If someone asked you, “What’s happening at your school?” What would your response be?

It would most likely be something like, “I don’t know. I don’t pay attention to what goes on around campus.”

Admittedly, school may sometimes be dull and repetitive, but that is why students must become informed of what is going on around campus.

If we are not involved and aware of the integral part of our campus, how do we know that we are getting the best education that we deserve?

Some may view Cerritos College as a small institution that we must endure in order to advance to a higher, better education, but the truth is that there are several issues going on around campus that require the voice of the students.

School is more than just walking from building to building and counting down each minute on the clock. As students, it’s important that we are informed of what is going on around us.

For example, numerous plans to improve campus life have gone underway, such as ASCC’s new bike registration program and negotiations for the bookstore contract.

This proposed new contract would lower the price of textbooks only by a small margin, but it’s no surprise that students are frustrated with the overwhelming textbook prices.

It’s hard for students to balance a minimum wage job, stay ahead in school, maintain a healthy social life and pay out of their own pocket for a textbook that they will only use for a semester.

In additional attempts to improve campus life for students, ASCC’s push for free bus transportation can help qualified students save money. You can use that money to buy yourself a well-deserved hot meal and might even save time from having to find a sufficient spot in the crowded parking lots.

A group of ASCC members have created a Constitutional Task Force which will revise former Constitutions, as well as the current one.

Director of Bands and Orchestras David Betancourt’s proposal for new drumline equipment would provide the drumline with modern equipment and jackets for a more professional and school-spirited look.

Also, let’s be honest, does the majority of the school even know that Cerritos College has a drumline? Unless you have been to a football game and scope the drumline out in the stands, chances are, you didn’t know it existed.

Supporting this proposal would boost the school’s spirit, generating more interest and an overall more professional look as a higher institution.

A proposal for five new hydration stations has also been made. Broken water fountains plague Cerritos College and although five may not be enough for the thousands of students on campus, it is a start. Buying a bottle of water to survive a long school day can get expensive and these hydration stations would be beneficial to all students, providing they serve good, clean water.

Despite the numerous proposals to improve student life, not all is well around Cerritos College. The recent approval to pay the ASCC President Miles Aiello and Vice President Charles Caguioa $14.32 an hour has caused a stir among students. The average minimum wage in Calif. is $9, so why do these two student government positions get a larger pay?

Recent incidents involving student safety and privacy have also caused more alertness throughout campus.

Students need to learn more about their campus by joining clubs and attending Senate, Cabinet and Board of Trustees meetings to stay updated on what happens around the community.

By being more involved, we will increase our awareness, raise our voice and have a higher impact on our future.