Wednesday,
April 8, 1998
D.C. trip proves to be a good experience
CHRISTINA MUELLER
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Associated Student Government took their annual trip to Wash
ington DC for the national American Student Association of Com
munity Colleges (AS ACC) conference held March 7-10. Clacka
mas had one of the largest delegations at the conference, a group
of 15 including advisor Norm Boney.
For the first time the group elected to bring a member of the
Clackamas Print to cover the event I was fortunate enough to
accompany them on their trip.
I was so nervous. During the weeks before the trip I made an
unsuccessful attempt to meet some of the other students who were
going to DC. Josh Bruegman helped quite a bit by heading the
“Lobbying 101 ” lectures which provided me and other uninformed
ASG members with a “crash course” in lobbying.
Our date of departure March 6 approached fast Iwasgoing to
DC, ready or not
The ride to the airport and wait at the airport provided me with
an ample amount of time to get to know some of my fellow trav
elers. My sample brought me to the conclusion that the trip was
going to be OK.
We landed in DC at about 8 p.m. Portland tune (11 p.m. DC
timejaftera brief stop in Chicago. Ridirigthe Metro toourhotel,
The Hyatt Regency, was a first experience for many of us. We
arrived at the hotel, quickly checked into our rooms and went out
on the town for some preliminary sightseeing. The capitol was
only a few blocks away so that was our destination.
I was shocked at how dirty the streets were. I still can’t under
stand why our government allows our nation’s capital city to look
so poor. There were a lot of bums and panhandlers on the streets.
I clutched my bag hard hoping to not become a victim of crime
like I’d been warned about before I left home.
Approaching 3a.m. we decided, tired or not, it was time to get
some rest. We returned to the hotel to wind down and sleep.
The next morning most of us were functioning off three hours
qfsleep. The conference officially started at 1 pm. but there was
lots of preparation still to be done.
The conference kicked off with more than 250 delegates in
attendance. Jacob Boenisch, ASG president as well as ASACC
president, began with a warm welcome and a slogan for the con
ference. “Bring it home, What you learn here.. .bring it home.
What you work on here.. .bring it home. What you gather
here.. .bring ithome.”
The convention consisted of workshops, round table discus
sions and speakers to better inform students on issues involving
financial aid for community college students. After attending a
number of these activities, students lobbied their home state con
gressmen and senators asking them to support a number of bills
that benefit community college students.
This year’s lobbying focal points were financial: the $5000
Pell Grant maximum advocated by Senator Paul Wellstone and
Congressman James P. McGovern; the $5000 Income Protection
Allowance for students as provided in the House subcommittee
draft of the HEA; the promise of Pell Grants as early as the sixth
grade to students in impoverished communities who finish high
school, as proposed by Congressman Chaka Fattah in H.R. 777;
and the provision of child-care assistance to colleges saving the
CONTRIBUTED PROTO / Clackamas Print
Part of the D.C. group poses with U.S. Senator Gordon Smith. From Left, Jacob Boenisch, Christy
Atkins (Mt. Hood Community College) Brian Fuentez, David LeDoux, Casey Budesilich
(Southwestern Oregon Community College), Senator Gordon Smith, Kate Fields, Scott Bones
(Central Oregon Community College), Rachelle Snowley, Josh Bruegman, Tiffani Jagodnik,
Christina Mueller, Jennifer Rankin, Cindy Kraxberger, Tiffany Fine, and Becky Biggs.
cessful by the passing of the 12 percent Pell Grant increase and
extending the employee educational assistance act
Lobbying schools made a point to thank their Senators and Con
gressman for the issues they’ve supported in the past
“So many people go to the hill and they forget to say thanks,”
said ASACC founder and National Policy Advisor Frank Mensel.
Ambassador Ronald D. Palmer, professor of the Practice of
International Affairs, George Washington University, spoke to the
attendees on how student leaders can make a difference today that
is remembered tomorrow. Palmer inspired students by his speech.
“The question is, how students can play a successful role in the
contemporary international arena'.. ..In closing, students must
fight for what is right... let us begin,” he said.
As with all conventions, this one had its glitches. Congressman
Fattah was scheduled to speak Saturday evening but was unable
to make it To compensate for his absence Fattah’s Chief of Staff
Claudia Ferris spoke to the group Sunday morning. Thetopicof
discussion was Fattah’s bill H.R. TT1 which ASACC supports.
“This is a stark statement but I believe that American democ
racy is the greatest human experiment of all time,” Ferris said.
Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone spoke briefly on his pro
posal of the $5000 Pell Grant maximum during the Monday lun
cheon.
Other speakers included Judith Eaton, President of the council
on Higher Education Accreditation; John Martin Meek, President
of HMI Inc.; David Carle, Media Director with Senator Patrick
Leahy; Ambassadors to the United States from Austria, Egypt
and Morocco; North Carolina Representative David Price; and
New York Representative Major Owens.
larger Pell Grant enrollments, as proposed by Senators Christo
The convention pays off for all community college students
pher Dodd, Edward Kennedy and Olymfria Snow in S. 1151.
.
when they receive the support of their Congressmen and Senators
In past years, lobbying during this convention has proved suc
for the bills they believe in.
Clackamas students paid a visit to
Congresswoman Darlene Hooley’s office;
unfortunately, Hooley was in Oregon at the
time, but we were able to speak with her as
sistant The same went for Congressman
Peter Defazio.
All Staff & Full-Tinie Students are Eligible to Join.
We were able to visit in person with
Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith. All
ofthe doors were wide open for us, and with
Dividend Be.4$in^:-.Checking; No
out our Congresspeople and Senators sup
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port our DC experience wouldn’t have been
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as meaningful as it was.
Tiffani Jagodnik, Tiffany Fine and
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Becky Biggs from Clackamas presented a
workshop on leadership recruitment entitled
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“Getting the Right Person in the Right Place
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at the Right Time.” The workshop presented
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many new. and different approaches to re
, vx-
cruiting more members for individual student
governments and activities. Jagodnik, Fine
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and Biggs woe commended by everyone at
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Milwaukie, OR 97222
the conference by their excellent presenta
Other aspects of the conference included a dance wi th DJ Buddy
Hall and a nighttime tour of Washington DC that included taking
the Metro and riding in a taxi (both a first for many)' <
The walking tour was one of our only chances to sightsee. We
woe able to see The White House, The Vietnam Memorial, The
Einstein Memorial, The Lincoln Manorial and many other sites.
Our visit to the Lincoln Memorial was disappointing because of
all nights that night they woe pressure washing Mr. Lincoln. We
begged and begged but they would not let us continue up the:' steps
for a closer look. The Vietnam Memorial provided a touching
moment forallofus. Jerry O’Sullivan, our tour guide, asked us to
walk through the memorial in silence, reach out and run our fin
gers across a name and then think about that person’s family, friends
and the life they gave fighting for our country. Most of us left the
memorial in tears. The tour concluded our last night in DC.
I will always value my trip to DC. The members of ASG
impressed me by their professional attitudes toward the trip
and their ability to include me in their activities as vvell as
other students at the conference. I would like-to express my
sincerest thanks to the members of ASG for the experience of
a lifetime.
I believe that In the future ASACC will continue to build
bridges and make contacts with people all over the country in
order to better inform and provide for the students, prospec
tive students, and any others involved in the future of our
nation’s community colleges.
Clackamas Federal Credit Union
656-0671
(Wednesday, April 8, 1998
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tion.
CHRISTINA MUELLER / Clackamas Print
The United States Capitol was only a few blocks
from our hotel, so we visited it often.