De Anza College - de Anza Associated Student Body

De Anza Associated Student Body

Like many public and private colleges, De Anza College also has its own student government, the De Anza Associated Student Body (DASB) Senate. Unlike many other colleges, however, the DASB handles an annual budget of about $1 million. Some schools, in comparison, handle annual budgets of less than $500,000. The budget is generally allocated to many programs on campus to help the students succeed in their academics, as well as inviting guest speakers from various universities to advise students on strategies they can use to get an edge in their transfer application.

The DASB Senate is composed of 30 senators that have a passion for improving the De Anza campus. The DASB Senate manifests new, creative, innovative ideas which take the college to another level. The goal of the DASB Senate is to bring the students together, improve student life, involve students on campus, and represent the De Anza population.

The DASB Senate meeting meets every Wednesdays at 3:30 pm except for the first Wednesday of the month which is at 4:30 pm. It is located on the lower level of the Hinson Campus Center in Student Council Chambers. However, there are no Senate meetings on the first week of regular quarter or dead week (the week before finals), finals week, or during quarter breaks. The DASB Senate has six different internal committees plus several ad-hoc committees.

Internal committees

Finance Committee: The goal of the Finance Committee is to establish policies and procedures for budget development, budget approval and expending of all money under the control of the DASB. The committee processes budget requests, ensure programs are following budget stipulations, keep track of DASB funds and accounts, and allocated funds for the upcoming year.

Student Rights and Services Committee: The DASB Student Rights and Services Committee promotes the rights of all De Anza Students. Works with faculty, staff and administration toward a common goal of meeting the needs of the students. Ensures that the college and all its staff and faculty members provide all services entitled to students. In the 2011-2012 school year, the Student Rights and Services Committee helped organize, provide transportation and food, and educate students about the March in March. Marching from Southside Park to the State Capitol in Sacramento, students from De Anza and many other California colleges gathered to remind the government of its "commitment to accessible, low-cost higher education drives innovation and allows Californians of any socioeconomic background to pursue higher learning."

Administration Committee: It reviews the DASB Senate Bylaws and DASB Codes, drafts and reviews proposed amendments, and presents recommendations to the DASB Senate for approval. It reviews proposed amendments to the DASB Constitution, DASB Senate Bylaws, or other DASB Codes. It hires a DASB Senate Parliamentarian at its own discretion with the approval of a majority vote of the DASB Senate.

Marketing Committee: Manages and oversees the DASB Marketing Committee Account and DASB Newsletter Account expenditure, in the best interest of the DASB membership. It serves as a liaison between the De Anza College students, DASB Senate, and the De Anza College community. It publicizes DASB Senate events and services.

Diversity and Events Committee: To create and promote and understanding and awareness of diversity on the De Anza Campus. It expands multiculturalism and education through events and activities, create new multicultural programs, and advocate for as many populations that make up the diversity of De Anza College.

Environmental Sustainability Committee: The DASB Environmental Sustainability Committee promotes awareness of the environmental sustainability to the students and the community; oversees events that promote or support environmental sustainability; plans, coordinates, schedules, and provides DASB programs and events that promote or support environmental sustainability.

Every spring quarter De Anza holds elections where candidates can run for senate positions for the upcoming year. This election takes place during the month of May where students at De Anza can apply for a position in DASB Senate. During this time the candidates are challenged to compete with other candidates while trying to get the most votes to get elected for office. This includes marketing yourself with slogans, posters, flyers, classroom presentation, and etc. In other words, this is to demonstrate each candidates their abilities to prove that they can handle the responsibilities of not just only as a DASB Senate member, but to the entire De Anza students population.