As the semester started, changes were implemented among faculty and classified administrators. Among them former Student Life Coordinator Ericka Greene was selected as Contra Costa College’s Classified Senate president.

The job entails open communication with faculty, staff, administrators and Governing Board trustees, as well as dealing with issues and concerns of classified staff.

Center for Science Excellence program Director Seti Sidharta said, “I have absolute confidence in (Greene).”

Greene said she is prepared to face what is ahead of her and already has goals in mind.

One of the focuses is increasing the number of participants during shared governing committees and raising the moral within students and camaraderie among faculty.

She said she wants members of the classified staff to feel like they have a place to voice any rising concern.

Another goal is to work on increasing professional development through a variety of workshops for administration, faculty and staff members.  

Although Greene’s title may come with a few obstacles due to the heavy workload it will require, she is prepared to confront a hectic schedule.

Senior Administrative Assistant Lorena Cortez said she would like to see more events enacted to bring staff closer and improve cooperation between departments.

Greene said she plans on working from experience and with enthusiasm help guide the classified staff in the direction they need to go.

Greene will hold her position as student life coordinator  and continue to work closely with the Inter Club Council (ICC) and the Associated Student Union.

As coordinator, Greene uses diplomacy to bring clubs together to work toward common goals. As Classified Senate president she hopes to translate those diplomatic skills to a larger stage and work to bring solutions to greater issues.

Cortez said Greene’s experience and leadership capabilities will help ease the work load that the classified senate president is obligated to perform.

“We need more of an involvement from all of us,” Cortez said.

In order to make things work for the classified staff there must be a joint effort between both the members of the classified and the Classified Senate and the people that are working alongside Greene have to put in equal effort.

Greene said she has another goal to improve the participation from the classified staff and improve involvement in shared governance as well as improving  lines of communication among them.

ASU President Nakari Syon said Greene is a people person, and her open-door policy invites cooperation and face-to-face interactions, which is  usually the best way to communicate with her.

Greene said she is working on an award in the honor of late Admissions and Records assistant and athletic eligibility adviser Kay Armendarez.

She said the recipient of the award would be expected to go above and beyond the responsibilities of a classified staff member.

Greene said the award could initiate during the 2016 spring semester.

Prior to taking on the role, Greene advised the ASU’s executive board and it provided her with a substantial amount of experience.

She said gathering the entire classified staff has been a challenge in the past due to different schedules.

Greene said she realized that being the Classified Senate president is a tough task, but she is prepared.

Dr. Sidharta said she has worked alongside Greene while both were part of various committees at CCC.

Sidharta said the experience collected by working on the committees strengthened her work ethic because Greene is familiar with the policies that must be taken into consideration.

She said the Classified Senate works with the Academic Senate leadership on campus.