Meet the candidates competing for the union’s only challenged position.
Opinion by Milan Rafaelov, Staff Writer
Photos by Jeremy Ruiz/Valley Star
Norik Bayandorian and Trang Vu will go head-to-head for the vice president’s seat — the only contested ASU position. The VP oversees the quality of the student union's stewardship while supporting the president in delegating tasks.
Trang Vu is a second-semester chemistry major with a long list of leadership roles under her belt. She has been a tutor for multiple subjects, is the treasurer for the Psychology and Women Empowerment clubs, manages the Tau Alpha Epsilon Honor Club’s social media and is the founder and president of the Asian club on campus.
“My primary goal is to prioritize the needs and concerns of students, especially those that are often overlooked and marginalized,” Vu said in her official statement. “This means actively seeking out feedback and suggestions from all members of the Valley College community, and working to implement policies and initiatives that address their most pressing concerns.”
While Vu’s list of experience in governance is a strong qualification for the seat, a question to consider is whether her many leading roles in Valley’s community will leave her with enough time for the position.
Norik Bayandorian, a psychology major, is evidently passionate about unifying Valley.
“I want to make the community in LAVC feel more unified, similarly to that of a family,” he said.
Bayandorian has held some leadership roles on campus, including treasurer of the Economics of Soccer Club and the Inter-Club Council rep for the Psychology Club. Bayandorian says that he understands how clubs and meetings are managed because of his contributions to helping set up club days.
Christopher Robles-Garay, who holds positions as the commissioner of health and wellness and vice president of the Economics of Soccer Club, is currently running as the only candidate for ASU president. Robles- Garay encouraged Bayandorian and others to run for executive board positions. While political recruitment can increase the number of candidates and improve the chances of success for a group, it can also result in a lack of diversity among candidates, limiting the range of perspectives and ideas represented in government.
While both candidates could benefit from providing additional proposals for their potential terms, they agree that ASU must expand efforts that increase student participation on club days.
Bayandorian hopes to make an ASU Discord that connects Monarchs, regardless of online or in-person enrollment, so the student body is updated for each event. In contrast, Vu wants to establish and develop deeper connections with professors and The Valley Star to distribute information quickly and more effectively.
Both candidates have their strengths and weaknesses, and now it is up to the student body to decide which one is the best fit for the role of vice president.