On Friday, the Salt Lake Community College Student Association (SLCCSA) announced via Instagram that students elected Lindsay Simons and Emmanuel Mukaz as the 2022-23 SLCCSA president and executive vice president.
Simons said the primary role of the SLCCSA president is to help student voices be heard, which is accomplished through event planning. This allows students to become more involved and attend school meetings, including the executive cabinet and COVID task force meetings, in which they can voice their own viewpoints. Simons is also on 10 committees around the college, including the student fee board, student center advisory board, and the campus safety roundtable.
“The biggest challenge is speaking for the student body but keeping in mind that every student has a different perspective, and they are all valid,” she said.
Simons said there are many exciting changes coming soon to SLCC.
“We’re so close to getting free menstrual products in the bathrooms, we’re working on more inclusive bathroom signage, and we developed a brand-new campus safety roundtable where there can be transparent conversations with Utah Highway Patrol and [other] departments with on-campus housing coming soon,” she said.
Simons said the experience of being president this past year has reinforced to her how great SLCC is, noting that she has learned that her opinion is not what matters most.
“I have learned that the student voice is full of international students, undocumented students, all races, all ages, all genders,” she said. “I need to be able to use my platform to help the underserved populations that are right here at SLCC.”
In her first year as president, Simons said she is most proud of helping the college shift back to in-person events while still being mindful of the ongoing pandemic.
“We’ve planned each activity with student safety as a priority,” she said. “The focus has been student healing: body, mind and spirit, and we’ve worked really hard to make sure our events reflect that goal.”
Simons said she is also proud of organizing the first school dance at SLCC in 15 years.
“It was something I was so excited about because it feels like a vital part of the student experience,” she said.
Looking forward to this upcoming year, Simons said she wants to learn from the mistakes she made in her first year and realize more initiatives.
“We’ve started a lot of projects but have run into hurdles on the way and I need to finish those,” she said.
Simons is currently working on a pre-medical and health science degree at SLCC and hopes to apply to a physician assistant program when she leaves the college.
In her free time, Simons said one of her favorite things to do with her kids is hit up the splash pads in the summer. She also recently picked up a new hobby of being a beekeeper.
“I have four beehives in my backyard and love being a beekeeper,” she said. “I love researching about them and taking care of them. Knock on wood but all are alive so far this winter!”
Applications open for student leader positions
With elections now complete, the Thayne Center is starting the application process for five student leader positions that make up SLCCSA’s Executive Council. The role of these positions is to “represent SLCC students, their issues and concerns to the administration, community leaders and state officials.”
The hourly pay for these positions has increased from last year to $15 per hour, and the interview process has been modified to make things easier for candidates according to Timothy Davis, director of the Thayne Center.
Students can learn more about the positions and apply via Campus Groups through Friday, March 18 at 8:00 a.m.
These are the Executive Council positions that students can apply for:
- Vice President for Clubs & Organizations
- Vice President for Equity & Diversity
- Vice President for North Region (Programming)
- Vice President for Central Region (Programming)
- Vice President for South Region (Programming)
