One ASLC member counted present ‘who literally phoned it in’

Sitting in on an ASLC meeting, you might have the feeling that you’re are only seeing the bobbing tip of an iceberg of problems. Of the 17 positions listed, 13 are vacant, seven are currently filled, and only four members were actually present at their first meeting of the semester, September 4th. 
Interim President Jon-Mychal Cox presided over a skeleton crew of members. He insisted, however, that enough were present for quorum, which is the minimum number of members necessary to make student government decisions. It is this minimalism that many students may find troubling. 
News Analysis
One member of the ASLC was counted as present on the roll call after he literally phoned into the meeting. Among the agenda items discussed was the compensation of student custodians who kept the Student Center clean over the course of the summer. 
Cox felt that employing students at their own school would be an excellent way to help support the student body, which most would agree is commendable, except that the ASLC does not currently have access to its $50,000 plus budget. 
Without enough members currently to fill their ranks, the ASLC is struggling to fill its vice presidency and internal secretary offices, the number two and three positions, respectively. 
Cox is a one-man executive branch. The agenda item that took the most time out the two and a half hour meeting, was the appointment of a new Vice President. After debating the credentials of two current members of the ASLC the student government decided to choose neither. This shows that the ASLC might lack confidence in itself. 
As is the case with any fledgling democracy, however, responsibility must fall on the governed themselves. Understaffed, underfunded, and unelected, the problems of Laney’s current ASLC are the problems of our entire college. With elections scheduled for November 24–25 the student body has a clear decision to make about whether the ASLC will remain a private quorum, or be a public forum. 
In the meantime, students of Laney College should feel encouraged to exercise their rights under the Brown Act, which mandates that student governments hold their meetings publicly and transparently. 
 A copy of the Act can be found by going to: http://ag.ca.gov/publications/2003_Intro_BrownAct.pdf