The four newly elected members of the Cerritos College Board of Trustees are coming in at a chaotic time and it is important to students that we see a change from them.

This is a major change due to the fact that four of the seven Board of Trustees members are going to change.

Cerritos College is experiencing a multitude of issues that need immediate attention, such as security threats and budget cuts.

It is understandable that being a member of the Board of Trustees isn’t easy, but it is a position the candidates campaigned for, so once you are officially a member of the Board of Trustees, it is time to get to work and get things done.

According to No. 2200 of the Cerritos College Board Policies, the board is committed to fulfilling the following responsibilities to:

• Represent the public interest
• Establish policies that define the institutional mission and set prudent, ethical, and legal standards and establish the direction for planning and college operations
• Hire and evaluate the President/Superintendent
• Delegate power and authority to the President/Superintendent to effectively lead the District
• Assure fiscal health and stability, by adopting a responsible annual budget, assuring fiscal oversight, and providing for independent audits
• Monitor institutional performance and educational quality
• Advocate for and protect the District

In order to effectively fufill its responsibilities, the entire Board of Trustees should invest as much time and effort into the school as they did when they campaigned for their position.

The new members must educate themselves of the concerns of the Cerritos College students and faculty.

Find out the issues that Cerritos College is experiencing and do what they can to address those issues.

An issue that is important to students and faculty is safety.

They should also make their presence more known around campus as well as make themselves more transparent.

Don’t just hide in your little board room and make decisions that will directly affect the present and future of the school as well as the student’s and faculty’s life.

Show the students and faculty that their issues and concerns are being heard and that measures will be placed into effect to alleviate those issues and concerns.

For many students and faculty, Cerritos College is their home away from home. That should be thought of and taken into consideration when decisions are being made that can directly affect them.

We all should be able to have a voice when it comes to the decision making.

Like Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics, once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

The school is in your hands. Take good care of it.

The entire Cerritos College community will be watching you.