What Florida Students Think 2001

Community Colleges Community Colleges

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Making Contact
     Getting students to participate in extra-curricular activities and listening to their concerns is hard enough when they live on campus, so what do you do when most of your constituents commute?
     Campus leaders at Valencia Community College hold regular meetings to get feedback from students. “We stay active with our campus organizations so we know what students, campuswide, are looking for,” says Phi Theta Kappa President Diane Bennett. “Our officers go through several leadership training programs to ensure they will successfully lead.” Hearing what the students have to say is important when developing programs on campus. “I have made it a goal to listen to students’ ideas and base our planning around what they like or don’t think will work,” says Randee Wooten, Student Activities Board president at Central Florida Community College. SAB handed out a survey for student input. “We received some great ideas and used the student input in planning our calendar for this year. Most students were interested in seeing a comedian on campus and the SAB booked a post-exam comedian!”
     At Manatee Community College, SGA conducts student surveys in addition to holding open meetings with the college President. “Conversations and Coffee is held with the president, the four vice presidents, and student services. After the forum, Dr. Sarah Pappas, MCC president, personally follows up with each individual to make sure that each students question or concern has been properly addressed,” says Angela Sasser, SGA president. “These meetings also serve to highlight positive aspects of MCC that students appreciate sharing.”
     What if the students can’t come to SG meetings and give their suggestions? Brevard Community College-Titus Campus sends its leaders to the students. “We attend all organization’s meetings to stay informed about all events, news, etc…,”says Student Ambassador Alfonzo Lewis. “Daily, we talk with students to find out if they have any concerns, and we try to resolve them.”
     In addition to planning around student’s needs, community college leaders encourage involvement in on-campus activities and organizations. “Student Ambassadors have provided tours for new-coming students, we try our best to make them feel welcome and become involved,” says Lia Brewster, a student ambassador at Brevard Community College-Cocoa Campus. “Some people don’t go out and get involved on their own, so we guide them and show them where to go. We also set up a rally in the campus Quad so students can meet group presidents and learn about the clubs.”
     One problem with club meetings at community college is the times they’re held. “We’ve found that once most students leave campus after their classes that it is hard to get them back because they have engagements outside of school,” Wooten says. “On Monday's and Wednesday's from 12 to 1 p.m. there are no classes, and this is the time that most clubs choose to have their meetings.”
     Student leaders also offer creative programs in order to maximize attendance and promote school involvement. “The Student Activities Board provides free games, entertainment, and food to help students get away from it all,” Wooten says.

Just Sign Here!
     Playing the blame game won’t help solve the problem of unscrupulous credit card vendors hawking cards on campus. The question is: Are students responsible for managing their money, or should Student Government step in and refuse to allow charge cards to sign up new customers on campus? The biggest argument for restrictions stems from the fact that a growing number of students are graduating in debt. Seventy-eight percent of undergraduate students (aged 18 to 25) have at least one credit card, according to a survey by Nellie Mae, a student-loan agency. According to the 2001 Public Interest Research Group (www.truthaboutcredit.org/credittrap.pdf), only 19 percent of students are sure their schools have resources on the responsible use of credit, and 76 percent of these students have never used these resources.
     At Hillsborough Community College-Brandon Campus, there are no restrictions placed on credit card soliciting. Phi Theta Kappa Vice President Heather Lewis says these companies should be allowed to make money. “As long as [the vendors] aren’t rude and pushy, they‘re legitimately seeking customers among a very profitable group,” Lewis says. Brevard Community College’s SGA President John Mac Iver places the responsibility on the student. “To accept or reject a credit offer is an exercise in volition. Exercising our ability to make judgments is precisely what we should be doing in college,” Mac Iver says. At Lake City Community College Kimberly Cannon, a student ambassador, says she doesn’t want to restrict the credit companies. “They shouldn’t be banned because I see them as a very important factor while in college,” Cannon says. “I don’t carry any cash on me, and the vendors have been very helpful.”
     Santa Fe Community College took care of its credit card problem by blocking vendors from signing up new customers on campus. “I support our campus policy which doesn’t allow vendors to solicit on campus in the effort to prevent uniformed students from finding themselves in early debt,” says Matthew Vecchio, SG president. Still, most campuses don’t prohibit credit card companies from being on site. The vendors in turn, sit at tables and offer free T-shirts and candy to entice students into signing up. “Credit card vendors tend to catch students in a vulnerable state, giving students a false sense of financial freedom,” says Broderick Harris, a student ambassador at Brevard Community College. “I think card vendors should be allowed but with heavy restrictions.” Other leaders say business and campus don’t mix. “I don’t feel like a college campus is the place for any kind of solicitation. Most of the people here are in enough debt with student loans and don’t need the temptation of easily offered credit cards,” says Nancy McGrotty, SG president at Pasco-Hernando Community College. “I believe they exploit the young and naïve,” says Charles Maier, Phi Theta Kappa president at Palm Beach Community College-Central Campus. “Business should stay out of school.”
     Students need to realize that even if the vendors are on or off campus that credit is a serious issue and can have adverse effects on their future. “I would have loved it if I had someone to discuss my situation with,” says Sharon Harrington, a Brandon Thespis Society member at Hillsborough Community College. “Instead, I applied for many [cards], and then when I went to buy a car, I found out that every application for the credit cards were held against me. I didn’t know that applications were counted and that too many looks bad on your report.”

How do you reach your student body?
“Our SGA members are in close contact with students. Through talking with them, we can ensure their needs, if it’s within our means, are met. Also, we have many activities in which the students are involved (dances, sub socials, etc…), and we’re currently trying to make a student lounge.”
—Amanda Carden, Okaloosa-Walton Community College,
FJCCSGA District IV Coordinator, OWCC’s SGA Vice President, wickedwahinee_007@yahoo.com

“We have shown that life at a two-year college can be as rewarding and enjoyable as anywhere else. We always have fellow students in anticipation of the next activity held by the Student Government Association.”
—Oliver Davis, Okaloosa-Walton Community College,
FJCCSGA Executive Board Secretary, OWCC’s SGA Secretary, owccsecretary@yahoo.com

Credit Cards on Campus—Yes or No?
“I think it’s a great way for students to have an opportunity to apply for credit cards and if eligible, receive them. My major concern would be that the representatives don’t try and infringe on the rights of the students who desire not to be contacted or approached.”
—Farrell A. Chandler, Okaloosa-Walton Community College, FJCCSGA Vice President, OWCC’s SGA President, SGA@OWCC.NET

“Yes they should be banned, because most students don’t have money, and credit cards are a way to spend money people don’t have. By doing this, students will be in debt by the time they get out of college. It’s bad enough they have to pay student loans.”
—Joe Garcia, Valencia Community College-East Campus,
FJCCSGA District II Coordinator, Joe_garcia6@hotmail.com

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What Florida Students Think (112K)