AS vacancies appointed

Three recently vacant director positions within the Associated Students were filled Wednesday during the AS weekly board meeting.

The three positions, vice president, director of student services, and director of student support and shared governance, opened up only two weeks ago, after the students heading those positions resigned due to personal reasons.

Jemal Hussein was appointed as vice president, Chioma Ojini as director of student services, and Jon Kent Ethridge III as director of student support and shared governance.

"It's a sense of relief," said Parker Jean, AS president. "Now we have more people fulfilling our goals."

The process to apply included submitting an application which was reviewed by a committee, followed by an interview. In the case of the vice president, three candidates were nominated until the final one was chosen.

Final decisions took approximately two weeks.

The new directors and vice president have three months in their new positions to work on the goals they have set for their term.

"I want to make a difference," said Hussein. "I'm trying to get people to know what AS is

— that AS is here for them."

Hussein worked as the vice president and then the president of the Inter-Club Council. This will be his last semester at SMC, as he will be transferring to a UC in the fall.

Ojinil attended Pennsylvania State University for two years, where she was a senator of information technology. She said she has three goals for her term which include sustainability, making food more affordable, and enhancing the transfer process.

"I wanted to enhance my leadership skills," she said. "At the same time, I wanted to give back what was given to me at Penn State."

Ojinil also said she realizes that students travel from long distances to attend school, so she wants to create more events for out of state and international students.

Hussein said he hopes to implement a textbook rental program at the student bookstore.

While this is his first year at SMC, Ethridge III said he would like to "bring the student body closer." He previously worked on student government in high school, and part of his plans include "pushing SMC to its highest potential."

Ethridge III also seeks to improve critical thinking at school, which has largely left the classroom, according to him.

"I think these people are equipped with the tools necessary to fulfill their goals," Parker said.