After the ASCC Senate voted to not keep the Fall Awards Banquet, ASCC Cabinet members took their stance and voted to keep the banquet, allowing it to take place.

For the past few weeks, there has been heated discussion, causing disagreement between ASCC Cabinet and Senate members on whether or not to keep the Fall Awards Banquet.

The banquet is an event that recognizes individual involvement in the Cerritos College community, with people being awarded different types of awards.

A previous complaint about the banquet was that there were admitted hints of bias in the way the awards were given out.

Commisioner of Student Outreach Araceli Lopez said a few months ago, “I was part of the group that decided who were granted scholarships last semester and I can honestly say there was some bias.”

The total cost of the event is $12,500.

Senator Dayanna Arana said she highly prefers to keep the banquet even though the Senate as a whole decided not to.

“When Senate voted as a whole, my personal vote was to keep it, not just because I want recognition, but because as a senator I am representing all the other students that are involved in school. And it wouldn’t be a great opportunity just for me, but for every student that is involved in campus activities.

“I strongly feel as if we should keep it because it recognizes the students for the achievements, not on a standardized educational school-book level, but as the well-rounded students we have here at Cerritos College.”

Arana highlighted the fact that students get proper recognition by also bringing in their families.

She believes that this event is a form of motivation for students to work even harder because not only are awards given out, but scholarships, as well.

Another person that believes that this banquet should be kept is Senator Pro-Temp Aldemar Sanchez.

“I believe we should keep it because it is a great opportunity for students to be recognized for what they’ve done this entire semester, whether it’d be as a student government leader, a club officer, a club member or a student at large.”

During the Monday, Nov. 3, Cabinet meeting, while Sanchez was giving his speech, Senator Joe Nino sent a memo to Sanchez in favor of the Fall Banquet, despite not being present.

On the other hand, Student Trustee Daniel Flores took his stand – he disapproves of the banquet.

“I feel that we should cancel the Fall Awards Banquet because there are 20,000 students who pay a few dollars every semester and I think if you were to poll and ask all 20,000 students if they would like to keep it, the majority of them, if not all, would like to get rid of it; because, first of all, they don’t know what it is about, and second of all, it does not benefit them in any way or form; it only benefits less than one percent of the 20,000 students we have on campus.”

Due to the split nature of the voting – Senate, no; Cabinet, yes – the banquet is currently set to happen.

However, the ASCC Senate has the Fall Awards Banquet as a discussion item for the Wednesday, Nov. 5, meeting.