While the US constitution might need 50 years to change, the Las Positas College Student Government Constitution doesn’t. The student government has drafted a new constitution supported by the Senate and student body, entailing much-needed provisions since its 2019 version.
According to Jackie Carillo, LPCSG’s Director of Communication, the existing document hasn’t been adjusted in a very long time, other than some minor edits in 2019. The new constitution will allow for critical student government positions to be filled without appointment from the LPCSG president, alter the non-inclusive gendered language of the old one and be simplified for ease of reading and inclusivity. It will also expand the size of the executive board, allowing the Director of Finances and the Director of Programs and Services to be elected by the student population every election season.
The change of gendered language is necessary and welcomed, as having only he/she pronouns leaves out people who do not identify with those pronouns. It’s also unnecessarily wordy to use ‘he/she’ over ‘they,’ which covers bases for both singular and plural subjects.
For context, the old constitution promises that the LPCSG “provide[s] means for student representation by maintaining well-established lines of communication throughout the many areas of the community college environment.” In order to best provide for the student body, a constitution should stay relevant to student needs.
The next step to pass this document is to get it approved by the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Board of Trustees, then the document can be official. Thanks to student support, LPCSG is able to be proactive and improve the LPC campus. Stay updated on their social media to see what ways you can help.
If you’d like to be a part of the Las Positas Student Government, visit the LPCSG website for details.
Lizzy Rager is a writer for The Express.
