Meet the members

Michael Biermann (top left)
Biermann was appointed ASCOCC fiscal and operations coordinator last spring.

Joaquin Rodriquez-Remigio (top middle)
Rodriquez-Remigio was appointed ASCOCC budget and community coordinator last spring.

Matthew Coito (top right)
Coito was re-elected last spring and is the ASCOCC clubs coordinator.

Kelly Huskey (bottom left)
Huskey was appointed ASCOCC branch campus coordinator last spring.

Kyder Olsen (bottom middle)
Olsen was elected last spring and is the ASCOCC marketing & events coordinator.

Brandi Jordan (bottom right)
Jordan was elected last spring and is the ASCOCC outreach coordinator.

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Tobey Veenstra
The Broadside

The biggest challenge for student government this year will be reaching out to all of Central Oregon Community College’s campuses. With the opening of the Crook County Campus in Prineville and the Madras Education Center this month, COCC’s campuses now total four.

The members of the Associated Students of COCC [ASCOCC] also intend to bring the different campus’s students together through various clubs and events throughout the school year.

“It’s a challenge, but I think we can use it to our advantage,” said ASCOCC Outreach Coordinator Brandi Jordan about the separate campuses.

One of the events will be a chili cook-off where a winner from each campus will ultimately compete against each other for a prize, according to Jordan. Other events include info-fairs on Oct. 18 and 19 in Wille Hall and a Make a Difference Day on Oct. 22, where students are encouraged to help their community.

Five of the members are new to ASCOCC this year. Along with Jordan, Michael Biermann, Kelly Huskey, Kyder Olsen and Joaquin Rodriquez-Remigio make up the new members. Returning from last year is Clubs Coordinator Matt Coito. According to Biermann, ASCOCC’s fiscal and operations coordinator, this will work to the student government’s advantage.

“One of the biggest [benefits] is the new faces and fresh energy we have; it brings in new ideas,” said Biermann. “We have a great team this year; it’s going to be fun.”

ASCOCC encountered numerous issues last year, creating challenges for future members. One of these issues included a concern that members would overspend their budget last spring after hiring a lawyer and a public relations consultant.

Biermann expressed hope for ASCOCC’s future however, determined “to leave [ASCOCC] better than [they] found it,” listing several goals for improvement.

“We want to be transparent and approachable, being that voice of the students,” said Biermann. “We’re blazing the trail. We’re not looking to reinvent the wheel, but we want t o lay the groundwork for future members.”

ASCOCC Advisor Taran Underdal is also looking forward to working with the student government.

“I like the amount of equity. The job responsibilities are split up equally this year,” said Underdal. The student government consists of executive members who are elected and general members who the executive members appoint to their positions.

Despite the hopefulness for the school year, the members do anticipate some problems, which they will be ready for, according to Biermann.

“Of course issues are going to pop up,” said Biermann. “I have no doubt that they will rear there ugly head. But we’ll deal with them.”