Purpose
The Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) is the official voice of the over 1.8 million students in California community colleges. The authority of the SSCCC is derived from Title 5, §50002, which guarantees that the students of California “have a formal and effective means for participating in the formation of state policies that have or may have a significant impact on students.”
As the student representative voice of students, the SSCCC has three pillars of engagement to facilitate the involvement of students on California community college campuses through our ten Regions. These three pillars are:
- System Participatory Governance;
- Legislative and Policy Advocacy; and
- Regional Support and Development.
The SSCCC participates in the California Community College system governance structures by appointing students to serve on over 25 committees, advisory groups, and task-forces with administrators, faculty, and classified professionals as policies are developed. Students appointed are guided by the resolutions passed by the SSCCC Delegate Assembly, positions adopted by the SSCCC Board of Directors, and by their experiences and challenges on their home campuses.
The SSCCC engages year-round in California and federal legislative processes. In the fall of each year, the Legislative Affairs directors develop the legislative priorities for the SSCCC using past priorities, resolutions passed by the Delegate Assembly, current issues, and experiences from students on local student body associations. These priorities include new proposals for legislation and support for existing measures in the state and federal legislative processes. Working with systems partners, the California State Legislature, Office of the Governor, California Aid Commission, and other groups, the SSCCC actively seeks to educate these offices, individuals, and groups about how policies affect students in California community colleges.
Finally, the SSCCC guides engagement with the student-associated bodies in each California community college through its regional structure. Regional Affairs Directors work with student leaders to support and develop regions by collection, custodianship, and implementation of effective practices for students’ leadership and advocacy. The Regions also serves as a conduit through which the Board of Directors and other system partners share information about current issues and critical concerns.
