The Associated Students of Cerritos College Student Senate was presented the new 2015-2016 Budget on Wednesday by the Budget Committee introducing new line items and also cuts to the new budget.
Two request items within the proposed budget were items discussed during the ASCC Senate meeting. The Administrative Secretary II salary and the Presidential and Vice Presidential stipends are items that are seen by Senators as Administrative micromanagement.
According to Dr. Gilbert Contreras Dean of Student Services, he spoke with the Cerritos College District to add the Administrative Secretary II with the agreement that the Associated Students would fund half of the salary for that employee.
According to the ASCC Financial Code section 4.58 ASCC Employment, all contracts of employment must be presented to the Executive Cabinet in advance before any employment is done which is funded through the Associated Students. This ASCC By-Law was not properly followed by Contreras and was agreed between himself and the District without the approval of the Associated Students.
During the Senate meeting on Wednesday Senators asked questions to the Commissioner of Budget and Finance Dalia Jimenez about the Presidential and Vice Presidential Stipends and why they were being funded in the new budget. Jimenez could not answer these questions which were immediately referred to Contreras for answers. Contreras stated that these were the jobs the Senate was presented weeks back which were funded from the Equity Fund.
Senator Victor Villalobos addressed the Senate that these jobs were presented by Contreras and President Miles Aiello as jobs that were to be implemented through the Equity Fund and now are trying to be funded by the students. Villalobos says that the students should not pay for these stipends and should be paid through the funds originally brought forward by Contreras.
The Senate will have a special meeting on Friday at 2 p.m. to address the 2015-2016 Budget.
The Falcon Weekly 