College District Changes Way Student Trustees Are Chosen

After hearing complaints from students at its three campuses, the Ventura County Community College District voted Tuesday to change eligibility guidelines for student members of its Board of Trustees, including eliminating a conflict of interest clause that prevented work-study students from seeking the office.

The board, which governs Oxnard, Moorpark and Ventura community colleges, took the action in a series of votes, considering each of four requirements separately.

The board voted 4 to 1 to eliminate a rule that triggered most of the student complaints--that students in the journalism program and work-study students could not run for student trustee because of potential conflict of interest. Board member Tom Ely voted against the change.

Rose Riley, an Oxnard College work-study student, and Darius Aubry, a member of Moorpark College’s Black Student Union, argued that the requirement was unfair to students who must work to support themselves.

Board member Tim Hirschberg said about 70% of the student government leaders are in the work-study program and would be ineligible under the rule. Under the work-study program, students are given campus jobs to help cover the costs of their education.

In other action on the issue, the board voted unanimously to reduce the number of signatures students must collect to qualify for the ballot from 200 to 50. The board also voted to provide health benefits for the student trustee.