Behind many campus initiatives and events, you can find the Los Medanos College Associated Students. A long-standing presence at the college, LMCAS aims to provide for the well-being of students academically, financially and socially. This semester, they are looking for eight new student representatives to join their efforts and apply to be LMCAS senators by March 14.

LMCAS serves as the voice of the student body, advocating for students at shared governance and committee meetings with faculty. In these meetings, they help provide insight to the college to encourage the improvement of student lives and stand up for student rights. 

“LMCAS is vital because it allows for student representation, it allows for student voice and it allows for student-led change,” said Luisa Velazquez, the president of LMCAS.

They also demonstrate their advocacy through their support of campus and district-wide initiatives including the LMC Library Book Reserve Program, Bookstore Textbook Loan Project, Student Scholarships, LMC Marketplace and Zero Cost Textbooks effort. By organizing and promoting these initiatives, LMCAS aspires to make the college experience manageable for all students.

“If we can provide as much assistance as possible, just to make college life a little bit easier, then that’s something we really want to accomplish,” said Velazquez.

The group also organizes social events for LMC clubs and programs, including an upcoming Club Rush Fair in March. According to the LMCAS Commissioner for Publicity and Outreach Antonio Moore, a large goal for the semester is strengthening Student Life and bringing back the college experience.

“We’re not just here to do bookwork and fight for change. We’re also here to support clubs,” said Moore. “We’re here to fight for students.”

To qualify for a senator position, applicants are required to have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and must be enrolled in at least five units. Along with this, applicants must attend at least two scheduled LMCAS meetings before submitting their application on the 14th. These meetings take place every Monday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. inside the Student Union second floor conference room at the Pittsburg campus. Meetings are open to all members of the public.

After submitting an application, candidates will be interviewed by LMCAS membership. If the candidate is given a position, they are expected as a senator to participate in an orientation, attend the weekly meetings, host on-campus office hours weekly, attend at least one LMC committee meeting and any LMCAS sponsored events. 

Being a student representative is a lot of work and requires certain qualities from a person. Moore said being driven is incredibly important to the job.

“You need to be an action-taker, you can’t just sit by and watch things continue to go bad,” said Moore.

Velazquez adds that a requirement of LMCAS senators is “being able to listen, being able to express your ideas and collaborate with others.”

A common idea shared among LMCAS officers is that they want to see student representatives from all backgrounds and identities. This way, the college can hear the perspectives of all possible students and help improve LMCAS’s efforts.

“I want [students] to bring their experience,” said Arthur Pendragon, an LMCAS senator. “I want to see this senate grow.”

If students are wondering how joining LMCAS might benefit them, officers find that the organization helps build leadership and communication skills that can help students in the future. Whether it is at the college you transfer to or the career you end up in, a senator position will teach you the necessary skills to help you thrive.

“It’s good practice to make changes you want to see. It’s good practice articulating what you want to say. With every experience, you gain knowledge and this is a very knowledge-heavy organization… it’s a learning opportunity,” said Moore.

If you are interested in applying for an LMCAS senator position, check out the application page. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the LMCAS Advisor Teresea Archaga [email protected].