The race for a place in ASG

 

Cody Bakken, vice residential candidate

by Jill Aho

Cody Bakken is the wild card in this year’s ASG election. Running on his own for vice president, Bakken said, “It doesn’t matter who the president is, I can work with anybody.”

Bakken is almost 21 and has been a student at Mt. Hood Community College for three years. He has been attending part-time and paying out of pocket, but that “gives me more time to be involved in campus activities.”

Bakken has served as the business and social science senator for two years. He also serves as pro tem president of the senate. When Brandon Test, the current ASG vice president, is unable to perform his duties in the senate, Bakken will take that role. Bakken is also involved with Queers and Allies Student Organization (QASO), a campus club.

Bakken’s goal is to be a social sciences high school teacher, and he is pursuing an AAOT while at MHCC.

Bakken holds a job in the computer lab on campus and also works in an assisted living facility as a dietary technician assistant. He said the title is a little misleading because his duties are to make dessert and wash dishes.

Bakken lived in northeast Portland until he was 13. His family spent three and a half years in Vancouver before moving to Gresham. He said, “Even when we lived (in Washington), I considered myself an Oregonian.”

Of the many issues facing the school, Bakken is concerned about decreased enrollment numbers, a lack of community feel, and working out the kinks with the ASG Senate. Bakken said too many students come to school and leave without getting involved. As part of the ASG, Bakken knows firsthand the efforts to increase “good feelings in the campus community,” citing improvements to The Keg as an example.

Bakken said he would like to “establish the senate as a branch that’s here to stay.” He said because the senate is still a new addition to the ASG, operations are disorganized.

One of Bakken’s projects from 2005-2006 was a student store. Bakken proposed there be a place to sell wares that clubs have created as a constant fundraiser, and that it be completely run by students. Not only would it give a place to showcase student creations, but it would also create more campus jobs, he said.

As to continuing any of the current vice president’s projects, Bakken is hesitant to take over a project that is incomplete. Bakken said he hoped Test would be able to get his idea of a large outdoor concert at MHCC, Hoodstock, off the ground.