President elect Noah Aguilar and vice president elect Elise Ho enter their terms with calculated excitement

Noah Aguilar and Eliso Ho at Associated Student Government celebration. Jacob Hoffman | Student

On Friday, March 15, Noah Aguilar and Elise Ho were announced as the Associated Student Government president and vice president elects for Saddleback College. There were a total of 644 ballots cast from a voting period of March 11 – 13, and they received 294 and 248 votes respectively.

Their election follows a multifaceted campaign with an emphasis on reaching out to student athletes and student clubs. Approaching the interview, the pair entered the Gateway building apparently exasperated from getting across campus in time.

“Just now we were interviewing someone for next year,” Elise said after sitting down in the Career Support Center, where Noah works as a Federal Work Study recipient. “The position was for the budget director.”

Noah pulled forward a chair from behind the front desk to join the two of us at the end of a row. “It went better than we expected, and it’s tough because we have two really good candidates.” 

The two emphasized how they got more applicants than was expected, as well as the difficulty in selecting from a pool of candidates who are only interested in one position. Making effective appointments for roles like budget director make up an important part of their responsibilities leading up to their roles in ASG. 

They made it clear how grateful they were for their prospective positions. After being asked why they ran, Noah recollected how their ticket started.

He began the story on an ASG day, a recurring team building event in the student government, last semester. After arriving late coming from work, he was committed to finding somebody to run with, but “the people that I normally sit with, all the seats are filled. I got forced to sit with Elise.”

“Forced?” Elise said. “I literally waved you down and had you pull up a chair next to me.”

“Not forced,” Noah said. “Another funny thing too, I remember the first time I met Elise, about a week before, I thought she hated me.”

“No, I didn’t,” Elise said, laughing. 

Noah corrected himself that she was just messing with him, each of them settling down into their seats and getting closer to the recorder. 

Noah figured that his best chance in approaching a prospective running mate would be in person, rather than over the phone. After sitting next to her because of the crowded room, “I had a way I had to word it around because she originally just wanted the easiest position in ASG,” he said.

“I did not want the easiest position,” Elise said. “I literally asked you for budget director, which is the second hardest position in ASG.”

“Oh, yeah,” Noah said. “That’s the reason why—she wanted to ask me if I was running for president.”

The chance occurrence of their sitting next to each other quickly grew into a joint president and vice presidential ticket. The next six months were spent campaigning, including visits to clubs, sports practices, and other student organizations. 

Each of them reflected positively on the origins of their run. When asked whether their motivations centered around the resume point, they flatly rejected, citing their experiences at Saddleback before even joining ASG. 

“I’m actually not a political science major,” Noah said. “I love Saddleback. I did online high school growing up, and coming to Saddleback, I literally didn’t know anybody. When I originally found out about ASG, it was such a great way for me to meet and talk to so many people.”

Noah mentioned his flamboyancy and eagerness to talk, in and outside of his classes. Coming to Saddleback, it was disappointing to be met with rooms full of people who drove to campus, went to class, and drove back home. Unfortunately touching on a nearly universal community college experience, he was frustrated with the detachment of the student body before he became more involved on campus.

Reacting to this experience, he joined ASG and found a job on campus. Now, he’s taking 19 units, and has “really started to love Saddleback.” He looked around his shoulder and said “One of the advisors makes fun of me that I practically live here.”

Elise has always enjoyed getting involved in leadership positions. Reflecting on their compatibility in running together, she said “I feel like I have more of an assertive personality, which balances out with Noah because he’s like a bundle of clouds that is also filled with pizza and Pepsi Zero.” 

For Elise, their election victory follows a full semester of already being a part of the Budget and Finance Committee. It’s given her a strong background in the technical and financial side of ASG, she said.  

Elise emphasized how unique this opportunity is for both of them. Though initially not aiming for the role of vice president, it’s because of Noah’s trustworthiness and character that she felt comfortable taking on both the campaign and the year-long commitment following, she said. 

“I appreciate all the opportunity we can bring to Saddleback,” she said.

Both Noah and Elise are STEM majors, and pursued their ASG positions in order to connect deeper with Saddleback students and culture. Considering her time this semester as part of ASG, Elise reflected on her attendance at Inter-Club Council meetings as both an observer for the Budget and Finance Committee and club member. 

The voting system that’s currently in place was of particular concern for both Elise and Noah. “I think for when the current voting system was created two years ago,” she said, “it was probably reasonable at that time because clubs wanted more voting power, and I am not against that whatsoever.”

However, Elise added that since covid, and with resurgences in club activity on campus, reevaluation of this system is important. “We need to have more intimate meetings straight-up with the clubs,” she said, “instead of one huge thing where they have five minutes. It’s not really reasoned out or negotiated as much as it should be, ethically.”

Noah, in a later question, added that for the past three years, ICC has ran out of funding before their allotted term was finished.

Continuing on reconsidering the structure of ASG, Noah and Elise both mentioned splitting the executive and senate branches in order to improve the strengths of each on their own. With a combined quorum and agenda, it can be difficult for each branch to focus on what they’re supposed to.

“The executive branch sets goals, and the senate is more so the voting power,” Noah said. “Right now it’s completely mixed up. We keep holding these joint senate-executive meetings. It’s going to have a better structure so that when clubs or students have questions about certain things, they know where to go.”

During campaigning, there’s a lot of mysticism around what the ASG president and vice president are capable of affecting on campus. Taking this into consideration, Noah and Elise each emphasized strengthening the internals of ASG, maintaining a level of passion and rapport without falling into the trap of just hiring their friends.

“The biggest thing is making sure that we’re putting people in the right positions,” Noah said, “that they’re actually qualified for those positions, and that they’re not just our friends.” 

Noah expressed his concern for each of them being able to follow through on their individual jobs without distractions within ASG, explains that it’s important to appoint qualified people so that higher level executive members are not forced to pick up the weight of other positions.

Focusing on the strengths of their roles instead of spreading themselves too thin, the higher executive’s relationships with faculty on campus is another important thing to consider. “When I go to the board of trustees meetings or I speak with the Chancellor, I can actually have a conversation with them about it,” Noah said, referring to the needs of clubs on campus. 

Experienced from her position as financial officer of the Campus Sustainability Council this past semester, Elise reaffirmed the importance of supporting committees on campus to effectively function without inference from the executive branch. 

“For every senator that we appoint or that has already been elected,” Elise said, “my main priority is to make sure that everyone’s committee is doing their job so it works as a well functioning system, where I know that I can rely on all the senators.”

She added that this would allow her the time to remain involved in other student organizations as well, including the Book Club, Asian American Club, and Creative Writing Club. 

Involvement in parts of campus which are currently overlooked was a prevailing theme between both of them. Noah said that there were “quite a few” things he would have done differently from the current ASG executive.

“If I could pick one thing,” he said, “it would just be being there for people. It would be nice going to the events and publicity meetings seeing the president and vice president more often.” In general, it’s important to place priority on “being there for people at clubs, showing up, making the instagram, and following people,” he said.

Elise added that the education of ASG members is also very important. Especially considering previous ASG days which have focused primarily on socializing, taking ahold of opportunities to better inform ASG members on the mechanics of their positions could improve both trust and efficiency within student government.

With increased education, what Elise most wants to combat is confusion within members of ASG. “I don’t think I know more than 20 people that know the bylaws,” she said. “I don’t think I know anyone other than the advisors who know the bylaws like the back of their hand. It’s very technical and when you’re only a publicity officer, or an officer for one committee, you’re not thinking about bylaws or something on that scope.”

However, each maintained their strong relationships and gratitude for the current ASG. “Kristian has done a phenomenal job by the way,” Noah said. “He got ASG from 20 people all the way back up to a fully filled organization with 60 or 55 people. He definitely got it back up on its feet. I want to get it running, though.”

What does a running ASG mean? Noah, covering both their campaign’s promises and the future of the campus at-large said that “That’s me trying to get Crumbl Cookie to come on campus, milk and cookies, bring a boba truck, bring In-N-Out. Obviously we have big stuff coming next year with the quad, Barnes and Noble, and the cafeteria opening up.”

Not everything, however, is this immediately exciting. Elise coupled Noah’s grandiosity with a more practical interest in revamping ASG’s now outdated website.

“That website is like 10 years old,” she said. “It’s extremely important to revamp it because people can’t apply on a website if it doesn’t work and people can’t look up important things about student government if it doesn’t work.”

And this isn’t the only practical concern either. Adding to their dialogue on the budget earlier, ASG’s income will be vital to their plans for the following year, and Elise stated plainly that “we are not getting enough ASG stamp sales.” Despite various benefits and rewards for ASG stamp holders, there was a noticeable drop off this past semester, Elise still affirming that they “are not going to run out of money.”

Noah and Elise both concluded the interview with statements on how overjoyed at their victory they are, promising their eagerness to maintain an active leadership next semester.

“I’m grateful to Elise,” Noah said. “Without Elise, I don’t think I would’ve won. I didn’t think I was going to win. It was an entire experience and something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

“Doing things like these is the peak of my college experience right now,” Elise said.

Noah and Elise are looking forward to getting their hands dirty next year. Traditionally, the transition of power occurs after commencement, which this year takes place on May 22. They are currently in discussion with President Elliot Stern to move this date forward.

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