don’t think I can do the job efficiently, I’m not gonna do it.” Presidential contenders spoke to a small crowd at the Candidate Forum on May 15 in the Campus Center Mall. Both candidates for president listed student involvement at events as one of their main concerns. At the forum, Flores said that he attempted to improve student turnout to campus events with some success this semester by hosting an Earth Day related event outside, rather than indoors, to get the attention of students walking on their way to class. Flores said that method helped boost numbers and he will keep trying to raise student involvement by experimenting with different methods. Rodrigues repeatedly emphasized unity during the forum. He said he believes that unifying the students will improve turn out to campus events and he plans to do S E E ELEC T ION • PA G E 5
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